UM Women ACC Indoor Champions Ranked No. 13
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s track and field team climbed 14 spots to No. 13 in the latest edition of the NCAA DI Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA).
The Hurricanes appeared in the USTFCCCA top 25 for the second time this indoor season after opening the season at No. 25. Ten marks, including nine new ones, combined to make up Miami’s team score of 59.90.
Six of Miami’s scored events came on the track, while three came during field events at the ACC Indoor Championships.
ACC Women’s Field MVP Michelle Atherley won gold in the pentathlon with a nation-leading score of 4,498 points. Atherley swept all five events to break her own program record of 4,319 points and also broke her previous ACC Championship score she set when she won the event in 2017.
Atherley was the lone Cane to score in three events, as she also recorded personal bests in the both the long jump with a mark of 6.23m to finish third and the 60m hurdles, finishing with a time of 8.15.
Sophomore Tiara McMinn joined Atherley in the 60m hurdles, breaking the program record with her first-place finish time of 7.95 seconds. McMinn has now won every 60m hurdles event she has entered this season and is tied for the second-fastest time in the NCAA.
Senior Carolyn Brown cracked Miami’s top-five in the 60m dash, running a personal-best time of 7.32 to earn the bronze medal. Sophomore Kayla Johnson claimed her second program record when she earned the silver medal in the 800m run with her time of 2:05.21. Senior Brittny Ellis boasted top times in the prelims and the finals of the 400m to win the second gold medal of the day for the Miami women with her 52.66 time.
Both Johnson and Ellis were key members of Miami’s ACC champion 4x400m relays. The pair teamed with Symone Mason and Samantha Gonzalez to win gold in the event with a time of 3:32.75 that ranks fourth in program history and ninthin the nation heading into the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Sophomore Debbie Ajagbe’s personal-best mark of 20.75m in the weight throw earned her a bronze medal at the ACC Championships and ranks 30th in the country.
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 Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Qualifying Hurricanes will prepare to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala. on March 8-9.
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