Five Canes Named to All-ACC Academic for Outdoor Track & Field
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Five members of the University of Miami track and field team were selected to the All-ACC Academic team for the 2018 outdoor track & field season, as announced by the conference office Wednesday.
Debbie Ajagbe, Samantha Gonzalez, Kristina Knott and Anna Runia are the four Canes named to the 2018 All-ACC Academic Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Team, while Gian Piero Ragonesi was selected to the 2018 All-ACC Academic Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Team.
Ajagbe closed out her freshman season at the NCAA Championships with a sixth-place finish in Flight 1 and a 16thoverall finish in the women’s discus, while also reaching the NCAA East Preliminary in the shot put, discus and hammer. Ajagbe was named First Team All-ACC team in the shot put at the ACC Championships, where she earned a bronze medal in the event. Ajagbe added a Second Team All-ACC honor in the women’s hammer. A mechanical engineering major, Ajabe made the Dean’s List, named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll twice and was named a Book Buster in both semesters in her first her year at Miami. She is a two-time All-ACC Academic selection.
Gonzalez finished sixth in Heat 1 of the women’s 400m hurdles semifinals at the NCAA Championships and finished 17thoverall, earning All-America honorable mention in the hurdle. She also was a member of Miami’s 4x400m relay that was 15thoverall and received Second Team All-America recognition. The junior’s remarkable season also saw Gonzalez become the ACC 400m hurdles champion and anchor the Hurricanes’ 4x400m relay team to an ACC title, earning First Team All-ACC distinction in both events. While majoring in sports administration, Gonzalez has been named a Book Buster four times, named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and Dean’s List three times, the Provost’s Honor Roll twice and the President’s Honor Roll once. This is the first All-ACC Academic honor of her career.
A senior majoring in advertising, Knott capped off her season reaching the NCAA East Preliminary in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay and helped the Canes win gold in the 4x100m relay at the ACC Outdoor Championships, earning First Team All-ACC in the relay. Knott is a four-time Book Buster while also being named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll three times, Dean’s List twice and a one-time Provost Honor Roll recipient.
Runia finished 15thoverall at the NCAA Championships in the 400m hurdles to garner Second Team All-America honors. A native of the Netherlands, she was also a member of Miami’s 4x400m relay that was 15thoverall and received Second Team All-American recognition. The junior also earned Second Team All-ACC honors in the 400m hurdles and was a member of Miami’s ACC champion 4x400m relay. Runia is a six-time Book Buster, Athletic Director Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Provost Honor Roll recipient and was also named to the All-ACC Academic Indoor Team in April. She is a five-time All-ACC Academic honoree.
Ragonesi wrapped up his collegiate career with the Canes finishing 20thin the men’s discus at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, receiving All-America honorable mention in the event. The senior earned First Team All-ACC in both shot put and discus after winning bronze medals in both events at the 2018 ACC Outdoor Championships. Ragonesi qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary in both the shot put and discus and ended his career in the school’s all-time top five in the outdoor shot put, discus and hammer throw. Ragonesi, a graduate student majoring in international business studies, is now a four-time All-ACC Academic recipient.
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.
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.
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