AUSTIN, Texas – After putting together one of the most impressive seasons by any Florida Atlantic University student-athlete, track and field’s Natalliah Whyte’s season ended on Thursday night in the NCAA Semifinals in Austin, Texas. Whyte finished fourth in her heat, putting her two spots away from the qualifying mark.
COACH SMOLKA’S TAKE
“Tonight did not go like we wanted it to go, but that does not take away from a tremendous season for Natalliah. She was indoor double C-USA champion and Runner of the Year, outdoor C-USA champion in the 100 meter, new FAU record holder in the 100 and 200, first FAU runner to qualify for NCAA finals and finishing 16th in the country. So, although today did not go as scripted, we commend Natalliah for an unbelievable and historic season. We are excited for the future!”
QUICK HITS
· Whyte finished fourth in her heat and 16th overall in the field with a time of 11.35. The top two finishers from each of the three heats plus the next two fastest times advanced to the finals
· The St. Catherine, Jamaica native was the first FAU track and field athlete to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the program’s 19-year history after running a school record time of 11.15 in the East Regionals
· Whyte’s impressive season included winning gold in the 100 meter dash at the Conference USA Championship earlier this season
OWLS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For complete coverage of FAU cross country and track & field, follow along on Twitter (@FAU_XC_Track) or Instagram (@FAUXC.TF).
– FAUSports.com –
Florida Atlantic University Athletics:
FAU Athletics is comprised of 21 intercollegiate teams involving 450 student-athletes that compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, volleyball, beach volleyball, cheer and dance. The Owls are a NCAA Division I-A (FBS) institution and compete in Conference USA and the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) (beach volleyball, men’s swimming). The Owls have been playing football since 2001 and are a perfect 3-0 in bowl games, the most recent being a 50-3 victory over Akron in the 2017 CheriBundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl. The dance team finished its 2014 season No. 8, nationally. FAU cheer won a national championship in 2016.
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.
