Miami to Host First Hurricane Alumni Invitational
April 9, 2010
CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami track and field teams will host its second event of the season, when it welcomes 14 collegiate teams and many highly-touted professionals for the first Annual Hurricane Alumni Invitational on Saturday, April 10 at Cobb Stadium.
The Hurricane women are currently ranked 18th in the country and of the 14 collegiate teams participating, the LSU programs hold a No. 3 ranking for the women and No. 8 for the men.
The Hurricane Alumni Invitational will be the last home meet for five seniors, as the Miami coaches and staff will recognize their accomplishments with a ceremony that will follow the 4×100 relays at approximately 4:15 p.m.
One of those seniors, Kristy Whyte will be competing in three events on Saturday, running in the 100 and 200m dashes as well as a member of the 4×100 relay. The seven-time All-ACC performer won ACC titles in the same three events in 2008 – earning the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Performer award.
Miami’s premier jumper, Deandra Doyley will be competing in her final home long jump. She currently is ranked 10th in the nation in the event, with a mark of 6.27m (20-07.00). The four-time All-ACC performer is set to compete at 4 p.m.
Christina Madry is another senior jumper for the `Canes and she will join Doyley in the long jump.
Junior Tarika Williams will join Whyte in both the 100 and 200m dashes. Tameka Jameson is also scheduled to run in the 200m dash.
Janet Price and Jennifer Estime will lead a quartet of Miami women in the 800m run, as they will be joined by Allison Ludwick and Jillian Gil.
Miami’s deepest event, the 100m hurdles will feature Ti’erra Brown and Takecia Jameson who are ranked Nos. 2 and 11 nationally in the event.
Last week at the Florida Relays, junior Megan Novinger reached a personal-best mark of 1.75m (5-09.00) in the high jump. The mark also moved her into third place in the school record books. She is set to compete at 2 p.m.
Miranda Wilson will have a busy day as she is scheduled to compete in the shot put, discus and the hammer throw.
The men’s squad has two seniors, Cory Nelms and Julio Bonilla.
Nelms, the 2009 ACC Indoor Champion in the 60m hurdles will race in both the 110 and the 400m hurdles as well as the 4×100 relay. This year’s conference champ in the 60m hurdles, Devon Hill will join Nelms in both hurdle events on Saturday.
Bonilla will run in the 3,000-meters with Damon Campbell at 7:50 p.m.
The 100m dash will mark the outdoor debut of three Miami football players. Travis Benjamin, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Brandon McGee, they will all run in the event at 5:50 p.m. The trio will also join Nelms in the 4×100 relay at 4:10 p.m.
Patrick Blackie and David Kuhrt will run in the 400m dash with Brian Laskowski and Greg Kaczka leading seven men in the 800m run.
Tickets will be on sale at the Cobb Stadium gate at $3 for children and $5 for adults. Field events start at 11 a.m. with the running events set to get underway at 4 p.m.
For a recap and results of Saturday’s action, visit hurricanesports.com and halfmiletiming.com tomorrow evening.
