Miami to Play Host to ACC Track and Field Championships
April 15, 2009
CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami men’s and women’s track and field teams are set to host the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Thursday-Saturday at Cobb Stadium on the UM campus.
The Hurricanes will be hosting their first ACC Championship of any kind since joining the conference in 2004.
“It is really special to have a meet with the prestige of the ACC Championships coming to South Florida,” said Director of Track and Field Amy Deem. “It will be a treat for our student-athletes to have the opportunity to compete in front of their friends and family on our home track.”
The three-day event begins Thursday morning at 11:30 a.m. with the women’s hammer throw. The men’s decathlon will begin at 2 p.m. while the women’s heptathlon will get underway at 2:30 p.m. The day’s events will conclude with the 10,000-meter run with the women starting at 8 p.m. and the men at 8:45 p.m.
Friday will get started with the conclusion of the heptathlon and decathlon at 10 and 11 a.m. respectively. Field events will begin at 1 p.m. and the running event trials will begin at 3 p.m. with the 1,500-meter run.
The third and final day will begin at 1 p.m. with the women’s discus, while the running event finals will run from 4-7:50 p.m. The championships will conclude with the awards ceremony at 8:10 p.m. The official schedule of events and other information is located on the ACC Track and Field Championships website.
For the 19th-ranked women, three-time All-American Murielle Ahoure will lead the way. During the indoor season, the senior was named the ACC’s Indoor Performer of the week on three occasions that ultimately led to her conference performer of the year nod. The Bristow, Va. native won the indoor 200-meter national championships and was named an All-American for her performance in the 60-meter dash. Murielle is slated to participate in the 100 and 200-meter dashes this weekend.
Last year at this time, Kristy Whyte wasn’t on many ACC coach’s radar, but she sprinted her way to conference titles in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and was a member of the 4×100 relay team that won a title as well, earning the outdoor performer of the year award. The Pembroke Pines native will join Ahoure in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
An event where the Hurricanes have the most depth would be the 400-meter hurdles where Ti’erra Brown and Takecia Jameson hold the nation’s No. 3 and No. 4 rankings respectively. Takecia’s twin sister, Tameka Jameson, has also ran a regional qualifying time this season in the event. The 400-meter hurdle trials will get underway Friday at 6 p.m. while the finals are scheduled for 6:10 p.m. on Saturday.
Miami’s top jumper, junior Deandra Doyley will lead freshman Brittni Finch and Christina Madry in the long and triple jumps this weekend. Doyley has already reached a regional qualifying mark in the long jump but will look to improve her standing in that event as well as aim for one in the triple jump.
Jumping for the men, will be Mikese Morse. The Tampa native earned his second All-America distinction in March with his performance in the indoor long jump. Morse will be competing in both the triple and the long jumps, events where he already holds regional qualifying marks.
The reigning 60-meter hurdle champion, junior Cory Nelms, will be in both the 110 and 400-meter hurdles, events where he owns regional qualifying times. Freshman Devon Hill has been impressive early this outdoor season and will join Nelms as in both events this week.
Hurricane football fans will have some of their favorite players competing this weekend as well. Brandon Harris, who ran the Hurricanes fastest 400-meter dash time in nearly 13 years at the Miami Elite, will be competing in both the 400-meters and the 4×400 relay. Freshman wide receive Davon Johnson is scheduled to run in the 200-meter dash and interior defensive lineman Micanor Regis will compete in the shot put.
The ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships are free to the public all three days. Spectator entrances will be located along the west side of Cobb Stadium along San Amaro Drive.
For fans that are unable to attend, live results will be available during all three days of the meet and ACC Select.com will stream the event online live from 3:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday and 4-8 p.m. on Saturday.
Please continue to visit hurricanesports.com throughout the week for results and recaps of each day’s events.
