LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, May 14-16 — For the Clemson women, it was a hard-fought victory a long time in coming, their first since ’15. For the Virginia men, it was the second in 3 years for coach Vin Lananna’s squad.
On the women’s side, Mark Elliott’s Clemson squad only won the 4×1 and the triple jump, so had to rely on depth to squeak out a 3-point win over Duke, 99–96, with Stanford in 3rd at 85.
The victory didn’t begin to gel until the final day, when the 4×1 squad delivered a stunning 42.48, just outside of the all-time collegiate top 10. The school record doubled as a meet record and put them far ahead of Florida State’s 42.96.
Jamaican senior Shantae Foreman delivered key field event points for the Tigers. On Friday she jumped a windy 21-7½w (6.59) that gave her 2nd in the long jump behind the legal 22-8½ (6.92) that moved Stanford’s Alyssa Jones to No. 10 ever among American collegians. Jones would also win the high jump at 6-0.
On Saturday, Foreman took the triple jump lead with her first-round 43-2¼ (13.16) and then wanted to pass the rest. But when Louisville’s Alba Cuns went 43-3¾ (13.20) in round 4 to take over, Foreman had to come up with a big response to the Spaniard. In the fifth stanza she reclaimed her 10 points with a 43-10½ (13.37).
Beyond that, the Tigers had to score what they could as the supporting cast behind other’s wins. Juliette Whittaker of Stanford kicked to the 1500 win over NC State’s Sadie Engelhardt, 4:14.11–4:14.14, with Clemson scoring 5 points.
Nea Sanders of SMU won the 100 hurdles in 13.04 — “I can’t believe that happened” — with Clemson’s Oneka Wilson 2nd in 13.07. Sydney Segalla of Boston College, who had a PR of 52.58 coming into the year, dominated the 400 in 50.63. Clemson scored 5.
Florida State’s Shenese Walker captured the sprints in 11.07 and 22.65; behind her, the Tigers got 10.
Clemson’s Gladys Chepngetich tried to run away with the 800 by leading the first lap in 57.11 but North Carolina’s Makayla Paige left her behind on the second lap for the win in 2:00.68. Still, Chepngetich and fellow Kenyan teammate Judy Kosgei delivered 13 points.
A solid 400H race saw Miami’s Sanaa Hebron crush a 55.19 ahead of Stanford’s Tess Stapleton (55.54) in a race with no Clemson presence.
The clincher for Clemson came in the 4×4 behind a Duke win in 3:29.63. The Tigers needed to stay close — 2nd or 3rd place required. A 3:30.65 gave the team a runner-up finish and the trophy.
Gemma Tutton of Duke vaulted 14-6¼ (4.43). Cal’s Valentina Savva highlighted the throws with her 228-7 (69.68) hammer win.
For Lananna’s Cavaliers, the jump start came on day 1, when Justin Wachtel took the 10,000 at 29:38.58 and Jeremiah Nubbe captured the hammer with a 236-10 (72.19). They never relinquished the lead after that.
On day 2, Brett Gardner (8:35.94) and Nathan Mountain (8:40.86) went 1-2 in the steeple, which made the Cavaliers all the harder to catch.
On the final day, dependable Gary Martin got outkicked in the 1500 by Virginia Tech’s Nicholas Plant, 3:39.60–3:39.88, but scored essential points. By the time the last relay wrapped, Virginia had 110 points, well ahead of Florida State’s 96.
Beyond the team battle, the championships produced plenty for the highlights reel. Florida State’s Neo Mosebi, after a 9.96w in the heats, broke 10 for the first time legally, a 1.9 wind helping the South African to a 9.98 win.
Miami’s George Franks, a Greek since last summer, took the 400 in 45.27. Syracuse soph Jamir Brown won the highs in a PR 13.25.
Louisville’s Elsingi Kipruto, the collegiate leader at 10K, won the 5000 in 13:23.34; teammate Geoffrey Kirwa, the steeple leader, finished 3rd (13:30.19) in his only race.
On the field, Louisville’s Roman Kuleshov won both horizontals, spanning a windy 25-11 (7.90) and 53-7¾ (16.35). Florida State’s Shamar Reid dominated the disc at 216-1 (65.87).
ACC RESULTS
Men’s Events
Teams: 1. Virginia 110; 2. Florida State 96; 3. Virginia Tech 88; 4. Clemson 84; 5. Duke 78; 6. Louisville 74; 7. Miami 53; 8. NC State 39; 9. Pitt 33; 10. Notre Dame 31;
11. Cal 30; 12. Wake Forest 27; 13. North Carolina 26; 14. Syracuse 22; 15. Georgia Tech 11; 15. Stanford 11; 17. Boston College 5.
100(1.9): 1. *Neo Mosebi’ (FlSt-SA) 9.98; 2. **Ian Johnson (Clem) 10.01. 200(-0.7): 1. **Jalen Johnson (Clem) 20.43; 2. I. Johnson 20.43. 400: 1. *George Franks’ (Mia-Gre)’ 45.27.
800: 1. Ryan Farrell (Louis) 1:46.49; 2. Christian Jackson (VaT) 1:46.82. 1500: 1. Nicholas Plant (VaT) 3:39.60; 2. Gary Martin (Va) 3:39.88. St: 1. Brett Gardner (Va) 8:35.94. 5000: 1. ***Elsingi Kipruto’ (Louis-Ken) 13:23.34; 2. ***Aurelien Radja’ (WF-Fra) 13:29.86. 10,000: 1. Justin Wachtel (Va) 29:38.58.
110H(0.7): 1. **Jamir Brown (Syr) 13.25; 2. Zach Extine (FlSt) 13.32. 400H: 1. **Andres Langston (Duke) 49.24. 4 x 100: 1. Clemson 38.90; 2. Florida State 39.25. 4 x 400: 1. Virginia Tech 3:05.90.
HJ: 1. *Brandon Pottinger’ (Clem-Jam) 7-½ (2.15). PV: 1. **Kenneth Byrd (Louis) 18-1¾ (5.53). LJ: 1. Roman Kuleshov’ (Louis-Rus) 25-11w (7.90). TJ: 1. Kuleshov’ 53-7¾w (16.35). SP: 1. ***Despiro Wray’ (FlSt-Jam) 61-1½ (18.63).DT: 1. *Shamar Reid’ (FlSt-Jam) 216-1 (65.87); 2. *Yekini Bowen’ (VaT-Jam) 203-7 (62.06). HT: 1. *Jeremiah Nubbe’ (Va-Can) 236-10 (72.19). JT: 1. *Matt Prebola (Duke) 232-11 (71.01). Dec: 1. Edgar Campre’ (Mia-Por) 7749; 2. Maxwell Forte (Duke) 7686.
Women’s Events
Teams: 1. Clemson 99; 2. Duke 96; 3. Stanford 85; 4. Florida State 68; 5. Virginia 62; 6. Louisville 59; 7. Miami 55; 8. North Carolina 49; 9. Virginia Tech 44; 10. Notre Dame 34; 11. Wake Forest 33; 12. NC State 32; 13. SMU 30; 14. tie, Cal & Pitt 26; 16. Boston College 20; 17. Georgia Tech 1.
100(1.1): 1. Shenese Walker’ (FlSt-Jam) 11.07. 200(0.2): 1. Walker’ 22.65. 400: 1. **Sydney Segalla (BC) 50.63. 800: 1. Makayla Paige (NC) 2:00.68. 1500: 1. Juliette Whittaker (Stan) 4:14.11; 2. ***Sadie Engelhardt (NCSt) 4:14.14. St: 1. Sophie Novak (NDm) 9:34.46; 2. **Angelina Napoleon (NCSt) 9:43.52. 5000: 1. ***Katie Bohlke (VaT) 15:33.82. 10,000: 1. ***Rylee Blade (FlSt) 32:35.72.
100H(0.8): 1. Nea Sanders (SMU) 13.04; 2. Oneka Wilson’ (Clem-Jam) 13.07. 400H: 1. *Sanaa Hebron (Mia) 55.19; 2. Tess Stapleton (Stan) 55.54. 4 x 100: 1. Clemson 42.48; 2. Florida State 42.96. 4 x 400: 1. Duke 3:29.63; 2. Clemson 3:30.65.
HJ: 1. Alyssa Jones (Stan) 6-0 (1.83). PV: 1. *Gemma Tutton’ (Duke-GB) 14-6¼ (4.43).
LJ: 1. Jones 22-8½ (6.92) (10 AmC).
TJ: 1. Shantae Foreman’ (Clem-Jam) 43-10½ (13.37). SP: 1. Katrin Brzyszkowská’ (VaT-CzR) 58-3¼ (17.76); 2. Kaia Tupu-South’ (Louis-NZ) 57-7½ (17.56). DT: 1. Brandy Atuatasi (Stan) 182-11 (55.77). HT: 1. **Valentina Savva’ (Cal-Cyp) 228-7 (69.68). JT: 1. **Rosalind Gergely (WF) 171-2 (52.19); 2. *Isabelle Esler (NDm) 170-11 (52.10). Hept: 1. *Lucy Fellows’ (Louis-GB) 5618; 2. **Seren Rodgers’ (WF-GB) 5575.
