Hurricanes Travel to California for Mt. Sac Relays, Robinson Breaks ACC Outdoor Record

Hurricanes Travel to California for Mt. Sac Relays, Robinson Breaks ACC Outdoor Record

by James Knable

Walnut, Cal. – The University of Miami track and field team traveled to Walnut, California for the 63rd annual Mt. Sac Relays this past weekend.

Taking place at the immaculate Himer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, California, about forty minutes west of Los Angeles, the hurricanes got to work.

Starting off on Thursday, Daphnee Lavassas walked away with an impressive performance in the women’s 10000m event. Lavassas, against strong competition, posted a time of 33:59.33. This is a new personal best and improves on her program record of 34:27.73, which she achieved last outdoor season.

Also on Thursday, competing down in Long Beach State, the women’s throwers showed what they were made of. Hannah Hall took second place with a mark of 17.92m, while Selina Dantzler followed with a mark of 16.23, earning third.

Ramy Berberena had a solid performance Friday in the men’s 400m hurdles, capturing the sixth place spot in a field of 31 and giving himself a new personal best at 52.55m

Gabriella Grissom and Sierra Oliveira both placed in the top ten in the women’s 800m. Grissom with a time of 2:07.79, placing sixth, and Oliveira captured ninth with a time of 2:08.57.

Russell Robinson was off to a hot start in the men’s long jump, posting a distance of 7.57m and earning first against some serious competition.

Sticking with the jumpers, Rachel Robertson placed third in the women’s high jump, clearing a height of 1.68m. Robertson also earned a top-five finish in the women’s triple jump with a distance of 12.49m, placing fifth.

Hannah Hall wasn’t satisfied with her two-day-old personal best of 17.92m and broke the 18m mark for the first time in her career Saturday. Not only did Hall break the 18m barrier for herself, but she did it twice, throwing 18.03m on her second and final throw. 

Hall finished fourth at the Mt. Sac Relays against some of the nation’s best shot putters and currently ranks fifth in the nation.

Freshman Sanaa Hebron posted an impressive time of 56.96 in the women’s 400m hurdles, which also earned the Newtown, Pennsylvania sprinter a third-place finish at her first Mt. Sac Relays.

Russell Robinson is coming off posting the number one triple jump distance in the country. Last week at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational, Robinson posted an incredible distance of 16.73m on a shortened twelve-step approach.

At Mt. Sac Relays, Robinson created greatness once again.

On his third attempt, Robinson earned a distance of 17.12m 56’ 2” on a wind-legal metric of 0.8+. Not only does this improve his program record last week, but it keeps Robinson at number one in the nation for the men’s triple jump.

But wait, there’s more to this special performance…

With Russell’s distance of 17.12m, he breaks the ACC outdoor record in the event, previously held by Jordan Scott of Virginia, who posted 17.08m at last season’s ACC Outdoor Championships in Durham, North Carolina. Robinson’s mark also is tied for the 17th-best triple jump in the history of the NCAA (USTFCCCA).

Décio Andrade, also coming off setting a program record last week at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational, threw another record of 73.33m. Andrade placed third against international and collegiate throwers in a field of 11 and currently places second in the nation as he continues the greatest run of performances in Miami men’s hammer throw history.

The team will have a week off as they prepare for the UNF East Coast Relays, located in Jacksonville, Florida. The event will take place April 28-29, making it the final event before the ACC Championships, which is set for May 11-13 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

To stay up to date with the Miami Hurricanes track and field team, make sure to follow @canestrack on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.