@CanesTrack Enter USTFCCCA Top 15
NEW ORLEANS – The University of Miami’s women’s track and field team entered the Top 15 in the latest edition of the USTFCCCA National Team Rankings.
The Hurricanes are ranked No. 15 in the most recent USTFCCCA National Team Rankings released Monday. Miami spent the previous two weeks ranked No. 16 and opened the year ranked No. 17. The National Team Computer Rankings are complied by a mathematical formula based on national descending order lists.
Miami has eight different marks that contributed to its team score of 59.08 points. The newest marks contributing to the Hurricanes’ team score come from this weekend’s Armory Track Invitational, where Miami’s women claimed the team championship.
Senior Precious Ogunleye’s victory in the women’s weight throw with a personal-best mark of 21.27m added 9.13 points to theCanes’ team score, while junior Alysha Newman’s second place finish in the women’s pole vault with a personal-best and school record mark of 4.50m added 20.79 points to Miami’s team tally. Jumper Dakota Dailey-Harris cleared 1.80m to win the women’s high jump at the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet, rounding out the 2016 scoring marks for the Miami women.
The Hurricanes also have scores factoring in from Shakima Wimbley’s stellar 200m and 400m dashes, Ebony Morrison in the 60m hurdles and the Hurricanes’ 4x400m relay, as well as Tiffany Okieme in the weight throw.
There is a lot to be excited about in Coral Gables as Wimbley has won all three of her individual races this season, ranking ninth in the NCAA in both the 200m and 400m.
Morrison took sole possession of fifth place in the women’s 60m hurdles in UM history this past weekend, running a personal-best 8.22 seconds to win the 60m hurdles at the Armory Track Invitational and snap her previous tie for fifth with Patrina Allen at 8.24 seconds.
Miami’s 4x400m relay team of Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis, Wimbley and Destiny Washington combined to place second in the invitational section of the 4x400m relay with a season-best time of 3:36.41 that ranks 17th in the country.
In the field events, Newman is tied for second in the country in the women’s pole vault at 4.50m and . Dailey-Harris is tied for 22nd in the country in the high jump at 1.80m. Ogunleye is fifth in the NCAA in the women’s weight throw at 21.27m and Okieme ranks 12th in the weight throw with a mark of 20.60m. Okieme is also 32nd in the country in the shot put at 16.02m.
The Hurricanes are back in action this weekend 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.
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.
