Alysha Newman Leads @MiamiTrack at NCAAs
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alysha Newman wrapped up her first indoor season as a Miami Hurricane as a first team All-American.
The sophomore was one of four Canes competing on the first day of the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships, joined by Artie Burns, Lea Johnson and Shakima Wimbley.
Newman finished tied for fifth in the women’s pole vault, earning first team All-America honors. The Delaware, Ontario native matched her indoor-best and school record height of 4.35m, scoring 3.5 points for Miami’s women.
“It feels great to score points for the team and to earn first team All-America for the first time,” Newman said. “My first goal was to score points for ‘The U’ and I’m so glad I was able to help the team with those points.”
Newman, who placed third at the conference meet, was the top ACC finisher at the NCAA Indoor Championships. She finished ahead of ACC Champion Martina Schultze of Virginia Tech (7th, 4.30m) and ACC runner-up Megan Clark of Duke (14th, 4.20m).
“I still have work to do and am a little disappointed in fifth place, but it will just motivate me to work harder and improve,” Newman said.
Johnson just missed advancing to the finals in the women’s weight throw. The junior, who won the 2014 ACC Indoor Championship in women’s weigh throw, finished 10th with a mark of 20.25m.
Burns finished Heat 1 of the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.87 seconds. The freshman finished 15th in the semi-final round and did not advance to Saturday’s final.
Wimbley battled a tough lane assignment in the semifinals of the women’s 200m, but did not advance to the finals. Running out of Lane 3, the freshman placed 16th in her first NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 23.92 seconds.
Amber Monroe will be Miami’s lone competitor in the final day of the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships. The junior will compete in the women’s shot put scheduled to begin Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
All events in the final day of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Championships will be streamed live on ESPN3 beginning Saturday at 7:50 p.m. ET. A tape delay of the championship will air Saturday, March 22 starting at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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