@MiamiTrack Earns USTFCCCA All-America Honors
NEW ORLEANS – The University of Miami track and field program had 11 All-America honors bestowed upon nine student-athletes following their performances at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the 2015 NCAA Division I All-Americans for outdoor track & field. The awards were based on the results of the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon.
In the sprinting events, the eight finalists were named First-Team All-American; in the distances and field, the top eight finishers were named First-Team. In all events, finishers 9-16 were named Second-Team All-American, and the rest of the competitors were named Honorable Mention. Those who receive Honorable Mention should not be referred to as All-American.
Shakima Wimbley leads the Hurricanes with a pair of First Team All-America honors, finishing fifth in both the 400m final and in the women’s 4x400m relay.
Wimbley, who has NCAA’s fastest 400m time this season, 50.84 seconds, battled windy conditions over the first 200m of the final. Wimbley competed hard through the finish line, but came up short of her ultimate goal, placing fifth with a time of 52.08 seconds.
One of the most decorated runners in the country this year, Wimbley was the 2015 ACC Outdoor Champion in the 400m and 200m and was named the ACC Women’s Track MVP. Her latest accolade came on Monday when she was announced as the South Regional Women’s Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The quartet of Kelsey Balkwill, Taneisha Cordell, Anthonia Moore and Wimbley placed fifth in the women’s 4x400m relay final with a time of 3:33.90, earning First Team All-America honors.
In addition to her First Team All-America honor as a member of the 4x400m relay, Balkwill earned second team All-America honors in the women’s 400m hurdles. The senior finished fourth in Heat 2 of the women’s 400m hurdles semifinals. Her time of 57.06 seconds was eighth-fastest in the semifinals, but third-best among the non-automatic qualifiers. Balkwill missed advancing by three one-thousandths of a second, becoming the fastest ever non-qualifier in the women’s 400m hurdles in history.
Miami also earned second team All-America honors in the women’s pole vault, as junior Alysha Newman placed ninth with a mark of 4.20m.
Four Hurricanes received honorable mention honors: Christian Cook and Artie Burns in the men’s 110m hurdles, John-Patrick Friday in the men’s triple jump and Precious Ogunleye in the women’s hammer throw.
As a team, the Hurricane women finished tied for 28th at the NCAA Championships with eight points.
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