Hurricanes Prepare For NCAA Championships
March 9, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – The sixth-ranked University of Miami women’s track and field team has qualified nine student-athletes in eight events for the upcoming NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, March 11-12, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Miami, which won the ACC Indoor Track and Field title in dominating fashion earlier this season, finished 10th last season marking the highest finish in school-history. This season’s group, which head coach Amy Deem calls “the most balanced” team she’s had in her 15 seasons at Miami, will look to better that mark.
Senior Kim Barrett (Miami Gulliver Prep) will compete in both the shot put and weight throw. The transfer from Florida has been very impressive this season and should compete for the national title in both events. Barrett won the ACC title in shot put with a nation-leading toss of 18.19 meters (59-08.25) and ranks sixth in the nation in the weight throw.
Miami’s corps of jumpers has also been impressive this season. The Hurricanes qualified three jumpers in the long jump and two in the triple jump. Leading the way is sophomore All-American Tabia Charles (Pickering, Ontario) who captured the ACC long jump title and placed second in the triple jump showing the form that earned the sophomore All-America honors in both events at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships.
Sophomore All-American Brenda Faluade (Katy, Texas) also qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the long jump and triple jump, while fellow sophomore Amy Seward (Virginia Beach, Va.) will participate in the long jump.
Senior Amber Williams (Succasunna, N.J.), the nation’s third-ranked pentathlete, won the ACC pentathlon title with a conference record 4,028 points and will enter the NCAA Championships as one of the favorites.
All-Americans Charlette Greggs (Miami Northwestern) and Ginou Etienne (Miami Central) both will compete this weekend in the 400-meters. The two will be joined by senior All-American Wiande Moore (Spring, Texas) and junior All-American Dominique Darden (Harrisburg, Pa.) on the 4×400-meter relay.
Darden has also qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 60-meter hurdles. Freshman Lauren Austin (Oviedo, Fla.) will also travel to Fayetteville as an additional member of the 4×400-meter relay.
