@MiamiTrack Running in Four Events at NCAAs
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – For over two decades, Miami track and field has been known to produce talented runners and the latest crop of gifted Canes will be on display at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The University of Miami will compete in four running events at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Alyssa McClure will represent the Hurricanes in the 100m, Shakima Wimbley will run the 400m, Thandi Stewart will compete in the 800m and Miami will field a women’s 4x400m relay. The Canes earned their trips to the NCAA Championships after a strong showing at the NCAA East Preliminary in Jacksonville a week ago.
“The girls competed hard and ran with confidence,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “I’m really excited for the way they stepped up.”
McClure advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after placing third in Heat 2 of the women’s 100m quarterfinals. The senior’s time of 11.44 seconds is a personal-best and ranks fifth in UM history.
“It’s an honor,” McClure said of advancing to Oregon. “I really didn’t think that I could do that. Coach Deem told me to have confidence because they have confidence in me. I put the race together and it came out the way I wanted.”
The senior will look to continue her collegiate career when she hits the track at 8:45 p.m. ET on June 11 in the women’s 100m semifinals.
Wimbley also punched her ticket to Oregon, winning Heat 3 of the women’s 400m quarterfinals with a time of 51.81 seconds. The freshman’s personal-best time of 51.68 seconds ranks second in the East Region and eighth nationally. She is schedule to compete in the women’s 400m semifinals on June 11 at 8:15 p.m. ET.
“It’s shocking and I am really excited,” Wimbley said. “This brings a joy to me that I’ve never felt. I am so happy to make it as a freshman.”
Stewart set a school record in the women’s 800m while securing a spot in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The senior finished second in Heat 3 of the women’s 800m with a personal-best time of 2:04.06.
“I was fortunate to be one of the last events of the day because all the good news inspired me to run hard for God and my team,” Stewart said. “I was so proud of them and fought hard to join them in Oregon.”
The senior is making her second trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles in 2012. Stewart will compete in the women’s 800m semifinal on June 11 at 7:45 p.m. ET.
Miami’s 4x400m relay quartet of Stewart, Taneisha Cordell, Wimbley and Anthonia Moore placed fifth in Heat 1 of the women’s 4x400m relay in Jacksonville. Their season-best time of 3:34.24 was the sixth-fastest at the East Preliminary, earning them one of the 12 spots advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Oregon.
“The 4×4 started out well in January and it’s been a struggle to get everybody to run well at the same time,” Deem said. “To have them all come together at the right time and make the national championship is what we hoped for.”
Stewart, Cordell, Wimbley and Moore are joined by Jamika Glades to form a talented relay pool for the Hurricanes. Miami’s 4x400m relay is set to compete in the semifinals at 9:40 p.m. ET on June 12.
The Hurricanes will have student-athletes competing in the 100m, 400m, 800m, pole vault, high jump, discus, hammer throw and the 4x400m relay at the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
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