Arreaga Secures Spot at NCAA Outdoor Championships
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the second-straight season, Kevin Arreaga of the Miami track and field team secured a spot at nationals in the men’s hammer throw.
As the first of seven Canes to compete on Thursday, the sophomore wasted little time to punch his ticket to Austin, Texas. Arreaga started the day off for Miami finishing eighth overall at the NCAA East Prelims at Hodges Stadium. The Spaniard saved his best throw for last and finished with a mark of 68.57m.
Arreaga joined Michelle Atherley with a spot at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, while all six other Canes in competition made it one step closer.
Senior Samantha Gonzalez won Heat 4 of the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 58.02, earning an automatic qualifying spot in the quarterfinals. Gonzalez finished third overall in the event and will compete on Friday at 7 p.m.
Junior McKinly Brown finished second in the sixth heat with a season-best time of 50.85 seconds in the 400m hurdles. Brown’s time was eighth among 46 competitors and earned a spot in the quarterfinals set for 7:15 p.m. on Friday.
The track remained hot as both Carolyn Brown and Raheem Chambers advanced to the quarterfinals in the 100m dash. Brown’s time of 11.56 seconds earned her the final spot of Friday’s quarterfinals, while Chambers’ time of 10.43 and 23rd-place finish overall allowed him also advance.
Brittny Ellis got the 400m dash started, winning Heat 1 with a time of 52.83 seconds. The senior’s time finished 10th overall and was her third-fastest time this season.
Kayla Johnson was the sixth and final Cane to compete and advance to the quarterfinals as the sophomore finished third in Heat 3 of the women’s 800m. Johnson finished with a time of 2:05.53 to finish 11th overall.
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