WoMen's Track Ranked 19th Heading to NCAAs
NEW ORLEANS – A strong showing at the NCAA East Preliminary helped vault the University of Miami women’s track program into the Top 25.
The Hurricanes are 19th in the USTFCCCA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings, released Tuesday. Miami had 89.00 points in the latest rankings, gaining 23.22 points and vaulting up 16 spots from No. 35 a week ago. The 16-spot improvement was the largest by any team in what is the final edition of the rankings for the 2014 outdoor season.
“We felt we had a really good team all year,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “It’s great that they stepped up and competed well at the optimal time. We are thrilled, but our intention is to go into the NCAA Championships and finish even higher.”
Miami’s climb up the rankings came largely due to the women’s team securing eight spots in the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Hurricanes will have student-athletes competing in the 100m, 400m, 800m, pole vault, high jump, discus, hammer throw and the 4x400m relay at the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
Lea Johnson punched her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the women’s hammer throw with a 12th place finish at the NCAA East Preliminary. The junior’s mark of 59.85m secured one of the 12 spots from the East region that advanced to nationals in Eugene, Oregon.
Alysha Newman became the second Hurricane to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, securing one of the 12 spots advancing from the NCAA East preliminary in women’s pole vault by clearing 4.20m.
Shakima Wimbley also punched her ticket to Oregon, winning Heat 3 of the women’s 400m quarterfinals with a time of 51.81 seconds.
Alyssa McClure advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after placing third in Heat 2 of the women’s 100m quarterfinals. The senior’s time of 11.44 seconds is a personal-best and ranks fifth in UM history.
Thandi Stewart set a school record in the women’s 800m while securing a spot in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The senior finished second in Heat 3 of the women’s 800m with a personal-best time of 2:04.06. It is her second trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles in 2012.
Amber Monroe advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in women’s discus with a personal-best mark of 54.79m. The junior’s throw earned her seventh place at the NCAA East Preliminary and ranks second in UM history. It is her second time reaching the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
High jumper Dakota Dailey-Harris was one of three competitors to emerge from a jump off, securing one of the 12 spots from the East Preliminary and advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The women’s 4x400m relay closed out the Hurricanes’ strong showing at the 2014 NCAA East Preliminary. Thandi Stewart, Taneisha Cordell, Shakima Wimbley and Anthonia Moore placed fifth in Heat 1 of the women’s 4x400m relay. Their season-best time of 3:34.24 was the sixth-fastest at the East Preliminary, earning them one of the 12 spots advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Oregon.
“I think this weekend is going to set us up for the future,” Deem said at the conclusion of the NCAA East Preliminary. “Not even because we are taking nine or 10 females to the national championship, but because we have come so far in a year. I’m really proud of the women and how they came here and competed. There were so many personal bests. That is what this time of year is for. Everybody stepped up and I couldn’t be prouder of them”
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