Virginia Tech becomes first school to sweep both titles since 2014

The Virginia Tech men faced a monumental comeback task entering the final day of the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Hokie women clung to a narrow lead in the team standings.

At the end of the day, both squads took home their respective titles following thrilling finishes that came down to the 4x400 relay races at the night’s end. 

The Hokie men, who trailed first-place Virginia by 46 points at the start of Sunday’s session, overtook the Cavaliers with a dramatic charge that included a sweep of the 1,500 meters and other key performances in the running events. 

The Hokies still trailed by two points heading into the 4x400, but the foursome of Gregory Chiles, Brandon Thomas, Drew Piazza and Michael Davenport posted a bronze medal time of 3:06.40. Virginia placed sixth, allowing Virginia Tech to gain the three points it needed to successfully defend its title. The Hokies finished with 120 points to Virginia’s 119.

Virginia Tech’s women trailed defending champion Florida State by two points heading into the 4x400 finale. But the Hokies’ Courtney Blanden, Ama-Selina Tchume, Nora McKiver and Arlicia Bush met the challenge with a silver medal time of 3:32.57. With the Seminoles placing ninth, Virginia Tech picked up eight unanswered points to lead the overall scoring with 124.5. Florida State placed second with 118.5 and Miami took third with 108.

It marks the first time since 2014 that one school has swept both men’s and women’s ACC Outdoor titles. The championships are the third for both the Virginia Tech men and women, all of which have come under the watch veteran head coach Dave Cianelli. This year marks the first time since joining the ACC for the 2004-05 academic year that both Hokie squads won the team title at the same league meet.

The comeback by Virginia Tech’s men somewhat mirrored the formula Cianelli’s troops used in winning this year’s ACC Indoor Championship in February, but the outdoor squad overcame several injuries and a Virginia team that appeared to have an almost insurmountable lead prior to Sunday.

“We knew that Virginia coming in was going to be the team to beat, and they got off to a big start,” Cianelli said. “We knew that we had a big mountain to climb. I just told the guys to keep fighting. Things kind of fell our way, and it came down to the relay. This group had done it (during the Indoor Championship), so they felt that they could do it again,

“I believed in this team, and I believed in this coaching staff. I knew we would get everything we had out of this group.”

The Virginia Tech women claimed their first ACC title since winning back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. While the Hokies fell behind briefly toward the finish, their showing on Sunday was a steady one that included gold medals by senior Hanna Green in both the 1,500 and 800 meters. Green set a meet record in the latter event with a time of 2:01.28.

“None of these women have been part of a championship before,” Cianelli noted. “It is certainly more special for them. We received amazing leadership from Hanna Green – what a hard worker. She’s blessed with talent, obviously, but she gets everything she has out of herself. It was really her idea to come here and run both the 800 and 1,500. We’ve never done that with her before … but she came through like a champion, and obviously we needed every single point down the line.”

It marked the final ACC Championship meet for Miami senior All-American Shakima Wimbley, who didn’t disappoint as she geared up for the NCAAs. Wimbley took her third gold medal in the 400 meters with an ACC overall record and nation-leading time of 50.40, and then became just only the second woman to earn win four gold medals in the same outdoor running event by claiming the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.54. Wimbley will end her collegiate career with an unprecedented eight ACC women’s 200 titles, having won in all four indoor meets and all four outdoor meets in which she competed.

Wimbley’s busy afternoon didn’t end there. She also ran a leg on the Hurricanes’ winning 4x100 relay team and closed the day by anchoring the 4x400 relay team to the gold medal in a conference-record time of 3:29.99.

“It’s an indescribable feeling,” Wimbley said. “When I came in as a freshman, I had no idea that my career would end like this. I just had a goal and that was no matter where I went or what opportunities Miami offered me, I was going to give 110 percent. I stayed dedicated I stayed focused. I had a lot of ups and a lot of downs, but I never gave up on myself. I know what I am capable of and I know if I keep my head on straight and keep a clear mind then I can accomplish a lot.”

The Most Valuable Track and Field Most Valuable Performers were determined by total individual points scored. 

Virginia senior All-American Filip Mihaljevic, who earned Field Performer MVP honors at the meet for the second consecutive year, became the fourth ACC student-athlete to capture four gold medals in the discus and the seventh to win the shot put three times. Including indoor seasons, Mihaljevic owns 10 total ACC Championship gold medals. He shared the men’s field MVP title with versatile Florida State sophomore Aramani Wallace.

NC State freshman Cravont Charleston was the men’s track MVP after capturing gold medals in both the 100 and 200 meters. Florida State also earned a field MVP on the women’s side with thrower Gleneve Grange taking honors.

A glance at Sunday’s final events:

The Clemson foursome of Cordell Lamb, Michael Cheeks, Terrell Jackson and Jeffrey Green took the gold with a blazing time of 3:03.84, edging North Carolina by less than one second. Virginia Tech took third in what proved to be a decisive placing.

Anna Runia, Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis and Shakima Wimbley defend Miami's ACC title in the women's 4x400m with a time of 3:29.99, breaking the conference and meet record of 30:30.61 the Hurrianes set last season. The Virginia Tech unit of Courtney Blanden, Ama-Selina Tchume, Nora McIver and Arlicia Bush took the silver medal at 3:32.57 – clinching the overall team title for the Hokies in the process.

Just more than one week after running one the fastest 5,000 meter times in collegiate history, Syracuse junior Justyn Knight claimed the ACC Outdoor gold medal with a winning time of 13:52.28. Knight placed ahead of NC State’s Sam Parsons (13:54.62), and Lousiville’s Edwin Kibichiy (13:59.84), who claimed his second straight bronze medal. The event also featured a “race-within-a-race” as the Virginia and Virginia Tech battled for crucial team points. The Cavaliers, who entered the 5,000 with a one-point lead, emerged two points ahead with only the 4x400 relay remaining.

Following a dazzling performance in Friday night’s 10,000-meter race, Notre Dame redshirt freshman Anna Rohrer bagged another gold medal Sunday evening with a first-place time of 16:00.95 in the 5,000 meters. Wake Forest senior Ellie Abrahamson took the silver with a time of 16:07.63, and Pitt sophomore Gillian Schriever took the bronze in 16:12.45.

Make it a double-gold Sunday for NC State’s Cravant Charleston, who made it a sweep of the 100 and 200 meter dashes with a winning time of 20.76 in the latter race. Wolfpack teammate Dylan Peebles took the bronze with a time of 20.87, and Clemson’s Michael Cheeks was a close third at 20.88. With Michael Davenport’s fifth-place finish in the event, Virginia Tech inched to within one point of Virginia in the overall team standings.

Miami senior Shakima Wimbley will walk from ACC competition as an eight-time champion in the 200 meters. After becoming the first woman to claim four ACC Indoor Championships in the event in February, Wimbley claimed her fourth Outdoor title on Sunday with a time of 22:54. Clemson’s Sabria Hadley took second at 22.94, and Florida State’s Shauna Helps took the bronze with a time of 23.27.

North Carolina’s Kenny Selmon left no room for doubt, posting a nation-leading time of 48.76 to claim the gold medal. Selmon bested two-time defending champion Desmond Palmer (49.17) and North Carolina teammate R.J. Alowonle (50.42) in the competitive race.

Miami sophomore Ana Runia continued the Hurricanes strong Sunday showing with a gold medal time of 57.03. Clemson sophomore Markeeta Thonas took the silver at 57.36, and Virginia Tech’s Nora McIver the bronze at 57.87.

After last year’s silver medal showing Florida State freshman Armani Wallace took a step up Sunday with a gold medal mark of 16.32 meters (53-6.5). He placed ahead of teammate Montel Nevers (15.99 meters) and bronze medalist Darryl Shaw of North Carolina (15.76 meters).

Florida State redshirt senior Kellion Knibb made history as she became the first woman to win four ACC Championship discus gold medals and only the seventh woman in history to claim win the same event four times as with Sunday’s first-place throw of 59.76 meters (196-1). Seminole junior Gleneve Grange followed with a silver medal throw of 57.02 meters, and Miami’s Zakiya Rashid placed third 53.15 meters.

Virginia Tech continued to make up ground in the middle distance races, taking the top two spots to close with 10 points of Virginia in the team scoring. Drew Piazza led the way at 1:46.76, and Patrick Joseph followed at 1:46.82. Defending champion Robert Heppenstall of Wake Forest took the bronze medal at 1:47.04.

Virginia Tech senior Hanna Green continued to make her final ACC Outdoor Championship one to remember, defending her women’s 800 gold medal with a meet record time of 2:01.28 to lead a strong Hokie showing. Rachel Pocratsky took the silver medal in 2:02.67, and Laurie Barton was fifth. Duke’s Madeline Kopp took the bronze medal with a time of 2:03.69.

NC State freshman Cravont Charleston took the gold medal with a posted time of 10.07 (with a wind measured at 2.6), and the Wolfpack also grabbed the bronze as sophomore Nyheim Hines checked in at 10:34. ACC Indoor Freshman of the Year Michael Davenport of Virginia Tech stepped up in the silver, clocking in at 10:28 to complete the podium showing dominated by young runners.

Florida State’ sophomore Shauna Helps ran her way into the record book while claiming her second consecutive gold medal with a time of 11.26 that set a meet record and matched the overall ACC mark set by Clemson’s Dezerea Bryant in 2013. Clemson picked up some much needed team points by claiming the next three places on Sunday. Freshman Rebekah Smith took the silver at 11.29, followed by Torie Robinson (11.31) and Sabria Hadley (11.38). 

In a repeat of last year, North Carolina’s Ceo Ways finished with a strong kick on the final stretch to successfully retain his gold medal with a time of 45.55. Ways fended off the Clemson tandem of Jeffrey Green (45.65) and ordell Lamb (46.43).

Shakima Wimbley not only led a Miami sweep of the event, she made it one to remember by breaking her own overall ACC and meet record with a time of 50.40. Wimbley’s time on Sunday also leads the nation this season. Brittny Ellis followed at 51.66, and Aiyana Stiverne clocked in a 52.19 to take the bronze medal for the second straight season. Wimbley’s Outdoor 400 title was her third straight.

For the second consecutive season, Syracuse senior Freddie Crittenden III out-hurdled fellow elite competitor Desmond Palmer of Pitt to take the gold medal. Crittenden placed first with a time of 13.62, while Palmer finished second at 13.74. Louisville’s Martice Moore took the bronze medal at 14.28.

Florida State grabbed two of the three podium spots, led by sophomore Peta-Gay Williams’ first-place 12.96 showing. Georgia Tech’s Jeanine Williams took the silver medal at 12.99, and FSU’s Cortney Jones claimed the bronze with a time of 13.25.

Virginia Tech, looking to make a final day run at in-state rival Virginia, swept the top three spots in the day’s first individual running event. Neil Gourley led the way at 3:46.05, just ahead of teammates Vincent Ciattei (3:46.26) and Deigo Zarate (3:46.95). The surge lifted the Hokies into second place in the team standings with 72 points. The Cavaliers lead with 102.

Virginia Tech senior Hanna Green led the field with a gold medal time of 4:15.08, edging Notre Dame’s Danielle Aragon (4:16.31) and defending champion Megan Moye (4:17.13) in the field of nationally ranked runners. Virginia Tech’s women continue to hold first place in the team standings, 20 points ahead of second-place Duke.

NC State took the gold medal for the second consecutive season as Dylan Peebles, Cravont Charleston, Jumpai Dowdy and Nyheim Hines led the field in 39.14. Florida State placed second at 40.23, and Virginia Tech held third place at 40.56.

The Miami foursome of Carolyn Brown, Shakima Wimbley, Aiyanna Stiverne and Kristina Knott raced to the Hurricanes to a gold medal in the event for the second consecutive season, this time in a meet record time of 43.36. Clemson placed second at 43.64, while Virginia Tech took third place at 44.63.

Following up on her bronze medal of last season, Clemson senior Iana Amsterdam struck gold with a first-place mark of 13.67 meters (44-10.25) on Sunday. Virginia sophomore Kelly McKee took second at 13.17 meters, and Virginia Tech’s Eszter Bajnok took this year’s bronze medal with a mark of 13.05 meters. 

Virginia junior Filip Mihaljevic now owns seven ACC Outdoor Championship gold medals – including four in the discus – following his winning throw of 60.69 meters (199-1) in Sunday’s competition. Mihaljevic joined Clemson’s Mike Columbus (1975-78) and Maryland’s Alan Baginski (1980-83) in becoming only the third man to claim four ACC discus titles in his collegiate career. The order of finish on Sunday mirrored that of last season, with Virginia Tech junior Marek Barta taking second place with a throw of 60.10 meters, and Virginia senior Jordan Young placing third at 58.68 meters.

Louisville junior Jerin Allen prevailed in a jump-off versus Florida State’s Ed’Ricus Williams after both competitors registered marks of 2.15 meters (7-0.5). It marked the second consecutive year that the Cardinals have captured the event following Damar Robinson’s gold medal last year. Louisville also claimed the bronze on Sunday with Javen Reeves placing third.