Canes Shine in NCAA Qualifier Meets
CORALGABLES, Fla. – A quartet of Canes spent Saturdaytrying to potentially qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Alaine Tate, Isaiah Simmons, Samantha Williams and Alyssa McClure eachcompeted this weekend trying to earn a spot among the best indoor track andfield athletes in the country.
Williams had the best performance of the group, winning thewomen’s triple jump at the VT Qualifier. The senior All-American cleared 42’0.5″ to finish atop the 22-athlete field. While Williams beat the field, shedid not surpass her best distance of the season, 42′ 5.5″, set at the AuburnInvitational in January.
“I am very happy with the way Sam competed today winning againstsuch a strong field of jumpers,” said Miami’s jumps coach, Gavin O’Neal. Wewere using this meet for Sam to get better prepared for NCAAs next week. I amconfident after her performance today that Sam will compete well at her firstNCAA Indoor Championship.”
Simmons also excelled, placing second in the men’s shot put at theVT Qualifier with a throw of 57″ 5.5″. A week ago, the redshirt freshman wonthe ACC Indoor Championship in men’s shot put with a throw of 58′ 1.75″.But neither of those throws tops his best of the season, when he cleared 59’7.5″ at the Auburn Invitational to set a new Miami record.
“Isaiah has had a great indoor season battling through theadversity of injuries and persevering each week, said Miami’s throws coach,Cory Young. The work that has been done during indoor season will pay hugedividends going outdoors.”
McClure also had a strong showing at the VT Qualifier. The juniorfinished fourth in the women’s 60 m with a time of 7.46 seconds. McClureimproved off her preliminary time of 7.49 seconds, which was good enough to winher heat. A week ago, McClure posted her best time of the year, running thewomen’s 60m in 7.36 seconds to finish third in the event.
Tate, who competed at the Alex Wilson Invitational on the campusof the University of Notre Dame, finished the women’s 800m in 2:09.75.
“Alaine has a breakout indoor season,” said Miami’s distancecoach, Damon Griffiths. “She didn’t have the race that we would have liked, butwe have a lot to build on going into the outdoor season.”
The junior transfer placed 20th at the meet, but shehas some impressive times from a week ago at the ACC Indoor Championships. Tate,who posted a time of 2:07.54 in the ACC final, set a Miami record in thewomen’s 800m run during preliminaries at the ACC Indoor Championships, posting atime of 2.06.09.
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