Miami Opens With Strong Performance
Jan. 19, 2008
Champaign, Ill. –
– The <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>University of Miami women’s track team began their 2008 indoor season with an impressive showing at the Illinois Women’s Invitational. The squad finished with 120.5 points only 1.5 behind host No. 25 Illinois. No. 11 Texas finished with 119 and No. 14 UCLA ended the season opener with 110.5.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Hurricanes were the only team not ranked in the top-25 but showed with their performance that they belong back in the mix with the nation’s top teams.
“I am pleased on the way we competed against some of the nation’s top programs,” head coach Amy Deem said. “Our freshman was impressive in their collegiate debuts and this is a very good start to our season.”
The freshmen that Deem was talking about were Tara Thomas and Ti’erra Brown. Brown ran an 8.51 in the preliminary heat of the 60-meter hurdles only to better that time with an 8.46 run in the finals, to win the event. Thomas (7.51) finished second in the 60-meter dash.
Senior Khadija Talley was impressive in the weight throw as she won the event with a toss of 19.28 meters. Freshman teammate Miranda Wilson placed second with a throw of 13.43 meters.
Viktoria Andonova was dominating in the high-jump as she won the event with a leap of 1.78 meters. No other competitor was with 6.5 inches of the stand-out junior.
The `Canes team of Brown, freshman Tameka Jameson and Krista Simkins took the 4X300 relay with a time of 2:36.53, contributing nine points to the UM effort.
Other solid performances from the Hurricanes include a second place finish by senior Simkins in the 200-meter dash as well as a second-best showing from Talley (15.51m) in the shot put.
Miami will next compete in the Tom Jones Memorial on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, next Saturday, Jan. 26.
