Five Canes Qualify for NCAA Championships
INDIANAPOLIS – Five University of Miami student-athletes have qualified to compete in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Championships.
Artie Burns, Lea Johnson, Amber Monroe, Alysha Newman and Shakima Wimbley will represent Miami against the nation’s top track and field student-athletes. Competition is slated to begin on Friday, March 14, in Albuquerque, N.M.
Burns is Miami’s lone male representative, but the reigning ACC 60m hurdles champion is expected to make some noise at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The freshman broke a 38-year-old record in his last trip to Albuquerque, setting the new American Junior record in the men’s 60m hurdles at 7.68 seconds. The record-setting run qualified Burns for the NCAA meet as he is currently tied for the fifth-best time in the country this year.
Johnson and Monroe will represent the Hurricanes in Albuquerque after they helped Miami bring home two conference championships.
Monroe made a huge move up the women’s shot put list, earning the 2014 ACC indoor championship in shot put with a personal-best mark of 17.18m that ranks fifth in the NCAA this year and second in UM history.
Johnson also clinched an ACC indoor championship in the throws with a huge mark. The junior climbed to the top of the podium in the women’s weight throw with a mark of 20.99m that ranks 12th in the country.
Newman’s third place finish in the women’s pole vault at the ACC Indoor Championships set a new school record. The sophomore cleared a personal-best 4.35m that ranks seventh in the nation and secured her spot in the field at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Wimbley earned a gold medal in the women’s 200m with a time of 23.58 seconds. But the 200m flat track at Clemson University allowed for the time to be converted due to track size. Wimbley’s converted time of 23.22 seconds ranks ninth in the country, qualifying her for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
All events in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Championships will be streamed live on ESPN3 on beginning Friday, March 14 at 7:55 p.m. ET. The broadcast on Saturday, March 15 will start at 7:50 p.m. ET. A tape delay of the championship will air Saturday, March 22 starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU.
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