Women’s Track Ranked No. 20 by USTFCCCA
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s track and field team was ranked No. 20 in the latest edition of the NCAA DI Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings, as announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA).
The Hurricanes appeared in the USTFCCCA top 25 for the third consecutive week. Sixteen marks combined to make up Miami’s team score of 87.54 points.
The newest mark factoring into Miami’s team score comes in the women’s 400m hurdles, as Samantha Gonzalez’s personal-best time of 57.88 seconds from the National Relay Championships is ranked 19thin nationally.
Miami has 12 of its 16 scored marks coming on the track. The Hurricanes’ 4x100m team of Kristina Knott, Alfreda Steele, Symone Mason and Tiara McMinn are ranked ninth with a time of 43.54 seconds. Miami’s 4x400m relay time of 3:33.19 run by Mason, Gonzalez, Michelle Atherley and Kayla Johnson is ranked 14th.
Johnson scores twice as an individual for the Hurricanes, ranked fourth in the women’s 800m and 30thin the 400m. Steele also scored twice for the Canes in the sprints, sitting 37thin the 100m and 48thin the 200m, while Mason is 48thin the 100m and 43rdin the 200m.
The Canes have three scored marks in the hurdles in addition to Gonzalez’s 400m hurdles time. Anna Runia is 11thin the 400m hurdles with a time of 57.64 seconds, McMinn is 32ndin the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.21 seconds and Atherley is 41stin the 100m hurdles at 13.28 seconds.
Miami also has four marks in the field events with Atherley’s school record score of 5,816 points in the heptathlon ranked 10thnationally and a trio of throws also factoring into the overall team score.
Zakiya Rashid is ranked 17thin the discus with a mark of 55.68m, while Debbie Ajagbe’s mark of 55.07m is 21stin the discus. The freshman Ajagbe also score in the hammer throw, as her mark of 60.51m ranks 45th.
The National Team Computer Rankings are compiled by a mathematical formula based on the NCAA Division I Descending Order Lists. Marks from previous seasons are included until enough data can be drawn from the current season and current freshmen aren’t included in the rankings until they compete in an outdoor meet. The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the race for a national title. Ranking points don’t equate with points that will be scored at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
The Hurricanes will prepare to host the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 10-12. The conference meet returns to Cobb Stadium on the University of Miami campus for the first time since 2009. To view the complete Miami Track and Field schedule for the 2018 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.
