Ten Canes Named to All-ACC Academic Indoor Track & Field Team
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Ten members of the University of Miami track and field program were named to the 2017 All-ACC Academic Team for Indoor Track and Field, as announced by the conference office on Thursday.
Eight members of the ACC champion Hurricane women’s team, the most of any team in the conference, were among the 58 honorees selected to the 2017 All-ACC Academic Women’s Indoor Track & Field Team, while a pair of Miami men represented the Canes on the 45-member 2017 All-ACC Academic Men’s Indoor Track & Field Team.
“I am always proud to see our student-athletes succeed in academics, as well as athletics,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “These 10 men and women are great examples of what a student-athlete should be. This honor is a testament to their hard work and dedication on the track and in the classroom. I am especially excited to see our women’s team leading the conference in academic honorees, as it shows that at Miami we are always striving to be champions academically, athletically and in life.”
Karyna Armstrong is a senior working on a master’s in public administration. She also was a second team All-ACC selection after finishing fifth in the weight throw and helping the Hurricanes defend their ACC Indoor Championship.
Brittny Ellis is a sophomore nursing major with a long list of accolades on the track and in the classroom. Ellis was a first team All-American in the 400m and 4x400m, won a silver medal in the 400m at the ACC Indoor Championships and earned first team All-ACC honors in both the 200m and 400m. Ellis is also a three-time Book Buster (3.0+ GPA) and three-time Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.2+ GPA) recipient.
Amanda Gale is a senior majoring in microbiology & immunology that has made the Provost’s Honor Roll (3.75+ GPA), Dean’s List (3.5+ GPA), Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and Book Buster three times each. Gale also placed sixth at the ACC Indoor Championships in the women’s pole vault, earning second team All ACC honors.
Kristina Knott is a junior advertising major who won a bronze medal in the 60m at the ACC Indoor Championships and finished seventh in the 200m at the conference meet, earning All-ACC honors. Knott also earned spots on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and was named a Book Buster.
A senior majoring in motion pictures production, Ebony Morrison represented the Hurricanes in the women’s 60m hurdles at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships, earning second team All-America honors after finishing 15th. Morrison was the 2017 ACC Indoor Champion in the 60m hurdles, earning first team All-ACC honors and helping the Hurricanes defend their ACC indoor team championship. She also finished ninth in the women’s 60m dash at the ACC championships. Morrison is also a three-time Book Buster and two-time Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and Dean’s List recipient.
Anna Runia is a sophomore that has excelled on the track and in the classroom. A double major in painting and computer science, Runia is a two-time President’s Honor Roll student (4.0 GPA), and has make the Provost’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and Book Buster three times each. Runia was a member of Miami’s ACC champion 4x400m relay team, earning first team All-ACC honors.
Amy Taintor finished fourth at the ACC Indoor Championships in the women’s pentathlon, earning second team All-ACC honors. A junior majoring in public relations, Taintor has earned Dean’s List twice, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll three times and is a four-time Book Buster.
A freshman majoring in aerospace engineering, Erika Voyzey finished fourth at the ACC Indoor Championships in the women’s high jump. Voyzey was named second team All-ACC and earned Book Buster Honor Roll (3.0).
Daniel Polinski is a redshirt junior thrower majoring in computer engineering. Polinski finished eighth in the men’s shot put at the ACC Indoor Championships and is a six-time Book Buster, four-time Athletic Director’s Honor Roll honoree and two-time Dean’s List recipient.
Myles Valentine is a sophomore sprinter who earned a bronze medal in the men’s 60m at the ACC Indoor Championships, earning first team All-ACC honors. A double major in broadcast journalism and sport administration, Valentine is a three-time Book Buster and also earned Athletic Director’s Honor Roll recognition.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career.
Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team. Every student-athlete selected to the 2017 All-ACC Women’s Track and Field Academic Team earned All-America and/or All-ACC honors this past season. Every member of the 2017 All-ACC Men’s Track and Field Academic Team earned All-America and/or All-ACC honors, scored points for his team at the ACC Indoor Championships or was selected as an ACC Performer of the Week during the regular season.
The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 for the current academic year, will be released in July.
The Canes will travel to Waco, Texas, to compete at the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 22. To view the complete Miami track and field schedule for the 2017 season, click here.
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.
