Track and Field Competes at Hurricane Invite to Open Outdoor Season

Friday, March 15

Miami, Fla.

Florida Atlantic

Hurricane Invite

Photo by: ©JC Ridley/Owlpix.com

Track and Field Competes at Hurricane Invite to Open Outdoor Season

3/16/2019 9:24:00 PM | Women's XC/Track & Field

MIAMI, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University track and field team opened the outdoor season nearby, competing in the Hurricane Invitational hosted by Miami. It was a successful opener with a new school record, personal records and top-10 performances by the student-athletes.

Coach Smolka's Take

"We had a great opening meet, which was highlighted by Natalliah running a new school record, the No. 1 time in the nation and her fastest opening season time ever. Our 4x100m relay team also ran the second best time in school history and currently the No. 3 in the country. In addition, we had numerous PRs and strong opening season performances across the board. I am grateful for the hard work and great cooperation between our coaches, associate head coach Willie Randolph, Coach Rolle and Coach Rothman, and our tremendous student-athletes. We have just begun and we have a long road ahead of us, but we certainly started our outdoor season off on the right foot. We're excited for the weeks ahead."

QUICK HITS

Natalliah Whyte continued her blazing pace she set during the indoor season. Whyte broke another school record on Saturday, this time it was the 100 meter outdoor time that fell. The junior crossed the finish line in 11.17 for the fastest time in the nation so far during this young outdoor season and first place at the meet
The 4x100 meter relay team of Jamesha Moorer, Whyte, Renee Shaw and Jenae Ambrose came close to breaking another school record, racing to the second best time in school history at 45.11 for third place
Cara Simpson recorded the fourth best jump in FAU history in the triple jump, scoring 11.71 meters for seventh place
The Owls had four in the 800 meter run. Megan Giovanniello completed the race in 2:17.44 for sixth place. Brooke Butterfield posted a new personal record, running the event in 2:17.58 for eighth place. Erica Lersch finished in 2:20.93 for 13th place and Christina Humphries completed in 2:25.14 for 16th
Lauren Macon led a trio of FAU runners in the 5000 meter run with a sixth place finish in 18:48.94. Sophia Clark finished two spots back with a time of 19:06.64. Morgan Graff rounded out the three with a time of 20:28.67 for a 23rd place finish
Kennedie Reese had an impressive outdoor debut. She placed eighth in the 100 meter hurdles, finishing in 14.76. She also competed in the 400 meter hurdles, completing in 1:13.42 for 20th place. Kailiece Harris and Vershae Quinn also ran the 400 meter hurdles. Harris finished in 1:06.07 for 12th place and Quinn crossed the line in 1:12.66 for 18th
Morgan Shortridge competed in the high jump and had a 1.55 meter score for ninth place
Moorer had a 12th place finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.85. Roshelle Francois took 20th with a 25.42 time and Shaw finished 26th in 25.75
FAU had two teams compete in the 4x400 relay. Ambrose, Francois, Giovanniello and Harris finished sixth with a time of 4:03.01. Jada James, Lersch, Butterfield, and Humphries finished eighth in 4:11.50

Up Next

The Owls will be back in action next Friday and Saturday at the UCF Knight Invite in Orlando, Florida.

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