Harris Wins BIG EAST Long Jump Title
Feb. 22, 2003
Syracuse, NY (hurricanesports.com) – Senior All-American Gina Harris (Philadelphia, PA) captured her first BIG EAST long jump title with a leap of 6.31 meters (20-08.50) and the University of Miami is in second-place after the first day of competition at the BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championships in Syracuse, NY.
Miami recorded 34 points on Saturday and trails Notre Dame (36.50) by just 2.50 points heading into the final day of competition.
“I thought we had a great day today,” said head women’s track and field coach Amy Deem. “We really put ourselves a favorable position heading into Sunday.”
Harris, who recorded the fourth best jump in the nation this season, is the first Hurricane since Ronalee Davis in 1998 to win the BIG EAST Indoor long jump championship. Her mark also provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, March 14-15, in Fayetteville, AR.
Miami had a total of three jumpers score in the long jump. Senior Sharianne Lawson (Palm Beach Lakes) finished third with a jump of 6.14 meters (20-01.75) and freshman Amber Williams (Succasunna, NJ) who took sixth with a leap of 6.07 meters (19-11.00)
Williams also finished second in the pentathlon with a school-record total of 3,781 points marking the second straight season she has been runner-up in the event.
Senior Adrienne Moss (Miami Southridge) shattered the UM record in the weight throw finishing fifth with a toss of 16.81 meters (55-02.00). Moss’ throw surpassed her previous school-record by nearly two feet. Senior Megan Cobb (Ypsilanti, MI) took sixth in the weight throw with a personal-best throw of 16.24 meters (53-03.50).
The Hurricanes, searching for their first BIG EAST Indoor title, had four runners qualify for the finals of the 60-meters, three in the 200-meters, three in the 400-meters, two in the 500-meters, and three in the 60-meter hurdles.
All-American Lauryn Williams (Rocherster, PA) qualified for the finals of both the 60-meters and 200-meters. Her time of 7.38 in the 60-meters was the fastest of the preliminaries.
Freshmen Charlette Greggs (Miami Northwestern) and Dominique Darden (Harrisburg, PA) recorded the two top preliminary times in the 200-meters. Greggs won her heat with a time of 24.06 while Darden finished first in her qualifying heat with a time of 24.37.
Darden also qualified for the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.66. Lawson posted the second-best qualifying time in the hurdles winning her heat with a time of 8.41, while Amber Williams also reached the finals with a time of 8.65.
Qualifying for the finals of the 400-meters were All-Americans Kitoya Carter (Miami Northwestern), Sashanie Simpson (Miami, FL), and Jamillah Wade (Philadelphia, PA).
All-American Saraque Whittaker (Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas), the defending BIG EAST 500-meter Champion, won her 500-meter heat in a time of 1:14.11 to qualify for Sunday’s final. Senior Terria Madison (Columbus, GA) also qualified for the final with a time of 1:14.13.
