WoMen's T&F Ranked No. 17 in USTFCCCA Top 25
NEW ORLEANS – The University of Miami women’s track and field team cracked the Top 25 in the first edition of the 2016 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Team Computer Rankings.
The Hurricanes are ranked 17th in the USTFCCCA’s preseason indoor track and field women’s rankings, up 35 spots from the final indoor track and field rankings of 2015. Miami, who has 51.19 points in the preseason rankings, is one of six ACC schools ranked in the preseason Top 25.
“We are excited to be ranked in the preseason rankings, but more importantly, we want to continue to improve and be there or higher at the NCAA Championships in March,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “We are excited about our team and looking forward to start our season next week at Penn State to show that we are as good as the rankings, if not better.”
The Canes are led by junior Shakima WImbley, who ran the fifth-fastest 200m a year ago (23.08) and the fourth-best 400m time (51.82). Wimbley, who was the ACC Indoor Champion in the 200m and was All-ACC First Team in both the 200m and 400m, represented Miami at the NCAA Indoor Championships. As a sophomore, she earned Second Team Indoor All-America Honors in both the 400m and the 4x400m relay.
Miami also brings back Stefani Kerrison, who posted the 31st-best 60m hurdles time a year ago, while also welcoming transfer hurdler Ebony Morrison and he 10th-ranked 60m hurdle time of 8.22 seconds.
The women’s 4x400m relay team finished the 2015 indoor season with a time of 3:34.88, ranking 11th in the NCAA.
While the Hurricanes have a lot to be excited about on the track, there is a lot of talent in the field events, too. Precious Ogunleye and Tiffany Okieme were outstanding throwers a year ago. Okieme finished the indoor season with the fifth-best mark in the weight throw, while Ogunleye closed out the indoor season with the eighth-best mark. Dakota Dailey-Harris had the 29th-best high jump in the country a year ago.
While the aforementioned Canes are the ones who helped compile the 51.19 points that put Miami 17th in the preseason rankings, they are not the only Hurricanes expected to make an impact in 2016.
Miami brings back 2014 First Team Indoor All-American Alysha Newman in the pole vault. Newman, who redshirted during the 2015 indoor season, was the bronze medalist at the 2014 ACC indoor Championships and earned First Team All-ACC honors. She also placed seventh in the women’s pole vault at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships, earning All-America honors.
Senior Jamika Glades, junior Anthonia Moore and sophomore Amy Taintor are three other Canes who have proven to be contributors. Glades was a member of Miami’s ACC Indoor Champion 4x400m relay in 2014 and has continually been one of the top hurdlers in the conference. Moore was on the 4x400m relay team that competed at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships, earning second team All-America honors, while Taintor has the third-best pentathlon score in UM history.
Additionally, Miami has an exciting crop of newcomers expected to make an impact for the Hurricanes. Transfers Aiyanna Stiverne and Taylor Gunn bring success and experience at the collegiate level, while freshmen Brittny Ellis, Erin Ford, Samantha Gonzalez, Zakiya Rashid and Anna Sjoukje Runia add to the talented Miami roster.
The National Team Computer Rankings are complied by a mathematical formula based on national descending order lists. The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national team race. Rankings points do not equate with NCAA Championships team points. A full description of the rankings can be found here.
Preseason rankings include high marks from 2015, and the National Team Computer Rankings will continue to do so through the third edition of the regular season, which is scheduled to be released February 8.
The Hurricanes open the 2016 indoor season on January 16 at the Nittany Lion Challenge in State College, Pa.
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