2015 @MiamiTrack Indoor Preview: Throws

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami track and field team opens its 2015 campaign this weekend and the Hurricanes are ready to embark on another successful season.

The Canes feature a talented roster on both the men’s and women’s sides, sporting one of the deepest and most well-rounded teams in recent history. Today, HurricaneSports.com breaks down Miami’s throwers.

Any conversation about Miami throwers has to begin with Isaiah Simmons. The redshirt junior knows nothing but winning in his collegiate career, earning gold in the shot put at the last two ACC Indoor Championships. Simmons has also claimed the ACC Outdoor titles in shot put the last two years and was named Field MVP of the ACC Outdoor Championships in both 2013 and 2014. Simmons, who holds UM records in the indoor shot put (18.87m), weight throw (17.91m), outdoor shot put (18.91m) and discus (56.68m), earned All-ACC indoor honors in both 2013 and 2014. He also was All-ACC in the 2013 and 2014 outdoor seasons and competed at the NCAA East Preliminary in 2013 and 2014.

While Simmons is one of the most decorated throwers in Hurricane history, there are several others on the 2015 roster who will make an impact for Miami.

Senior Lea Johnson had a breakout 2014 season, winning the ACC championship in the weight throw and representing Miami at the NCAA Indoor Championships, where she earned second team All-America honors. Johnson, who ranks second in UM history in the weight throw (20.99m), was an All-ACC Indoor selection in the weight throw. She also had an outstanding outdoor season, winning the ACC title in the hammer and competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where she was a second team All-American in the hammer. An All-ACC Outdoor performer, Johnson ranks second in UM history in the hammer (61.37m)

Sophomore Gian Piero Ragonesi is a talented thrower who medaled at the 2014 ACC Indoor Championships, placing third in the shot put with a mark that ranks second in school history (17.46m). Ragonesi, who ranks third in UM history in the weight throw, will look to improve off an impressive debut season that saw him earn All-ACC Indoor honors as a freshman. His outdoor accolades are also impressive, scoring in the shot put at the 2014 ACC Outdoor Championships and qualifying for the NCAA East Preliminary in discus. Ragonesi ranks third on Miami’s all-time outdoor shot put and hammer lists and second in UM history in discus.

Carlos Mangum is a sophomore who is poised for a big 2015 campaign. Mangum competed twice during the 2014 Indoor season and his marks were impressive. His weight throw of 17.25m put him second all-time in UM history. Mangum really excelled during the 2014 outdoor campaign, setting the school record in the men’s hammer throw (61.11) at the 2014 LSU Invitational. As a freshman Mangum scored and nearly medaled in the the hammer at the 2014 ACC Outdoor Championships, placing fourth.

While Simmons, Johnson, Ragonesi and Mangum are familiar names among the Miami faithful, Tiffany Okieme and Daniel Polinski are set to make their Hurricane debuts during the 2015 indoor season.

Okieme is a junior that transferred to Miami from Division II Georgian Court. The Bronx, N.Y., native was a force at Georgian Court, claiming the 2014 NCAA Division II Indoor Shot Put national championships while placing fifth in the weight throw. In 2013, Okieme was the national runner-up in the shot put at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.

Polinski redshirted in 2014 and the Canada native is eager to make an impact for the Canes. Polinski came to Miami as an accomplished thrower, winning provincial championships in the shot put and discus in his native Ontario. He represented Canada in the 2013 Pan Am Junior Competition, competing in the shot put. Polinski came to Miami with personal bests of 19.07m in the shot put and 53.46m in the discus.

The 2015 Miami track and field indoor season is scheduled to begin Jan. 17 at the Nittany Lion Challenge in State College, Pa.

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