Miami Claims NCAA Top Spot in Men’s Long Jump, Women’s 4x100
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – In the first outdoor meet of 2022, the University of Miami track and field team captured the NCAA lead in the women’s 4×100 meter relay and men’s long jump.
In their first relays of the season, the women’s 4×100 meter relay posted the best time in the NCAA for 2022 to secure the win. The 4×100 relay team of Jacious Sears, Alfreda Steele, Lauryn Harris and Mercy Ntia-Obong clocked in at 44.65.
Russell Robinson jumped 7.81 meters to claim the NCAA-lead in the long jump and the win at the Hurricane Invitational
“I thought it was a really good team effort,” director of track and field and cross country Amy Deem said. “It was a great outdoor opener. We had some good competition with the Big Ten and Purdue, and South Florida coming down. It was a really solid opener for us.”
The day began in exciting fashion, as freshman Erikka Hill competed in just her second-ever career javelin throw. She led the Canes by shattering a 16-year-old school record as she tallied a mark of 47.01 meters, currently 16th-best in the NCAA this year, to finish second. The previous mark of 43.64 meters was set by Kaitlin Nazario in 2006.
Hill followed that performance with a shot put mark of 14.89 meters for fifth and closed the day in the hammer throw with a notch of 51.24 meters for sixth place.
Miami’s throwers carried Day One momentum into the second day of events. On the women’s side, the trio of Hannah-Sophia Hall, Selina Dantzler and Debbie Ajagbe swept the podium in the shot put. Fresh off an NCAA Indoor Championships performance, Hall claimed the title and third-farthest throw in the country this year with a mark of 16.46 meters. Dantzler came in second, registering a throw of 15.46 meters for the 14th best mark in Division I.
Ajagbe rounded out the podium after a mark of 15.03 meters to rank 23rd in the NCAA . She capped her weekend with a hammer throw victory of 59.10 meters.
Jeff Williams earned the shot put crown with a throw of 16.90 meters to rank 22nd in the country.
UM was just as successful on the track, as it earned four wins and three runner-up finishes.
“We ran a lot of what I would call our off events, especially the runners,” Deem added “I am really pleased with where we are. I thought across the board, in all the event areas, we had some really good openers. We just have to continue to build on it next week.”
Sears and Steele were joined by Kayla Johnson and Sierra Oliveira in the 4×400 meter relay as the quartet finished in 3:38.70 for the fifth-best time in Division I.
Moriah Oliveira finished second in the 200 meter in 23.58 seconds, currently the ninth-fastest in the NCAA. Along with the relays, Johnson added a second-place finish and the NCAA’s 17th-best time in the 400-meter at 54.77 to close her weekend.
After breaking a school record on the first day, Daphnee Lavassas added a 1500-meter win to her resume. She crossed the finish line with the third-fastest time in school history at 4:30.03.
Lavassas was followed by teammate Natalie Varela in second with a time of 4:33.85.
It was a one-two finish for the Canes on the men’s side, as well. Oskars Bambals led the way with a finish of 3:54.71, while Austen Cannon registered a time of 3:58.79 for second place.
Solomon Strader registered the 26th fastest 200 meter time of 2022 in the NCAA after he finished in 21.02.
The two-day event was closed out for the Hurricanes behind the 4×400 meter relay team of Strader, Khamal Stewart-Baynes, Sincere Rhea and Bambals. They took second in the relay, finishing in 3:12.99, the 13th fastest time in the nation this year.
Next, Miami will remain home as it hosts the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational, Mar. 26, in Coral Gables at Cobb Stadium.
Fans can stay up to date on University of Miami track and field and cross country team’s news by following along on Instagram and Twitter @canestrack.
