Hurricane Track Teams End Successful Weekend at National Open
Jan. 30, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The University of Miami men’s and women’s track and field team wrapped up competition at Penn State’s National Invitational on Saturday and Ti’erra Brown reached provisional qualifying status in two events over the weekend.
“I am extremely proud of both the men’s and women’s teams this weekend,” said Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Amy Deem. “It was a strong showing for our sprinters and hurdlers. The men were very competitive in the 60m dash and both teams performed well in the 60m hurdles.”
Ti’erra Brown also moved up in the UM record books with her semifinal finish in the 60m hurdles, crossing the line in 8.16 seconds, just two-hundredths of a second shy of an automatic qualifying time. The junior also reached a personal-best time in the 400m dash, placing second in the invitational and grabbing a provisional time in her second event of the weekend.
The women’s 4×400 relay team consisting of Jennifer Estime, Brown Takecia Jameson and Tameka Jameson raced to a second place finish at a time of 3:40.50.
Takecia Jameson also ran in the 200m dash invitational and matched her season-best time of 24.72 seconds. Tameka Jameson ran the third fastest time in school history in the untraditional 500m dash at 1:12.54.
Megan Novinger moved up to third place in Miami’s record book, with a 1.75m (5-08.75) leap in the high jump. Her mark was tops in the event out of 18 competitors, but she placed third due to the tiebreaker. The Miami native tied her career-best mark of 1.70m (5-07.00) just last week, but reached her new mark on her third attempt on Saturday.
Miranda Wilson won her flight in the shot put, placing third overall with a season-best mark of 14.42m (47-03.75). Her effort was almost a 1.5 meters better than her previous season-best throw. In the triple jump on Saturday, Finch again placed second, with a season-best mark of 12.25m (40-02.25).
In his first action of the season, Brandon Harris ran a 49.28 in the 400m dash, extending a good weekend for Hurricane football players in the sprints on the weekend. Yesterday, three members of the football team advanced to the finals of the 60m dash – where DeMarcus Van Dyke placed fourth with a time of 6.87 seconds. Both Travis Benjamin and Lamar Miller were held out of the finals, but Benjamin did manage to run team-best 6.78 in his semifinal heat.
Patrick Blackie placed third in 500m dash invitational in a time of 1:04.35. Harris and Blackie teamed with Cory Nelms and Devon Hill in the 4×400 relay to run a season-best time of 3:16.26.
The 4×800 relay team just missed the school record at 7:50.53. It was run by Greg Kaczka, Brian Laskowski, Matthew Wilson, and Evan Hadrick.
Also on Friday, long jumpers Deandra Doyley and Brittni Finch finished one-two in the long jump with marks of 6.26m (20-06.50) and 6.03m (19-09.50). Doyley improved her provisional mark with her effort and has won each of the three long jump competitions she has entered this season. With her time of 7.33 seconds in the semifinal heat of the 60m dash, Ashley Dukes moved into third place in the school record books also reaching a provisional qualifying time.
“I am very happy for Deandra,” added Deem. “She has been consistent and improving each week.”
Sophomore Devon Hill made history for the men’s team, during Friday’s action, as he broke the school record in winning the 60m hurdles. His finish of 7.79 seconds also was good enough for a NCAA provisional qualifying time. Senior Cory Nelms ran a personal-best time at 7.92 seconds, finishing fifth.
“Think we people on notice that the hurdles program at Miami is back,” said Deem.
The track and field teams have two weeks off before returning to action at the prestigious Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. on Feb. 12 and 13.
