No. 16 @CanesTrack Heads to The Armory
NEW YORK – The University of Miami track and field program will compete at the Armory Track Invitational this weekend, looking to post impressive time and marks at one of the top indoor meets in the country.
The No. 16 Hurricanes will compete on what is considered one of the fastest indoor tracks in the world. With a talented group of athletes in both the track and field event areas, Miami has the opportunity to shine on a big stage this weekend.
“The Armory has a long tradition of great indoor track and field,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “The team is looking forward to competing here. Several have competed here throughout their high school career and the Armory Track Invitational gives an opportunity to compete against some outstanding teams that we usually don’t see in the indoor season.”
Two-time ACC Women’s Indoor Track Performer of the Week Shakima Wimbley will head to The Armory as one of the top athletes to watch in the entire meet. The junior ranks fifth in the NCAA in the 200m (23.33), sixth in the 400m (53.08) and helped the Hurricanes’ 4x400m relay post the 13th-fastest time in the NCAA this season.
Pole vaulter Alysha Newman and thrower Tiffany Okieme are two other Canes looking to continue their strong indoor seasons. Newman won the women’s pole vault at both the NIttany Lion Challenge and McCravy Memorial Meet, ranking seventh in the country at 4.30m. Okieme currently ranks 10th in the country in the weight throw (20.60m) and 26th in in the shot put (16.02m).
Other Canes to watch on the women’s side include sprinters Carolyn Brown, Brittny Ellis, Anna Runia, Aiyanna Stiverne and Destiny Washington, hurdlers Jamika Glades, Samantha Gonzalez, Stefani Kerrison and Ebony Morrison, jumper Dakota Dailey-Harris, throwers Precious Ogunleye, Taylor Gunn and Zakiya Rashid and multi-event athlete Amy Taintor.
On the men’s side, Miami will look for another big weekend from thrower Gian Piero Ragonesi. The junior had personal-best marks in both the shot put (18.19m) and weight throw (18.05m) at the McCravy Memorial Meet two weeks ago.
Thrower Carlos Mangum and jumper David Njoku will also try to continue their success. Mangum placed second in the weight throw at Kentucky with a season-best mark of 19.83m, while Njoku finished second in the men’s high jump with a mark of 2.09m to move to second on UM’s all-time Top 5.
Sprinters Isaiah Taylor and Myles Valentine will look to build off solid showings at the McCravy Memorial Meet, where they both ran 6.88 in the 60m. Other Hurricane men to watch include sprinters Henri Delauze and Jaalen Jones, hurdler TeQuille Jackson, thrower Daniel Polinski and multi-event athlete Andreas Christodoulou.
Action is set to begin on Friday at noon with the women’s 3000m and women’s shot put and concludes at 10:05 p.m. with the men’s DMR. Saturday’s action begins at 9 a.m. with the women’s 3000m and ends at 5:48 with the men’s 4x400m.
The 2016 Armory Track Invitational will be broadcast live from The New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory in New York City on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at noon ET on Friday and 9 a.m. ET on Saturday. The broadcast will be available on ArmoryTrack.com and will require a RunnerSpace+plus subscription.
Following this weekend’s action in New York, the Hurricanes will compete at two different meets: The Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on Feb 12-13 and the LSU High Performance Meet in Baton Rouge, La., on Feb. 13. Next weekend will serve as the final competition for the Hurricanes before the ACC Indoor Championships on Feb. 25-27 in Boston.
Miami Entries
Men
60m: Isaiah Taylor, Myles Valentine, Jaalen Jones
200m: Henri Delauze, Jaalen Jones, TeQuille Jackson
400m: Henri Delauze, Anthony Wolliston, Joseph Ryan
800m: Tom Gassner
3000m: Sean Grossman
5000m: Sean Grossman
60m HH: TeQuille Jackson, Andreas Christodoulou
4x400m: Henri Delauze, Anthony Wolliston, Joseph Ryan, Andreas Christodoulou, Thomas Gassner
High Jump: David Njoku
Long Jump: Innocent Jacob, Andreas Christodoulou
Triple Jump: John-Patrick Friday
Pole Vault: Nick Catchur
Shot Put: Gian Piero Ragonesi, Daniel Polinski
Weight Throw: Carlos Mangum, Gian Piero Ragonesi
Women
60m: Carolyn Brown, Trishelle Leacock
200m: Carolyn Brown, Trishelle Leacock, Jamika Glades, Ebony Morrison, Anna Runia, Destiny Washington
400m: Shakima Wimbley, Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis, Erin Ford, Samantha Gonzalez, Anthonia Moore
800m: Amy Taintor
1 Mile: Anne Den Otter
3000m: Gabrielle Hesslau
60m HH: Ebony Morrison, Stefani Kerrison, Jamika Glades, Anna Runia, Lateisha Philson, Amy Taintor
4x400m: Shakima Wimbley, Samantha Gonzalez, Anthonia Moore, Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis, Jamika Glades, Destiny Washington, Erin Ford
High Jump: Dakota Dailey-Harris, Amy Taintor
Triple Jump: Alexis Wright, Niara Hill
Pole Vault: Alysha Newman
Shot Put: Zakiya Rashid, Tiffany Okieme, Taylor Gunn
Weight Throw: Tiffany Okieme, Taylor Gunn, Zakiya Rashid, Precious Ogunleye
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 @CanesTrack on Twitter for specific news on UM track and field and cross country. The program is also on Instagram.
