20 Canes Qualify for NCAA East Preliminary
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Twenty members of the University of Miami track and field program were among the qualifiers announced Thursday by the NCAA for the 2014 East Preliminary.
Eight men and 12 women make up the group of 20 Hurricanes scheduled to compete in 15 events at the NCAA East Preliminary from May 29-31 in Jacksonville. A year ago, Miami had 13 student-athletes qualify for regionals, competing in 12 different events.
“I am excited about the group of young people we have qualified for the NCAA Championships,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “I think it shows that our program is going in the right direction with the amount of freshmen and sophomores qualified joining a group of experienced athletes to lead us next week.”
The Preliminary championships competitions will be held May 29-31. The East region will be held at North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, and the West region at Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The qualifiers out of these regions will compete in the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
“I think our athletes are in a position to not only perform well next week, but put themselves in a position to advance to the finals in Eugene,” Deem said.
Miami’s women’s team has several experienced student-athletes heading to Jacksonville. Junior Amber Monroe qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary for the third consecutive year, while Taneisha Cordell, Lea Johnson, Alyssa McClure and Alaine Tate qualified for the second straight year. Sophomore Alysha Newman also qualified for her second straight regional, though it is her first as a Hurricane.
The men’s team also had repeat qualifiers as John-Patrick Friday and Isaiah Simmons each earned a spot in the East Preliminary for the second consecutive year. Miami had eight men qualify for regionals, shattering a previous program-best six men’s qualifiers set in 2010.
“On the women’s side, we are taking a well-rounded group with representatives from all event areas,” Deem said. “And I’ve talked all year about the importance of growing our men’s program and the amount of qualifiers on the men’s side is indicative that we are on the right track.”
Freshman Shakima Wimbley is one of Miami’s highest-ranked qualifiers as her 400m time of 51.68 seconds ranks second in the East Region and eighth nationally. Wimbley also qualified in the women’s 200m with a time of 23.12 seconds that ranks eighth in the East Region and 21st nationally, but she will not compete in the event as she focuses on the 400m and the 4x400m relay. Thursday’s announcement adds to Wimbley’s impressive week as she was named the ACC Female Performer of the Week on Tuesday.
Newman is also a highly-ranked qualifier in the women’s pole vault. The sophomore’s personal-best mark of 4.41m is second in the East Region and fourth nationally as she heads into her second straight NCAA East Preliminary.
Jamika Glades is ranked 10th in the East in the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 57.50 seconds. She also qualified in the women’s 100m hurdles, but will not compete to focus on the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay. Kayann Richards will also race for Miami in the NCAA East Preliminary, competing in the 100m hurdles.
Miami has a trio of qualifiers in the women’s 800m as Thandi Stewart, Cordell and Tate are each among the Top 48 in the East Region. Stewart’s time of 2:05.20 is ranked 12th in the field, while Cordell’s time of 2:05.72 ranks 14th and Tate’s time of 2:08.12 is 45th in the field.
The women’s throwers will have experience on their side as they are both repeat qualifiers. Monroe, who is ranked 14th in shot put and 23rd in discus, is competing at regionals for the third time in her three years at Miami. Johnson, who is ranked 10th in the East in women’s hammer, will compete in her second NCAA East Preliminary.
The men’s team had three throwers qualify for the NCAA regional. Simmons, a sophomore, is ranked 18thand 21st in the region in shot put and discus, respectively, while freshmen Gian Piero Ragonesi (discus) and Carlos Mangum (hammer) will compete in their first NCAA East Preliminary.
McClure will represent Miami in the women’s 100m dash. The senior heads into Jacksonville with the 28th-best time in the East Preliminary field.
Two jumpers will don the orange and green in Jacksonville. Sophomore Dakota Dailey-Harris’s mark of 1.80m in the women’s high jump is tied for 16th in the East Region, while Friday will compete in the men’s triple jump at the NCAA East Preliminary.
Beyond the individual qualifiers, the Hurricanes had two relays qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary. The women’s 4x400m relay of Cordell, Glades, Stewart, Tate, Wimbley and Anthonia Moore heads into Jacksonville with the 18th-fastest time in the field. Bassim El-Sabawi, TeQuille Jackson, Josh Johnson and Anthony Wolliston comprise Miami’s first men’s 4x100m relay qualifier since 2010.
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