Hurricanes track and field succeed in Virginia Tech Invitational

CC0 Image by lisakara / Pixabay
CC0 Image by lisakara / Pixabay

Hurricanes track and field showed it is right on its way to defend its ACC Indoor Championship title this season by producing a strong showing over the weekend in the Virginia Tech Invitational.

The No. 14-ranked women’s team competed against 13 other schools in the competition. Senior Ebony Morrison, sophomore transfer Michelle Athlerley and junior Stefani Kerrison swept the women’s 60m final with respective times of 8.29 seconds, 8.37 seconds and 8.44 seconds. Junior transfer Kristina Knott won the women’s 60m dash with a time of 7.39 seconds.

Knott also finished victorious in the women’s long jump at 5.94m, while teammate Darlene Charles was just a hundredth of a meter behind to come in second place. Charles’ solid day in field continued with a third-place finish in the women’s triple jump with a personal best 12.19m.

Senior Anthonia Moore ran a time of 58.52 seconds to earn second place in the women’s 400m dash. Sophomore Anna Runia ran a personal best 24.56 seconds to win the women’s 200m dash.

Shakima Wimbley, Brittny Ellis and Aiyanna Stiverne swept the women’s 300m dash. Wimbley, the four-time ACC Indoor champion and 2016 USA Olympic Trials semifinalist, continues her stellar career with a school record and NCAA season-leading time of 36.72 seconds.

In the distance events, Gabrielle Hesslau ran a personal best 5:00.17 in the women’s mile, notching a top-five time in school history.

Freshman Erika Voyzey notched the third-best high jump in school history at 1.78m, winning the event. Athlerley finished third and, along with Amy Taintor, cleared 1.69m to tie the fifth-best jump in school history. Karyna Armstrong finished third in the women’s weight throw with a 17.40m mark.

Senior twins Amanda and Emily Gale rank second and third in Miami women’s pole vault history, respectively. Amanda posted a personal indoor best 3.77m, while Emily finished in second place with a mark of 3.92m.

Erin Ford, Stiverne, Athlerley and Ellis won the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:38.56.

For the men, Myles Valentine ran a personal best 6.71 seconds in the men’s 60m dash; the time earned him second place at the meet and second on Miami’s all-time list. Isaiah Taylor’s personal best of 6.78 seconds in the same event tied him with UM alumnus and current NFL running back Lamar Miller for fourth in school history.

Breon Mullings finished second in the men’s 300m dash with a time of 34.34 seconds.

Junior Henri Delauze won the men’s 500m and had a third-best time in school history at 1:03.74. Tom Gassner also had a third-best all-time record to win his event; Gassner clocked a time of 2:29.10 to win the men’s 1000m. Coming off a successful cross-country season, Sean Grossman opened his indoor season by finishing in second place in the men’s 3000m at 8:49.70.

Senior Carlos Mangum, who was First Team All-ACC Indoor in men’s weight throw, opened his season with a win in the event at 20.91m.

The Canes’ next meet is the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet at the University of Kentucky. The meet will be broadcast on the SEC Network and online at WatchESPN on Saturday.