University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Travel to ACC Outdoor Championships
June 21, 1999 | Track & Field
April 15, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina Track and Field teams head into Clemson, S.C. this weekend for the ACC Outdoor Championships, looking to repeat the success they had last year in Orlando, Florida. The women's team will be striving to repeat as champions, while the men will look to better their second place finish a year ago behind Clemson University. A number of Tar Heels will be striving to defend their titles.
For the women, All-American triple jumper Nicole Gamble won the event last year with a mark of 44'7". This year, she has already set an ACC and school record in the triple jump with a mark of 46'2", which is an automatic NCAA qualifying mark. She will be joined in this event by teammates LaShonda Christopher and DeAnne Davis, who are second and third in the ACC behind Gamble, and have also jumped preliminary NCAA qualifying distances. Sophomore Joy Gaines will be defending her title in the high jump, as she is again leading the conference with a preliminary qualifying mark of 5'11.50".
On the men's side, senior Allen Bradd will be looking to defend two titles from a year ago as he was crowned champion in the shot put and hammer throw events. Thus far this season, he leads the ACC in both categories as well as being third in the discus throw. Last week in Chapel Hill, Bradd set a new school record in the shop put with a mark of 60'3". Junior Kevin Crittendon is the defending champion in the triple jump, however he is currently ranked third in the conference for this event this year.
Other Tar Heel competitors are looking to place very high in their respective events this weekend. LaShonda Christopher is ranked first in the ACC in the long jump with a mark of 21'1", which is a preliminary qualifying mark. Christopher's teammate DeAnne Davis is ranked third in the conference for that event as well. Sophomore Terrance Wilson is the conferenece leader in the 400 meter hurdles, while junior Omar Clinton ranks second. Both men have earned preliminary NCAA qualifying marks in this event. Senior Dominic Demeritte will attempt to overtake first place in the 200 meter dash this weekend, as he trails Shawn Crawford of Clemson in the ACC with a time of 20.86.
The ACC Championships will begin at 10am on both Friday, April 16th and Saturday, April 17th, with the events concluding each night around 6pm.
