University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
ACC Outdoor Championships
Men's 4x400 Defends Title On Final Day of ACCs
May 17, 2015 | Track & Field
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of North Carolina track and field teams completed the 2015 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday with the women's team in fourth with 78.5 points and the men's team in fifth with 67 points. The men's 4x400 team of RJ Alowonle, Javonte Lipsey, Kenny Selmon and Ceo Ways grabbed an ACC title after posting 3:04.55 in the final event of the championship.
“I'm really happy with the way our teams performed this weekend,” head coach Harlis Meaders said. “We are trying to create a balanced team and I saw that this weekend. We are better teams than we were last year, but the conference is also better. The women's team is starting to take shape and it's exciting to see them growing.
“The men's team did a great job. We just need to add a little more depth to be a perineal contender. In a very short time period I think we made a huge stride for the program.
“I have to give a lot of credit to my coachin staff. I think that I've got one of the better staffs in the country. Coach Langley's multi kids were amazing all weekend. We had the strength of the ACC Cross Country Champions from Coach VanAlstyne's group who did a phenomenal job. Coach Hudson's freshman squad got us some very valuable points. The 400 hurdlers and mile relay group from Coach Rubin was outstanding. Our medical and sports staff did a nice job and I couldn't be happier to be a Tar Heel.”
All four members of the 4x400 relay competed in at least one event earlier today, yet the squad still managed to defend UNC's title in the event from last year. Alowonle and Lipsey combined for a first 800 of 1:32.92 and the Tar Heels kept the lead from there. Kenny Selmon split a 46.93 to keep the lead and handed the baton to Ways who finished the final 400 in a blazing 44.70. The team's time ranks second all-time in UNC's history, and UNC has won the event four years in a row.
“I really felt like they dominated that race,” sprints coach Steve Rubin said. “They were fantastic. There's a lot of talent, a lot of speed, but more than anything, there's heart. Everyone rallied and had a great performance.”
The men's team got an influx of points in the 400-meter hurdles after lifetime best performances from Selmon, Lipsey and Alowonle. Selmon, a freshman, had a goal of breaking 50.00 at the beginning of the year and did so for the first time at the championship meet running 49.60. Lipsey had a monstrous personal best at 49.65, beating his previous best by a full second. Lipsey was leading the entire race until hitting the final hurdle. Alowonle, the 2-time defending ACC Champion in the event, finished in 50.02 for a new PR. The trio went 2-3-4 behind Pitt's Desmond Palmer (49.41) and earned 18 points. Selmon, Lipsey and Alowonle rank second, third and fifth all-time in UNC's history, respectively.
Lipsey started the day in the men's open 400 and cruised in the event to save his energy for the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400. Lipsey strutted across the line in 53.67 to earn a point for the men's team.
“I'm really happy for Javonte,” said Rubin. “He had an amazing day and no one has worked harder over his career. He definitely deserved the performance he had today.”
The women's team got a huge boost from 1,500 runners Annie LeHardy, Lianne Farber and Karley Rempel. The trio combined for 15 points in the event going 3-4-5. LeHardy timed in at 4:17.42, Farber at 4:18.97 and Rempel at 4:20.89.
Ceo Ways matched his season best time in the 200 running 20.63. Ways earned All-ACC honors in the event placing third.
Lizzy Whelan took home another All-ACC honor in the 800 after running a personal best 2:03.76. Whelan could have run a faster time but got caught at 500 meters and had to move back to eighth to be able to pass other on the outside. Whelan came from eighth to finish third in the last 300 meters, a valiant effort to earn six points for the women's team.
After scoring in the women's heptathlon yesterday, Emily Godwin came back again today to compete in the women's open high jump taking fourth in the competition. Godwin cleared every height without a miss until 5-8 ¾ (1.75 meters) where she missed on her first attempt but cleared on her second. She had three good attempts at 5-10 (1.78 meters) but couldn't get all the way over the bar and finished at 5-8 ¾ scoring five points for the women's team.
Cori Floyd had an impressive outing at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend. Floyd set a personal best in the prelims of the 400-meter hurdles to qualify for the final and then improved that time again in the finals to 58.31. Floyd finished fourth in the event and earned five points for the women.
The men's 4x100 team was able to post a season best 40.99 in the event to win their heat and finish fifth overall. Kedrick Davis got the Heels started off the block and took the lead heading into the first exchange. Romar Morris, Damien Washington and Brandon Reddick held that lead the rest of the way claiming first in the heat. The 4x100 team earned four points towards the men's team's total score.
Houston Summers and Zach Gray took on stiff competition in the men's javelin competition in the morning. Summers threw a season best 221-7 (67.55 meters) to take fifth overall. Gray made it to the finals with a personal best of 192-6 (58.67 meters).
O'Neal Wanliss took to the men's 800 and came out strong pushing the pace early. Wanliss wasn't able to hold the lead and finished in sixth at 1:50.48.
Freshman Caroline Alcorta finished sixth in the women's 5,000 earning three points for the women. Alcorta moved around in the race from 1-8 but was able to close the gap back in the end to finish sixth at 16:32.04.
Natisha Dixon posted a 13.87 in the women's 100-meter hurdles to finish seventh and earn two points towards the team score.
Austin Vegas picked up two points for the men's team in the pole vault. Vegas cleared a season best 15-9 ¾ (4.82 meters) with no misses.
AJ Hicks nabbed eighth in the men's discus at 177-1 (53.99 meters). Hicks was consistent in his series of throws with all of them being within four feet of each other.
Cameron Overstreet was able to score 0.5 points for the women's team in the pole vault. Overstreet tied for eighth clearing 13-1 ¾ (4.01 meters). Amanda Benninghoff finished 12th at 12-8 (3.86 meters).
Roy Smith pulled up after hitting the first hurdle of the men's 110-meter hurdle final. Smith took eighth and earned a point for the men's team.
It was the Clemson Tigers who took the women's championship trophy home with 113.5 points. Florida State came in with 94.5 for second and Miami finished with 93. The Tar Heels finished with 78.5 for fourth while Notre Dame rounded out the top five with 72 points.
On the men's side the Florida State Seminoles defended their outdoor title from last year with 136 points. Virginia and Virginia Tech finished second and third with 100 and 98 points, respectively. Clemson had 89 to take fourth while Carolina rounded out the top five with 67 points.
UP NEXT
The Tar Heels will compete at the NCAA East Preliminary in Jacksonville, Fla., from May 27-30. Only individuals who qualified for the regional meet can compete in the event. Those who finish in the top-12 of each event at the NCAA East Preliminary will qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
CAROLINA ALL-ACC HONOREES
Xenia Rahn – Heptathlon, 1st
Men's 4x400 (RJ Alowonle, Javonte Lipsey, Kenny Selmon, Ceo Ways) – 1st
Sarah Howard – Shot Put, 2nd
Kenny Selmon – 400-meter hurdles, 2nd
Javonte Lipsey – 400-meter hurdles, 3rd
Ceo Ways – 200, 3rd
AJ Hicks – Weight Throw, 3rd
Avana Story – Weight Throw, 3rd
Steve Dunbar – High Jump, 3rd
Lizzy Whelan – 800, 3rd
Annie LeHardy – 1,500, 3rd
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Players Mentioned
