Miami Women’s Track Earns Eight All-America Honors
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – NCAA women’s indoor 400m champion Shakima Wimbley leads an impressive group of University of Miami women’s track and field student-athletes to earn All-America honors, as announced Monday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The Hurricanes earned eight All-America honors after an impressive performance at the 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend in College Station, Texas. Miami finished with a team score of 18 points, tied for eighth place with Missouri. The Canes finished in the top 10 for the first time since tying for fifth with 27 points in 2006.
“These women have had an outstanding indoor season,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “They have performed at a high level all year and to be an All-American is a tremendous accomplishment.”
Wimbley earned two First Team All-America honors after stellar performances in the women’s 400m and the women’s 4x400m relay. The senior earned the first national championship of her career, winning the 400m final with a world-leading time of 51.07 seconds.
It was an exciting race to the finish as Wimbley beat USC’s Kendall Ellis to the finish line by seven-thousandths of a second, registering a time of 51.061 compared to Ellis’ 51.068. Wimbley’s NCAA championship is Miami’s first in the indoor 400m title since Krista Simkins in 2008. Wimbley is the 10th different Hurricane to win a national title and the ninth woman to do so. Her title is Miami’s first since Ti’erra Brown won the women’s 400m hurdles crown at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
She also teamed with Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis and Michelle Atherley to run a season-best in the women’s 4x400m relay final. The quartet won its heat and finished seventh overall with a time of 3:31.85 that ranks second all-time in UM history. All four members of the relay were recognized as First Team All-Americans after their top eight finish at the national meet.
Atherley also earned First Team All-America honors after an incredible performance in the women’s pentathlon, finishing fourth with a school record and personal best score of 4,319 points.
Ellis was named a First Team All-American after placing eighth in the women’s 400m final. The sophomore, who posted a time of 53.13 seconds in the final, finished her NCAA Indoor Championships debut with a pair of First Team All-America honors.
Ebony Morrison was Miami’s final student-athlete to receive All-America recognition. The senior was named Second Team All-America after finishing 15th overall in the women’s 60m hurdles with a time of 8.47 seconds.
With the indoor season complete, the Hurricanes will turn their attention to outdoor track and field. Miami opens its outdoor season with the first of three home meets scheduled for 2017, the Hurricane Invitational on March 17-18. Miami will also host the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on March 25 and the Hurricane Alumni Invitational on April 7-8. To view the complete Miami track and field schedule for the 2017 season, click here.
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