Amber Williams' Pentathlon Record Leads Miami at BIG EAST Indoor
Feb. 16, 2002
Syracuse, N.Y. (www.hurricanesports.com) – A school record performance in the pentathlon by freshman Amber Williams (Succasunna, N.J.) and a strong showing by a trio of athletes in the long jump led the University of Miami women’s indoor track and field team to third place in the team standings in the first day of the BIG EAST Conference Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York.
The Hurricanes scored 24 points on the first day of the two-day competition and are in good shape to contend for the school’s first indoor conference championship. West Virginia leads the team race with 42 points while Notre Dame is second with 32.5.
“We did everything we had to do today and we didn’t have any mistakes,” said Miami head coach Amy Deem. “We just have to perform to our potential tomorrow and we’ll have a shot (at the BIG EAST title).”
The long jump was the most productive event for Miami on Saturday as the Hurricanes collected 16 points led by a second-place showing by Gina Harris (Philadelphia, Pa.). Harris posted a best of 20 feet, 7 Ľ inches (6.28 meters), to give UM eight more points behind Seton Hall’s Nolle Graham, who won with a jump of 21-1 Ľ (6.43m). Kareen Clarke (Lithonic, Ga.) placed third with a best of 20-3 ˝ (6.18m) and Chinela Davis (Haverstraw, N.Y.) was seventh with a leap of 18-4 ˝ (5.60m). Both Harris and Clarke improved their provisional qualifying marks for the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships.
In the pentathlon, Williams scored 3,511 points to shatter the old mark of 3,424 by Robin Beecham in 1997. The school-record total was good for a second-place finish behind Seton Hall’s Bridgette Ingram who took the title with 3,593 points, giving Miami eight points in the team standings.
The Hurricanes will hope to use their depth in the sprints to make a run for the conference title on Sunday. Miami advanced four sprinters to the final of the 60-meter dash and three more to the 200-meter dash final. Lauryn Williams (Rochester, Pa.) led all qualifiers in the 60 with a time of 7.42 seconds, winning her qualifying heat. Teammates Wyllesheia Myrick (Miramar, Fla.), Gina Harris (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Wiande Moore (Spring, Texas). Myrick ran 7.64 for the fifth-fastest qualifying time, Harris was clocked at 7.67 while Moore ran 7.69.
Williams, Myrick and Moore also qualified for the 200. Williams posted the fourth-fastest qualifying time with a 24.37 performance with Myrick (24.53) and Moore (25.02) posting the fifth and sixth-fastest times of the nine finalists for Sunday.
Saturday's Miami Women's Results from the BIG EAST Championships:Women's Team Scoring (Through Day One)1. West Virginia, 422. Notre Dame, 32.53. MIAMI, 244. Seton Hall, 205. Villanova, 196. Syracuse, 187. Georgetown, 178. Connecticut, 139. Boston College, 12.510. Providence, 1111. Pittsburgh, 912. St. John's, 813. Virginia Tech, 514. Rutgers, 3
Long Jump1. Nolle Graham, Seton Hall, 21-1 Ľ (6.43 meters), 2. Gina Harris, Miami, 20-7 Ľ (6.28m), 3. Kareen Clarke, Miami, 20-3 ˝ (6.18m). Other Miami finishers: 7. Chinela Davis, 18-4 ˝ (5.60m).Pentathlon1. Bridgette Ingram, Seton Hall, 3,593 points, 2. Amber Williams, Miami, 3,511.
Miami Qualifiers To Sunday Finals:60-Meter Dash – Preliminaries1. Lauryn Williams, 7.42, 5. Wylleshia Myrick, 7.64, 6. Gina Harris, 7.67, 9. Wiande Moore, 7.69.200 Meters – Preliminaries4. Lauryn Williams, 24.37, 5. Wylleshia Myrick, 24.53, 6. Wiande Moore, 25.02.400 Meters – Preliminaries5. Jenise Winston, 56.15, 8. Jamillah Wade, 56.44.500 Meters – Preliminaries9. Terria Madison, 1:14.76.800 Meters – Preliminaries8. Patricia Pearson, 2:14.98.60-Meter Hurdles – Preliminaries8. Sharianne Lawson, 8.88.
