@MiamiTrack Travels North for FSU Relays
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of Miami track and field program travels north to the state capital for a competitive meet in Tallahassee.
The Canes are one of four collegiate teams set to compete at the 36th FSU Relays. For the first time in meet history, Florida State will host Miami, North Carolina and Ohio State in a four-team, scored competition for men and women. The FSU Relays open Friday at Mike Long Track, with the women’s pole vault opening the collegiate events at 2 p.m. Saturday’s first collegiate action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. with the women’s high jump. The meet is free and open to the public.
“We are looking forward to a great meet with Florida State, Ohio State and North Carolina,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “This early season meet will be great preparation in our quest to have a strong outdoor season. It will allow the team to see where we are and what we have to improve moving forward.”
Miami’s women head to Tallahassee fresh off being ranked No. 19 in the USTFCCCA Outdoor Preseason Rankings. The Hurricanes currently have three individuals ranked in the Top 10 nationally in their respective events. Jamika Glades’ time of 13.59 seconds ranks sixth in the country in the women’s 100m hurdles, while Stefani Kerrison ranks ninth in the same event with her time of 13.63 seconds. Additionally, Miami’s 4x400m relay of Anthonia Moore, Glades, Taneisha Cordell and Amy Taintor rank 10th in the country with a time of 3:42.20.
Miami also brings back several student-athletes who should make a big impact including 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championship qualifiers Shakima Wimbley, Lea Johnson, Dakota Dailey-Harris and Alysha Newman.
The Hurricane women opened the 2015 outdoor season last weekend at the Hurricane Invitational, where Glades, Kerrison, Okieme, Johnson, Kelsey Balkwill, Precious Ogunleye, Niara Hill, Alexis Wright and the 4x400m relay posted marks and times that rank among the Top 20 nationally.
While the women enter the FSU Relays with big expectations, the men’s program is also expecting to make some noise at their in-state rivals’ track.
Carlos Mangum heads into the FSU Relays fresh off increasing his school record in the hammer throw, posting a mark of 61.74m at the Hurricane Invitational.
John-Patrick Friday continued a stellar junior campaign, opening up with an impressive long jump mark of 7.67m. Throwers Gian Piero Ragonesi and Daniel Polinski also had strong starts to their outdoor seasons, throwing personal-bests in the shot put and discus, respectively.
While the Hurricane men were strong in the field events a week ago, they also shined on the track as the men’s 4x400m relay team of Anthony Wolliston, Robert Grant, Christian Cook and Henri Delauze finished first with a time of 3:11.64. The Canes also won the 4x100m relay at the Hurricane Invitational as Cook, Wolliston, Robert Grant and Jaalen Jones combined to post a time of 40.83 seconds.
Men’s Entries
100m: Jaalen Jones, Ibrahim Dodo
200m: Jaalen Jones, Anthony Wolliston, Joseph Ryan
400m: Henri Delauze, Breon Mullings, Anthony Wolliston, Joseph Ryan
800m: Zack Garland, Douglas Dourado, Sean Grossman
1500m: Douglas Dourado, Sean Grossman
110m HH: Christian Cook, Bailey VItatoe
400m HH: Robert Grant, Christian Cook, Ibrahim Dodo
4x100m: Christian Cook, Robert Grant, Jaalen Jones, Anthony Wolliston
4x400m: Christian Cook, Henri Delauze, Ibrahim Dodo, Zack Garland, Robert Grant, Joseph Ryan, Anthony Wolliston, Jaalen Jones, Breon Mullings
High Jump: Bailey Vitatoe
Pole Vault: Nick Catchur
Long Jump: John-Patrick Friday
Triple Jump: John-Patrick Friday
Shot Put: Isaiah Simmons, Gian Piero Ragonesi, Daniel Polinski
Discus: Isaiah Simmons, Daniel Polinski, Gian Piero Ragonesi
Hammer Throw: Carlos Mangum, Gian Piero Ragonesi, Isaiah Simmons
Javelin: Gian Piero Ragonesi
Women’s Entries
100m: Lateish Philson, Kayann Richards, Trishelle Leacock
200m: Shakima Wimbley, Stefani Kerrison, Trishelle Leacock, Kayann Richards, Lateisha Philson
400m: Kelsey Balkwill, Anthonia Moore
800m: Taneisha Cordell
1500m: Gabrielle Hesslau
3000m: Gabrielle Hesslau
100m HH: Jamika Glades, Stefani Kerrison, Alexis Wright, Amy Taintor
400m HH: Jamika Glades, Kelsey Balkwill
4x100m: Kelsey Balkwill, Stefani Kerrison, Trishelle Leacock, Lateisha Philson
4x400m: Anthonia Moore, Jamika Glades, Taneisha Cordell, Shakima WImbley
High Jump: Dakota Dailey-Harris, Amy Taintor
Pole Vault: Alysha Newman
Long Jump: Niara Hill, Amy Taintor
Triple Jump: Niara Hill, Alexis Wright
Shot Put: Precious Ogunleye, Tiffany Okieme
Discus: Precious Ogunleye
Hammer Throw: Lea Johnson, Precious Ogunleye, Tiffany Okieme
Javelin: Dakota Dailey-Harris, Amy Taintor
For all the latest information on the Miami Hurricanes, follow the official Twitter feed, @MiamiHurricanes, or “Like Us” on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes. Follow @MiamiTrack on Twitter for specific news on UM track and field and cross country. The program is also on Instagram.
