Hall Continues Her Impressive Performances, Hurricanes Complete Collegiate Invitational

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami Track and Field team competed in the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational for a one-day meet Saturday at Cobb Stadium.

There were a handful of top-three finishes and lots of new personal bests across the board for the team as they completed meet two of the 2023 outdoor season.

Starting off the day, Taylor Wright placed second in the women’s high jump with a distance of 1.71m.

Hannah Hall had another impressive outing in the women’s shot put, placing first with a mark of 17.88m on her second attempt. This now moves the defending ACC indoor shot put champion to second in the program outdoor record book for the event.

“Hannah has done a great job at building herself. Winning the ACC title and then going to NCAAs and having a solid performance, she’s just come into outdoors on a mission. That’s especially what you want to see in a senior. You want to see them come out and leave it all out here in their last season. I’m really excited for her, her confidence just seems to keep getting higher and higher, so I am pretty siked about that,” Head Coach Amy Deem says.

Selina Dantzler also scored well in the women’s shot put with Hall, placing third with a distance of 15.96m.

In the women’s discus, Kristina Rakocevic earned a second-place finish with a mark of 55.39m, which came on her final throw.

Russell Robinson, an ACC indoor silver medalist, and an indoor season first-team All-American made his 2023 outdoor season debut Saturday in the men’s long jump. Russell bested the competition with a first-place finish and an impressive distance of 7.83m. 

Sticking with the jumpers, Sydney Scott posted a distance of 5.93m on her third attempt, capturing the bronze in the women’s long jump.

In the women’s triple jump, Ashley Moore dominated the competition with a distance of 13.25m also on her third attempt, earning first at the invitational. Moore’s distance now ranks at number five all-time in program history.

Rachel Robertson also placed third in the women’s triple jump with a distance of 12.49m.

Daphnee Lavassas continues to shine on the track, especially in the women’s 1500m event. 

Lavassas’s time of 4:22.24 is a new program record and a new personal best for the sophomore runner. Lavassas has now broken the 1500m outdoor program record in back-to-back weeks.

Miami native Natalie Varela came in right behind Lavassas, taking the third-place spot with a time of 4:28.32, earning a new personal best that she set last week alongside Lavassas.

Moving on to the women’s sprinters, senior Skyla Wilson posted a time of 13.58 in the women’s 100m hurdles, earning herself a first-place spot.

Sanaa Hebron, coming off of posting the number one time in the country last week in the women’s 400m hurdles, stuck to the women’s 400m and 200m this week.

The freshman from Newtown, Pennsylvania earned a second-place spot in a tight finish in the 400m, posting a time of 52.82.

“(Sanaa) understands that the faster her 400 time is, the more she will continue to improve in the 400 hurdles. For her, she’s getting better everywhere getting a new personal best in the 200m as well. She’s really bought into the training, she asks great questions for a freshman, she’s stepping up, and really enjoying her experience,” Head Coach Amy Deem says on Hebron’s performances.

Nearing the end of the event day, there was also a special ring ceremony highlighting the 2022 ACC women’s outdoor championship team. Last outdoor season, in Durham, North Carolina, the women’s team placed first with a total of 108 team points, beating out Duke and Florida State.

The women’s 4x400m relay team, comprised of Kennedy Brace, Gabriella Grissom, Sierra Oliveira, and Krystalann Bechard, came in first place Saturday with a time of 3:37.46.

Sincere Rhea, also making his outdoor season debut Saturday at Cobb Stadium, did so in spectacular fashion in the men’s 110m hurdles. Rhea placed first with a time of 13.72, placing him at the number four spot in program history.

Solomon Strader also placed first in the men’s 400m with an impressive time of 46.40. Strader now ranks second in the program’s all-time top five for the event.

Junior Ramy Berberena, with a time of 52.80 in the men’s 400m hurdles, placed third and gave the hurricanes another top-three finish.

The men’s 4x400m team of Ramy Berberena, Oskaras, Bambals, Enrique Borrego, and Ryler Gould ended with a time of 3:22.61, placing third.

Next week, the team will travel to the Florida Relays at the University of Florida in Gainsville, Florida, from March 30 through April 1.

To stay up to date with the University of Miami Track and Field team, make sure to follow @canestrack on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.