Women's Track Impressive In Season Opener

Jan. 13, 2007

Gainesville, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami women’s 4×400-meter relay was victorious and freshman Ashley Dukes (Hollywood Nova) provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 55-meters to highlight a strong season-opening performance by the Hurricanes at the Florida Intercollegiate in Gainesville, Fla.

The women’s relay of senior Danielle Bailey (Neward, Del.), All-American Krista Simkins (Wissahickon, Pa.), All-American Ginou Etienne (Miami Central) and All-American Ena Leufroy (Atlanta, Ga.) repeated as the Florida Intercollegiate champion in a time of 3:45.15.

Dukes, competing in her first collegiate meet, was the top collegiate finisher in the 55-meter dash placing second overall with a time of 6.95 seconds. In the preliminaries she posted an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 6.92 seconds. The time is the second fastest ever by Hurricane freshman in the event.

Other top collegiate finishes by Hurricanes on Saturday included Etienne in the 800-meters (2:15.65) and sophomore Viktoria Andonova (Coral Springs, Fla.) in the high jump (1.74m/5-08.50).

Junior Khadija Talley (Benning, Ga.) placed second in the shot put with a toss of 14.97 meters (49-01.50) and was third in the weight throw with a person-best throw of 18.50 meters (60-08.50).

All-American Brenda Faluade (Katy, Texas) was third overall, second among collegians, in the long jump with a mark of 6.10 meters (20-00.25).