UM Track Ranked 21st In Nation
May 27, 2002
Coral Gables, FL (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami women’s track and field team moved up three spots to No. 21 in the latest Trackwire25 rankings.
The Hurricanes have qualified five individuals and one relay for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 29-June 1, in Baton Rouge, LA.
Leading the Hurricane individuals is senior All-American Kareen Clarke (Lithonia, GA) who qualified in both the long jump and triple jump. Clarke, a four-time All-American, finished third in the triple jump earlier this season at the 2002 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. She enters the NCAA Outdoor Championships ranked second in the nation in the triple jump.
Joining Clarke in the long jump will be junior All-American Gina Harris (Philadelphia, PA). Harris earned All-America honors in the long jump with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The outdoor berth is the first of Harris’ career.
Miami had two runners qualify in the 100-meters. Freshman All-American Lauryn Williams (Rochester, PA), the 2002 BIG EAST Champion, ranks 11th in the nation in the 100-meters (11.40) entering the NCAA Championships. She earned All-America honors earlier this season with a seventh-place finish in the 60-meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Also qualifying in the 100-meters is senior Wyllesheia Myrick (Miami Northwestern). Myrick, who earned All-America honors in the 200-meters at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Championships, has recorded the nation’s 19th fastest time in the 100-meters (11.48).
Junior Sharianne Lawson (Palm Beach Lakes) qualified in the 100-meter hurdles. Lawson ranks eighth in the nation in the event (13.26). Lawson looks to continue the Hurricanes’ strong tradition in the event. Since 1992 Miami has had at least one All-American in the event in seven of the last 10 seasons including four national titles.
Miami’s 4×400-meter relay of junior Saraque Whittaker (Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas), junior Jamillah Wade (Philadelphia, PA), senior Jenise Winston (League City, TX) and sophomore Kitoya Carter (Miami Northwestern) also qualified.
The relay, ranked fifth in the nation, is coming off a record-breaking performance at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships. The foursome recorded Miami’s first BIG EAST title in the event with a school and BIG EAST record time of 3:33.57.
TRACKWIRE TOP-25 RANKINGSRk Team Pts1 UCLA 752 USC 703 South Carolina 684 LSU 525 Colorado 376 Kansas State 26 Florida 26 Arizona 269 Nebraska 2410 Texas 1911 Indiana 18 Stanford 18 North Carolina 1814 Tennessee 16 Washington State 16 Auburn 16 Illinois 1618 Clemson 1519 Oregon 1420 Rice 1321 Ohio State 12 MIAMI (FL) 1223 Purdue 11 Notre Dame 1125 Iowa State 10 Liberty 10 North Carolina State 10 California 10 James Madison 10
