June 6, 2006

Sacramento, Calif. (hurricanesports.com) – The third-ranked University of Miami women’s track and field team begins its quest for its first national title on Wednesday with the opening day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

Miami, which had 10 women qualify for the meet in nine events, will open competition with the semifinals of 4×100-meter relay at 3:00 PM (PT). The team enters the competition the sixth-best time in the nation and qualified for the National Championships with a runner-up finish at the NCAA East Regional.

The Hurricanes will also have women participating in qualifying rounds of three individual events including the long jump (3:30 p.m. PT), the 800-meters (3:40 p.m. PT) and the 200-meters (5:10 p.m. PT).

Miami will have three women competing in the long jump this season, more than any other school in the nation. Junior All-American Tabia Charles (Pickering, Ontario) heads the list which also includes junior All-American Brenda Faluade and junior Amy Seward.

Charles, the ACC Champion, ranks third in the nation in the event with a mark of 6.59 meters (21-07.50). She finished second at the NCAA East Regional to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship meet.

Faluade and Seward both received at-large berth into the NCAA Championships. Faluade, a five-time All-American, finished sixth at the NCAA East Regional and enters the meet with the 11th-best mark in the nation (6.43m/21-01.25). Seward placed eighth at the regional and is seeded 26th.

All-American Ginou Etienne (Miami Central) will compete in the 800-meters. The Haitian national record holder posted a time of 2:04.26 in winning the NCAA East Regional, the fourth fastest time in the nation this season.

Also opening competition will be senior All-American Charlette Greggs (Miami Northwestern) in the 200-meters. Greggs, an 11-time All-American, was a finalist at the NCAA Championships last season and enters the meet ranked 15th in the country.

Live results from the meet can be accessed at www.ncaasports.com.

Wednesday's NCAA Championship Schedule(all times Pacific)

COMBINED EVENTS10:00 am 100 Meters Decathlon Long Jump Decathlon Shot Put Decathlon High Jump Decathlon 400 Meters Decathlon

FIELD EVENTS 11:00 am Hammer Men Qual Round11:30 am Javelin Women Qual Round3:30 pm Long Jump Women Qual Round4:15 pm High Jump Men Qual Round4:30 pm Discus Women Qual Round4:45 pm Pole Vault Men Qual Round7:00 pm High Jump Women Qual Round7:00 pm Discus Men Qual Round7:15 pm Long Jump Men Qual Round

TRACK EVENTS3:00 pm 4 x 100 Relay Women Semifinal3:20 pm 4 x 100 Relay Men Semifinal3:40 pm 800 Meters Women First Round3:55 pm 800 Meters Men First Round4:30 pm 100 Hurdles Women First Round4:50 pm 110 Hurdles Men First Round5:10 pm 200 Meters Women First Round5:30 pm 200 Meters Men First Round5:50 pm 400 Meters Women First Round6:10 pm 400 Meters Men First Round6:30 pm 100 Hurdles Women Semifinal6:45 pm 110 Hurdles Men Semifinal7:00 pm 3000 Steeple Women Semifinal7:25 pm 3000 Steeple Men Semifinal7:50 pm 5000 Meters Women Semifinal8:30 pm 5000 Meters Men Semifinal