Hurricanes Return to Action at UCF Invitational
May 9, 2008
CORAL GABLES – The University of <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Miami men’s and 12th-ranked women’s track and field teams will head to Orlando where they will take part in the UCF Invitational at UCF Track and Soccer Complex Saturday, May 10.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Prior to the their departure for Orlando, three track and field student-athletes received their college degrees of Friday. Seniors Khadija Talley and Casey McGinn will be joined by Ena Leufoy (junior eligibility) in the accomplishment.
All 10 women participating this weekend have reached NCAA Regional Qualifying Standards in seven different events so far this season.
Four women are scheduled for three events Saturday with Charlene Fuller, Nene Kamate both running the 200-meters, 4×100 and the 4×400 relays. Deandra Doyley and Tara Thomas will be the other half of the 4×100 relay. Doyley will also take part in the long and triple jumps, with Thomas in the 100 and 200-meters.
Talley holds regional marks in both the shot put (15.32) and the discus (57.10) and will look to improve her ranking in both events. Misti Barber will compete in the same events as Talley with freshman Miranda Wilson entering the discus and the hammer throw. Senior Kailtin Nazario will try to move up the ranks in the javelin as well.
Leufroy will look to reach the regional mark in the 800-meters, she will also be competing in the 4×400 relay, the event she achieved her All-American status as a freshman.
Viktoria Andonova will be trying to improve on her season-best height of 1.75m in the high-jump, a regional mark that she has reached five times so far this season.
The nation’s fastest collegiate 800-meter runner, senior Tim Harris, will put his talents on display in three events on Saturday, in the 800 and 1,500-meters, and as a member of the 4×400 relay team. The four-time All-American will be joined in the relay by Patrick O’Donnell, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Cory Nelms. The four will look to beat their season-best time in the event, which they ran at the ACC Championships in Atlanta with a time of 3:14.35.
Nelms will also run in the 110-meter hurdles where he will be joined by Les Bradley II. Both of whom, have run NCAA Regional Qualifying times in the event. The talented duo will also be joined in the hurdles by Brett Jones.
Van Dyke will have a busy day as he will also run the 100-meters and the 4×100 relay. His teammates in the relay will be fellow football standouts Bruce Johnson, Khalil Jones and Shawnbrey McNeal. Johnson and McNeal will also run in the 100-meters with Jones in the 200-meters.
High jumper Elan Daviglus will look to improve on his season-best mark of 2.06m. He will be the first competitor from the men’s side to compete as his event is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. McGinn is the only other field performer as he will look to reach the regional mark of 5.05m in the pole vault.
Ryan Woodlee will be joined by Harris and O’Donnell in the 1,500-meters.
Next weekend the men’s and women’s teams will travel back to the site of the 2008 ACC Outdoor Championships in Atlanta to participate in the Georgia Tech Invitational.
