Hurricanes Claim Three ACC Titles at Conference Championships
Feb. 28, 2009
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The No. 17 University of Miami women’s track team saw the best collegiate sprinter take home two conference titles at the ACC Indoor Championships at Virginia Tech’s Rector Field House. The men’s team saw its top hurdler Cory Nelms, earn his first ACC title and jumper Mikese Morse earn all-conference accolades for the second straight day.
As she has shown all season, Murielle Ahoure is one of the best sprinters in the world. The senior won both the 60 and 200-meter dashes, claiming her first two ACC Championships on Saturday. Ahoure already has the fastest collegiate times in the nation in both events with a time of 7.17 in the 60-meters and 23.14 in the 200.
On the third and final day of the meet, Ahoure took the 60-meter title with time of 7.22 then came back later in the afternoon and broke her own meet record with a time of 23.16 in the 200-meters. On the year, the Bristow, Va. native has entered in seven individual events, winning them all.
“It felt amazing. I was very relaxed and I am very happy,” said Ahoure of her record performance. “Yesterday I was just trying to qualify for the finals and today I was aiming for the record.”
Junior Kristy Whyte joined Ahoure in both races, crossing the line fourth in each. Both Whyte’s 60-meter (7.43) and 200-meter (23.88) performances set personal-bests, marks that she had set in the preliminary heats a day ago.
Nelms, a junior, raced to ACC Championship in the 60-meter hurdles, with his season-best time of 7,95 seconds. Nelms earned All-ACC honors last season during the outdoor season for his efforts in both the 110 and 400-meter hurdles and become the first Hurricane to win a conference title in this event since Gus Martin in 2002.
Another junior, Mikese Morse, earned his second All-ACC distinction in as many days, with a second-place finish in the triple jump. His leap of 15.35m proved to be the season-best for the talented jumper and it earned another eight points for the men’s team.
On Friday, Morse set a school record in the long jump (7.90m). The record was held for over 17 years by Miami legend Horace Copeland.
“I knew that sooner or later it would work out”, said Morse. “We have been training very hard and I stayed confident.”
In the women’s 400-meter dash, two more personal-best times were set. Sophomores Ti’erra Brown and Tameka Jameson finished fourth and fifth respectively in the finals, with personal record times of 55.13 and 55.34.
Brown also raced in the 60-meter hurdles final, crossing the finish line in 8.35 seconds, good for a fourth-place result.
Director of track and field Amy Deem said, “We had some great individual performances. Murielle, Mikese and Cory have worked very hard and have been getting better every week… Kristy Whyte had a great meet, setting personal-bests four different times and both Tameka and Ti’erra had their PR’s as well. This is what championships are all about, performing at your best.”
The team of Nene Kamate, Jameson, Brown and Ena Leufroy earnd All-ACC accolades for their second-place finish in the 4×400-meter relay, crossing the line at 3:39.54.
The men’s 4×400-meter team of Nelms, Brandon Harris, Devon Hill and Brian Laskowski ran its second-best time of the season at 3:17.13 and earned a point with an eighth-place result.
After a fourth-place in yesterday’s long jump, junior Deandra Doyley placed seventh in the triple-jump. Her mark of 12.30m set a new personal-best in the event for the Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. native.
The women’s team earned a total of 61points for a fifth-place finish, while the men were ninth with 31 points. Florida State swept the team titles with 132 point on the women’s side and 125 on the men’s.
Ahoure on preparing for the NCAA National Championships that will be held in College Station, Texas, March 13-14, “I’m going to train very hard over the next two weeks and I’m going to have a positive attitude and try to bring a championship back to Miami.”
Morse on the same prospect, “I’m very excited, this is why I came to Miami, to get to the big stage. I will be prepared and will continue to be confident.”
