May 26, 2007

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Junior Khadija Talley took second place in the finals of the discus Saturday to lead the University of Miami women's track and field team at the NCAA East Regional Championships Saturday at the University of Florida's James G. Pressley Stadium at Percy Beard Track.

Talley's second-place mark of 174-05 feet (53.17m) earned her an automatic berth into the NCAA National Championships held June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.

The UM 4x400-meter relay team of freshman Kristy Whyte, senior Ginou Etienne, sophomore Ena Leufroy and sophomore Krista Simkins also earned a spot at the NCAA Championships with a third-place finish in Saturday's finals, clocking in with a time of 3:34.57.

Simkins and Etienne each narrowly missed an automatic NCAA Championship berth with sixth-place finishes in the 200 and 400-meters, respectively.

In the triple jump, senior Brenda Faluade finished sixth with a mark of 42-09.75 feet (13.05m) while fellow classmate Amy Seward, who placed first in the long jump Friday, placed 13th with a mark of 41-07.75 (12.69m).