Nicole Greene
GoHeels Exclusive: Greene's Historic High Jump, Olympic Sports Notes
January 15, 2018 | Track & Field, Featured Writers
by Pat James, GoHeels.com
She didn't have a specific number in mind, or at least one she wanted to divulge. A jinx, after all, is what she feared.
But when asked Thursday afternoon about her personal goals for North Carolina's indoor track and field season, junior high jumper Nicole Greene paused for a moment before making the following statement.
"I just know something big is coming," she said. "I just can't put my finger on it yet."
It took little time, however, to find out.
In the Tar Heels' first competition of the season, Greene jumped a personal best of 6 feet, 2 inches (1.88 meters) during the Dick Taylor Carolina Cup on Saturday. Her previous personal best of 6-1 ½ (1.87 meters) was set as a high school senior in 2015.
Greene's jump stands as the best in the country this season. It also tied for the second-highest mark in UNC history in the indoor women's high jump, moving her one spot ahead of assistant coach Nicole Hudson.
When Greene cleared the bar, the crowd inside Eddie Smith Field House erupted. But no one reacted like Hudson did, screaming and dancing before embracing Greene.
The moment was the biggest highlight on a day when the Tar Heel women won their third straight Carolina Cup and the men claimed at least a share of the title for the fourth consecutive year. And it occurred sooner than Greene expected.
Hislop opens gymnastics season strong
After 11 freshmen dominated last year's roster, members of the gymnastics team spoke last week about the value of having a more experienced group this season. And after one meet, it appears no current sophomore benefited more from that seasoning than Khazia Hislop.
Hislop set two career highs in UNC's season-opening 194.650-194.375 loss against N.C. State on Friday. One came on vault, which she finished with a score of 9.875. The other was a 9.950 on floor exercise.
She earned first-place honors in both events, helping the Tar Heels to their highest season-opening score since registering a 194.900 against Maryland on Jan. 24, 2004.
Swimming, diving returns to action
Entering Saturday's tri-meet against Navy and Penn State, the North Carolina men's and women's swimming teams hadn't competed since the Tennessee Invitational ended on Dec. 2.
But that didn't prevent both from sweeping their competition. The UNC men beat Navy, 165.5-129.5, and Penn State, 190-105. The women won 215-80 over Navy and 200-91 against Penn State.
The men's team was anchored by Alvin Jiang, Valdas Abaliksta and J.T. Casey. Each won two individual events – Jiang took the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly, Abaliksta won the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard breaststroke, and Casey triumphed in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle – and swam on both winning relays.
On the women's side, Caroline Hauder secured first place in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard backstroke. She also swam on both winning relays. Caroline Baldwin led off the victorious 200-yard medley relay before winning the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle.
Sean Burston and Elissa Dawson won the men's and women's three-meter diving, respectively. Dawson also took the one-meter.
Bailey shines in overtime victory
The start of conference play typically consists of adjustments for freshmen. But through her first five ACC games, women's basketball player Janelle Bailey has continued her steady play, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The latest entry in Bailey's stellar freshman season came Sunday, when she recorded career highs of 30 points and 19 rebounds in a 79-76 overtime win at Wake Forest.
Bailey, already a four-time ACC Rookie of the Week, finished 12-of-18 from the field. Her 61.3 field goal percentage tops the ACC in conference play. She also went 6-for-6 on free throws and added four blocks in a season-high 44 minutes.
Perhaps most importantly Sunday, Bailey finished with 13 points and four rebounds during the fourth quarter and overtime to help the Tar Heels to their third straight win.
Doubles tandem finds success in Las Vegas
Despite the women's tennis team boasting four ranked doubles tandems, coach Brian Kalbas said last week that UNC was still searching for the right combinations. One pairing, however, might stick after this past weekend.
In the Tar Heels' first competition since the Kitty Harrison Invitational concluded on Nov. 5, the second-seeded team of Jessie Aney and Alexa Graham reached the doubles semifinals of the Freeman Memorial Championship, held Friday-Sunday in Las Vegas.
Aney and Graham opened Friday with a 6-3 win over UNLV's Anna Bogoslavets and Samantha Li. They then defeated Pepperdine's duo of Evgeniya Levashova and Dzina Milovanovic, 7-6, on Saturday to advance to the semifinals.
But that's where Aney and Graham's run ended, as they fell 6-2 against the third-seeded tandem of Oklahoma State's Vladica Babic and Sofia Blanco.
Aney and Graham also advanced to the quarterfinal round in flight one singles.
Heilmann logs another win Â
Through its first three matches against Rutgers on Friday, the wrestling team trailed 10-0 and needed a spark. As has often been the case this season, Troy Heilmann provided one.
Heilmann, the fifth-ranked 149-pounder in the country, posted the first of UNC's five wins when he beat No. 12 Eleazar DeLuca 4-1. With the victory, Heilmann improved to 22-3 and notched his seventh win over a ranked opponent this season.
Still, Heilmann's effort wasn't enough. The Tar Heels also received wins from Danny Chaid, Cory Daniel, Kennedy Monday and Chip Ness, but they ultimately lost 18-17 on criteria.
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She didn't have a specific number in mind, or at least one she wanted to divulge. A jinx, after all, is what she feared.
But when asked Thursday afternoon about her personal goals for North Carolina's indoor track and field season, junior high jumper Nicole Greene paused for a moment before making the following statement.
"I just know something big is coming," she said. "I just can't put my finger on it yet."
It took little time, however, to find out.
In the Tar Heels' first competition of the season, Greene jumped a personal best of 6 feet, 2 inches (1.88 meters) during the Dick Taylor Carolina Cup on Saturday. Her previous personal best of 6-1 ½ (1.87 meters) was set as a high school senior in 2015.
Greene's jump stands as the best in the country this season. It also tied for the second-highest mark in UNC history in the indoor women's high jump, moving her one spot ahead of assistant coach Nicole Hudson.
When Greene cleared the bar, the crowd inside Eddie Smith Field House erupted. But no one reacted like Hudson did, screaming and dancing before embracing Greene.
The moment was the biggest highlight on a day when the Tar Heel women won their third straight Carolina Cup and the men claimed at least a share of the title for the fourth consecutive year. And it occurred sooner than Greene expected.
Hislop opens gymnastics season strong
After 11 freshmen dominated last year's roster, members of the gymnastics team spoke last week about the value of having a more experienced group this season. And after one meet, it appears no current sophomore benefited more from that seasoning than Khazia Hislop.
Hislop set two career highs in UNC's season-opening 194.650-194.375 loss against N.C. State on Friday. One came on vault, which she finished with a score of 9.875. The other was a 9.950 on floor exercise.
She earned first-place honors in both events, helping the Tar Heels to their highest season-opening score since registering a 194.900 against Maryland on Jan. 24, 2004.
Swimming, diving returns to action
Entering Saturday's tri-meet against Navy and Penn State, the North Carolina men's and women's swimming teams hadn't competed since the Tennessee Invitational ended on Dec. 2.
But that didn't prevent both from sweeping their competition. The UNC men beat Navy, 165.5-129.5, and Penn State, 190-105. The women won 215-80 over Navy and 200-91 against Penn State.
The men's team was anchored by Alvin Jiang, Valdas Abaliksta and J.T. Casey. Each won two individual events – Jiang took the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly, Abaliksta won the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard breaststroke, and Casey triumphed in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle – and swam on both winning relays.
On the women's side, Caroline Hauder secured first place in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard backstroke. She also swam on both winning relays. Caroline Baldwin led off the victorious 200-yard medley relay before winning the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle.
Sean Burston and Elissa Dawson won the men's and women's three-meter diving, respectively. Dawson also took the one-meter.
Bailey shines in overtime victory
The start of conference play typically consists of adjustments for freshmen. But through her first five ACC games, women's basketball player Janelle Bailey has continued her steady play, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The latest entry in Bailey's stellar freshman season came Sunday, when she recorded career highs of 30 points and 19 rebounds in a 79-76 overtime win at Wake Forest.
Bailey, already a four-time ACC Rookie of the Week, finished 12-of-18 from the field. Her 61.3 field goal percentage tops the ACC in conference play. She also went 6-for-6 on free throws and added four blocks in a season-high 44 minutes.
Perhaps most importantly Sunday, Bailey finished with 13 points and four rebounds during the fourth quarter and overtime to help the Tar Heels to their third straight win.
Doubles tandem finds success in Las Vegas
Despite the women's tennis team boasting four ranked doubles tandems, coach Brian Kalbas said last week that UNC was still searching for the right combinations. One pairing, however, might stick after this past weekend.
In the Tar Heels' first competition since the Kitty Harrison Invitational concluded on Nov. 5, the second-seeded team of Jessie Aney and Alexa Graham reached the doubles semifinals of the Freeman Memorial Championship, held Friday-Sunday in Las Vegas.
Aney and Graham opened Friday with a 6-3 win over UNLV's Anna Bogoslavets and Samantha Li. They then defeated Pepperdine's duo of Evgeniya Levashova and Dzina Milovanovic, 7-6, on Saturday to advance to the semifinals.
But that's where Aney and Graham's run ended, as they fell 6-2 against the third-seeded tandem of Oklahoma State's Vladica Babic and Sofia Blanco.
Aney and Graham also advanced to the quarterfinal round in flight one singles.
Heilmann logs another win Â
Through its first three matches against Rutgers on Friday, the wrestling team trailed 10-0 and needed a spark. As has often been the case this season, Troy Heilmann provided one.
Heilmann, the fifth-ranked 149-pounder in the country, posted the first of UNC's five wins when he beat No. 12 Eleazar DeLuca 4-1. With the victory, Heilmann improved to 22-3 and notched his seventh win over a ranked opponent this season.
Still, Heilmann's effort wasn't enough. The Tar Heels also received wins from Danny Chaid, Cory Daniel, Kennedy Monday and Chip Ness, but they ultimately lost 18-17 on criteria.
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Players Mentioned
High Jump
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