Hurricanes Ready for Second Day of ACC Championships
April 16, 2009
Thursday’s Results | Champion Quotes
CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami men’s and women’s track and field teams welcomed the Atlantic Coast Conference to Cobb Stadium on the first day of the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Three Hurricanes were in action during the first day of events as freshmen Rachel Dupree and Britney Clarke participated in the heptathlon and Diego Rosado competed in the decathlon. For the women, Dupree finds herself in sixth place with 2,842 points, while Clarke is in eighth with 2,829 after four events.
After five events in the decathlon, Rosado is currently in seventh-place with 3,429 points. On the day, the Albuquerque, N.M. native reached career-bests in the 100-meter dash (11.59), long jump (6.56m) and the 400-meter run (53.61). Rosado will conclude the decathlon at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.
In the women’s javelin throw, Virginia Tech’s Meghan Briggs took the conference title with a mark of 49.37m (162-00). For the men, fellow Hokie Matthias Treff took the conference crown with as he threw the javelin 73.11m (239-10), just 25 centimeters short of the ACC record.
In the day’s only other field event, the hammer throw, Virginia Tech’s Dorotha Habazin 63.75m (209-02) won the championship along with her VT counterpart, Marcel Lomnicky 70.73m (232-01) for the men.
The 10,000-meter run was the final event of the evening and once again the female champion hailed from Virginia Tech as Natalie Sherbak crossed the finish line in 35:48.42. The men’s 10,000-meter championship went to Florida State’s Steeve Gabart at 30:38.48
Friday’s events get underway at 10 a.m. with the conclusion of the women’s heptathlon. The field events begin at 1 p.m. and the running events will get started at 3 p.m.
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. The official schedule of events and other information is located on the ACC Track and Field Championships website.
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.
