Four Hurricanes Named USTFCCCA All-Academic
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Four members of the University of Miami track and field program receivedAll-Academic honors for the 2016-17 NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field seasons, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Brittny Ellis, Samantha Gonzalez, Ebony Morrison and Anna Runia were among the 752 women earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors during the 2016-17 track & field seasons.
Ellis has a long list of accolades on the track and in the classroom. Ellis was a first team indoor 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 also helped the Hurricanes win gold and set an ACC Championship record in the women’s 4x400m relay and earned a silver medal in the 400m at the 2017 ACC Outdoor Championships. A qualifier for the NCAA East preliminary in the 400m, Ellis earned First Team All-America honors as part of the 4x400m relay that finished seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. A sophomore nursing major, Ellis is a four-time All-ACC Academic selection.
Gonzalez is a sophomore hurdler that qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary in the women’s 400m hurdles. She also was an alternate at the NCAA East Preliminary and NCAA Outdoor Championships in the women’s 4x400m. The sophomore ran personal-bests in the 200m (24.46), 400m (56.92) and 400m hurdles (59.75) in 2017.
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 also earned Second Team All-America honors in the 100m hurdles, after finishing 14th in the event at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The senior hurdler holds the school record in the 100m hurdles at 12.76 seconds and finished fourth in the event at the ACC Outdoor Championships. A motion picture production major, Morrison is a four-time All-ACC Academic honoree.
Runia is a sophomore that has excelled on the track and in the classroom. She was a member of Miami’s ACC indoor champion 4x400m relay team, earning first team All-ACC honors. Runia was the 2017 ACC champion in the women’s 400m hurdles and was a member of Miami’s ACC champion 4x400m relay team. The sophomore, who is double-majoring in painting and computer science, earned First Team All-America honors as part of the 4x400m relay that finished seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and represented Miami at the NCAA East Preliminary in the 400m hurdles. Runia is a three-time All-ACC Academic recipient.
To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have met at least one of the following athletic standards:
For the indoor season, a student-athlete must have finished the regular season ranked in the national top 96 in an individual event or ranked in the national top 48 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.org.
For the outdoor season, a student-athlete must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships (including preliminary rounds).
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.
