Williams Jumps To Eighth In World Rankings

Aug. 31, 2004

Coral Gables, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – Fresh off her silver medal performance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, former University of Miami sprinter Lauryn Williams (Rochester, Pa.) jumped to eighth in the IAAF World 100-meter rankings.

Williams captured the Olympic silver medal in the 100-meters running a personal-best time of 10.96 seconds this summer in Athens. Earlier this year Williams capped an undefeated collegiate season winning the NCAA National title in the 100-meters, running the fifth-fastest time in NCAA history (10.97).

Williams also ranks 47th in the world in the 200-meters even though she only competed in the event three times this season.

Another member of the Hurricane family ranked among the world’s best is volunteer assistant coach Debbie Ferguson. Ferguson ranks fourth in the world in the 100-meters and sixth in the world in the 200-meters. At this summer’s Olympic Games she won the bronze medal in the 200-meters and reached the Olympic final in the 100-meters.

Other former Hurricane women in the world rankings include Wyllesheia Myrick (Class of 2002) who ranks 43rd in the world in the 200-meters, Yolanda McCray (Class of 1999) who ranks 50th in the world in the 100-meter hurdles and Patrina Allen (Class of 1998) who ranks 31st in the world in the 400-meter hurdles.

On the men’s side, former Hurricane great Davian Clarke ranks fourth in the world in the 400-meters. Clarke won two individual NCAA Championships in the 400-meters and was a six-time All-American while competing at Miami from 1995-98.