Wimbley Earns Second ACC POTW Award
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Following an impressive performance in the final meet before the NCAA East Preliminary, Miami’s Shakima Wimbley was named the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Female Performer of the Week.
Wimbley was the top finisher in a field of 45 athletes competing in the women’s 400m at the Georgia Tech Invitational. Her personal-best time of 51.68 seconds is the fastest time by an ACC athlete this season and ranks eighth in the country.
“Shakima has had a tremendous freshman year and Saturday was a great performance,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “Her motivation to be great and her will to succeed have driven her to help fulfill her potential and reach her goals.”
The freshman was named the ACC Indoor Track and Field Female Performer of the Week on Jan. 21, following an impressive collegiate debut at the Nittany Lion Challenge in which she won the women’s 400m and anchored Miami’s 4x400m relay to victory.
The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native has had an incredibly successful freshman campaign. Wimbley was named the 2014 ACC Women’s Indoor Freshman of the Year after a stellar indoor season that saw her win the 200m indoor ACC title and anchor Miami’s indoor 4x400m relay to an ACC championship. Wimbley also qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships, where she was a second-team All-American in the 200m.
Wimbley’s success continued in outdoor track and field, where she secured the ACC title in the 200m and anchored Miami’s 4x100m relay to a gold medal at the ACC Outdoor Championships. Wimbley placed third in the 400m at the Florida Relays running an impressive 52.58 that ranked fourth in school history.
But her blazing speed at Georgia Tech helped her climb the Miami record book, moving into second place on the women’s all-time 400m list with a personal-best time of 51.68 seconds.
Wimbley is in position to compete in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m relays at the NCAA East Preliminary on May 29-31. Her 400m time ranks second in the East Region and eighth nationally, while her 200m time of 23.12 seconds ranks eighth in the East Region and 21st nationally. Wimbley is also part of Miami’s 4x400m relay team that posted a time of 3:35.90 that ranked 24th in the East Region and 49th nationally.
This is Wimbley’s second ACC Performer of the Week Award of the 2014 season and she is the third Cane to win a Performer of the Week Award, joining sophomore Alysha Newman.
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