Three Individuals, One Relay Earn All-America Honors
June 1, 2002
Baton Rouge, LA (hurricanesports.com) – Three University of Miami individuals and one Hurricane relay earned All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Baton Rouge, LA.
Miami finished in 20th-place (12 points) marking the highest outdoor NCAA finish since 1995 (17th, 15 points).
The Hurricanes had two runners earn All-America honors in the 100-meters as freshman Lauryn Williams (Rochester, PA) took sixth with a time of 11.63 and senior Wyllesheia Myrick (Miami Northwestern) finished eighth with a time of 11.72.
“I’m please with how my career has gone at Miami,” said Myrick, who earns All-America honors for the second time of her career. “I’m proud with my performance tonight. I was able to compete against some of the best competition in the country so I can’t complain. UM had never had an All-American in the 100-meters coming into this season and now we have two.”
Williams and Myrick become the first Hurricane sprinters in school-history to earn All-America honors in the 100-meters.
In the triple jump, senior Kareen Clarke (Lithonia, GA) earned All-America honors for the fifth time of her career finishing third with a leap of 13.32 meters (43-08.50).
“I had trouble hitting the board today,” said Clarke, who fouled on three of her six jumps. “It’s almost impossible to win at this level when you foul on three of your six jumps.”
Clarke, who also finished third in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships, ends her UM career as arguably the greatest jumper in school-history. Clarke leaves UM as a five-time BIG EAST champion, a five-time All-American, the school-record holder in the indoor and outdoor triple jump, and the BIG EAST record holder in the outdoor triple jump.
The Hurricanes’ 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 earned All-America honors finishing seventh with a time of 3:32.74. The time is the second-fastest in school-history.
The foursome is the first UM 4×400-meter relay to earn All-America honors and the first Hurricane relay of any kind to earn All-America honors since the 1995 4×100-meter relay of Gillian Russell, Patrina Allen, Lakeya Avant and Latesha Grier.
With Saturday’s performances, Miami has now had 19 different athletes earn a combined 46 All-America honors over the last 11 seasons.
“I thought we competed hard all weekend and I’m very pleased with the team’s performance,” said head coach Amy Deem. “I think it is very impressive that Lauryn (Williams) was able to come in as a freshman and earn All-America honors both indoors and outdoors. I also thought that Wyllesheia (Myrick) showed a lot of heart scoring in the 100-meters, which isn’t her best event.”
