One week after the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, the University of Miami track and field team opened outdoor season competition at home in the Hurricane Invitational March 17 and 18. Led by ACC Indoor Coach of the Year Amy Deem, the Hurricanes were determined to start the season on the right foot.
The No. 16-ranked women’s team had a strong showing. Gabrielle Hesslau ran the fourth-fastest time in school history with a personal-best 17:10.32 to win the women’s 5000m run. Anne Den Otter won the women’s 1500m with a time of 4:35.61.
Both women’s relays finished second in their respective events. Stefani Kerrison, Darlene Charles, Erin Ford and Trishelle Leacock ran a 46.13 in the women’s 4x100m relay, while Anthonia Moore, Anna Runia, Erin Ford and Amy Taintor ran a time of 3:45.11 in the women’s 4x400m relay.
In women’s field events, Taintor, Kerrison and Charles swept the women’s long jump with respective jumps of 6.12m, 5.93m and 5.81m. Taintor jumped a personal best. Erika Voyzey finished third in the high jump – her 1.70m mark is the fifth best in school history. Karyna Armstrong’s 53.23m finish placed third in the women’s hammer throw. In discus, Zakiya Rashid threw a personal best of 50.19m to place third. The throw is the fourth best in school history. Emily Gale’s vault of 3.65m earned her first in the women’s pole vault.
Sean Grossman won the men’s 5000m run to kick off the men’s outdoor season. His time of 14:51.87 is a new personal-best. Jonathan Keller finished third in the race with a personal-best time of his own at 15:20.83.
Breon Mullings, Henri Delauze, Myles Valentine and Ibrahim Dodo earned second place in the men’s 4x400m relay with a time of 3:11.40. Mullings ran the fifth-fastest 400m dash in school history before the relay – his official time is 47.75 seconds.
Andreas Christodoulou led the way in men’s field events with a 57.14m throw to win the men’s javelin competition. Carlos Mangum had a second-place hammer throw at 63.46m. Daniel Polinski threw a discus 57.14m to finish in second place.
Shakima Wimbley, Michelle Atherley, Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis and Ebony Morrison did not compete in the meet. Wimbley recently won ACC Track Performer of the Year and First-Team All-America in the women’s 400m dash, and Atherley was named ACC Field Performer of the Year and First-Team All-America in the women’s pentathlon. Wimbley, Atherley, Stiverne and Ellis are First-Team All-Americans in the women’s 4x400m relay. Morrison earned Second-Team All-America in the women’s 60m hurdles.
The Canes’ next track meet is the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on Saturday. The event will take place at home in Cobb Stadium but will also air on ACC Network Extra. For the complete outdoor season schedule, click here.