April 24, 2008
PHILADELPHIA (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF's relay teams posted record-setting performances on the opening day of the 114th-annual Penn Relays at historic Franklin Field. The Knights set school records in both the 4x100-meter relay and the distance medley relay on Thursday.
For the second consecutive week, UCF's 4x100-meter relay squad broke the school record in that event. The Knights 4x100 relay team, consisting of freshman Micaela Wimberly (Miami, Fla.), junior Sheree Carter (Tallahassee, Fla.), junior Dione Thomas (Jacksonville, Fla.) and sophomore Feyisara Adaramola (Bronx, N.Y.), finished in a record-setting time of 46.28. That shattered the previous school record of 46.46, set last week at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville.
Competing for the second time this season, the distance medley relay team broke a seven-year-old school record. The Knights' time of 11:30.13 on Thursday shattered the 12:06.86 ran in 2001. The relay, comprised of senior Karen Kozub (Alden, N.Y.) [3:28 1,200m], freshman Lizzie Harris (Miami, Fla.) [54.2 400m], junior Shantile Blackburn (Brooklyn, N.Y.) [2:07.70 800m] and senior Kristen Zieminski (Sarasota, Fla.) [4:59 1,500m], had nearly broken the school record at the Pepsi Florida Relays earlier this month with a time of 12:06.88, but ran the event at the Penn Relays in a time of nearly 37 seconds faster than their previous appearance this year.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, UCF has broken eight school records during the outdoor season. The Knights have now broken 20 total school records (indoor and outdoor) in 2008 after 12 record-setting marks/times during the indoor campaign.
"This was a very good day for UCF track and field," Smith Gilbert said. "We had two school records today, one in the 4x100 and one in the distance medley relay. We had a very good showing in the DMR. It was great to hear the announcer call UCF's name over the microphone in such a prestigious venue. We're beginning to believe that we belong at the top."
The second day of the 114th-annual Penn Relays commences at 9 a.m. Friday with live results available at www.thepennrelays.com. Complete results and a recap of the day's action will be available at www. ucfathletics.com.
"We have to carry this momentum over to tomorrow," Smith Gilbert said. "We will be competing in the shuttle hurdles, the 4x200 relay, the championship discus, the triple jump and the sprint medley relay. We are looking for great performances in those events, as well as school records and regional-qualifying marks."
Sophomore LaKendra Thames (Winter Garden, Fla.), senior Virginia Traynor (Miami, Fla.) and freshman Christina Raphael (Miami, Fla.) each competed in the shot put, with Raphael notching a collegiate-best mark of 41-9 (12.75m) in the event.
"It is great to see Christina Raphael getting into form and throwing her best collegiate outdoor mark," Smith Gilbert said.
Thomas recorded a season-best leap of 19-7.50 (6.06m) in the long jump.
Jamie Rzepecki (East Aurora, N.Y.) competed in the steeplechase for the first time this season, finishing in a time of 11:21.03, about 10 seconds shy of her personal-best time in the event.
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UCF Results at Penn Relays Day 1 (Thursday, April 24, 2008 - Philadelphia, Penn. - Franklin Field)
Hammer Throw (RQS: 177-8/54.15m) - Thursday 11:15 a.m.
16. Virginia Traynor - 149-5/45.55m
4x100-Meter Relay (RQS: 45.70) - Thursday 1 p.m.
24. UCF `A' - Micaela Wimberly, Sheree Carter, Dione Thomas, Feyisara Adaramola - 46.28
Shot Put (RQS: 46-11/14.30m) - Thursday 1:15 p.m.
11. LaKendra Thames - 44-5/13.44m
16. Virginia Traynor - 41-11/12.78m
17. Christina Raphael - 41-9/12.75m
Discus (RQS: 155-2/47.30m) - Thursday 3 p.m.
11. Jessica Francis - 139-1/42.41m
Long Jump (RQS: 19-8.25/6.00m) - Thursday 4 p.m.
7. Dione Thomas - 19-7.50/6.06m
Distance Medley Relay (Not an NCAA Championship Event) - Thursday 5:15 p.m.
4. UCF `A' - Karen Kozub (3:28 - 1,200m), Lizzie Harris (54.2 - 400m), Shantile Blackburn (2:07.70 - 800m), Kristen Zieminski (4:59-1,500m)- 11:30.13
Steeplechase (RQS: 10:50.25) - Thursday 8:05 p.m.
13. Jamie Rzepecki - 11:21.03