Wimbley and Deem Honored by USTFCCCA
NEW ORLEANS – Sophomore Shakima Wimbley and Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem were among the honorees selected as Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Wimbley was named the USTFCCCA South Region Women’s Track Co-Athlete of the Year and Deem was selected as the South Region Women’s Track Head Coach of the Year. Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Each of the regions, which are the same as those used during the Division I cross country season, honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes and the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches.
“Our coaching staff has done an excellent job of bringing this team together at the right time,” Deem said. “Without them and our student-athletes, these awards would not be possible.”
A sophomore from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Wimbley has emerged as a title contender at 400 meters, entering the NCAA Championships with the collegiate lead at 50.84. She won the ACC crown in that event, as well as at 200 meters – an event in which she’s run 22.43 for the No. 3 time among collegians this season. She will also run a leg of Miami’s 4×400 relay.
“I honestly didn’t expect this and I am so grateful to have been selected,” Wimbley said. “I have put in a lot of hard work since last season and it has been paying off. It’s a great feeling to be picked and I am really excited.”
The standout sprinter accounted for 22.5 of Miami’s 93 points at the 2015 ACC Championships. In addition to her gold medals in the 200m and 400m at the ACC Championships, Wimbley’s 400m time also tied the facility record, set a new ACC record and improved on her UM record by nearly a full second. Her 200m time of 22.43 seconds set an ACC record and a facility record while earning a gold medal. Wimbley also broke the UM record of 22.46 set by Lauryn Williams in 2004. Wimbley was named Co-Athlete of the Year in the South Region, sharing the honor with Kyra Jefferson of Florida.
“I’m very happy for Shakima,” Deem said. “ There are so many great athletes in our region and for her to receive this award is a great honor.”
Deem, in her 25th year with the Hurricanes, has coached the current NCAA leader in the 400 meters — Shakima Wimbley. Wimbley won the ACC crown in both the 200 and 400 meters and was named the league’s Track MVP. The team scored 93 points to place third at the 2015 ACC Championships, had nine qualifiers for the preliminary rounds and five to the final rounds. A week ago, the Miami women were ranked No. 21 in the final USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings before the NCAA Championships.
“She’s great as a coach and as a person,” Wimbley said of Deem. “I’m so happy for her, She has work so hard with all of us, helping us get back form injuries and teaching up how to be mentally strong and preparing us to compete. She definitely deserves this recognition because she has made a huge impact on all of us.”
While Wimbley has gotten the majority of the accolades in 2015, several sprinters and hurdlers have excelled this season under Deem’s guidance.
Kelsey Balkwill is a national qualifier in the 400m hurdles with a personal-best time of 56.80 seconds that ranks 12th in the country. Jamika Glades earned a regional qualification in both the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles with her 400m hurdles time of 57.51 seconds ranked 22nd in the NCAA and her 100m hurdles time of 13.38 ranked 40th in the country.
“Coach Deem has been very patient with not only myself, but also with this team,” Balkwill said. “The last couple of years we have been building and this year we have really shown that we can put our talents together and compete as a unit. She continues to believe, support and encourage us to be the best we can be. We, as a team, are very happy her hard work with us is being recognized.”
Miami’s 4x400m relay also excelled under Deem’s tutelage. Balkwill, Taneisha Cordell, Anthonia Moore and Wimbley combined for a personal-best time of 3:30.22 at the NCAA East Preliminary to earn a trip to nationals and head to Oregon with the seventh-fastest time in the country.
Deem’s Hurricanes also have national qualifiers in two field events. Alysha Newman will look to repeat as a First Team All-American in the women’s pole vault, heading into Eugene with the 14th-best mark in the country this season (4.31m).
Precious Ogunleye will make her first appearance at the NCAA Championships. The junior is the reigning ACC champion in the hammer throw and enters nationals with the 28th-best mark in the NCAA this season (61.17m).
Wimbley, Deem and the Hurricanes open competition at the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesdays. The NCAA Championships will be held June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
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