CLEMSON, S.C. (theACC.com) – Virginia Tech made opening night of the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships one to remember.
 
Hokies junior Antonio Lopez Segura kicked into high gear on the final lap of the men’s 5,000 meters, crossing the finish line at 13:49.81 to break both the ACC Championship record of 13:50.27 set in 2017 by former Syracuse great Justyn Knight, as well as the Clemson indoor facility record of 13:50.79 set by Knight in 2018.
 
The Barcelona, Spain native’s memorable run came just minutes after Virginia Tech senior Rachel Baxter put an exclamation mark on her run as one of the ACC’s elite women pole vaulters by claiming her third consecutive gold medal. Baxter, of Orange, California, became the first woman in league history to win the pole vault three consecutive years and only the second to claim the event at least three times, joining four-time champion Lacy Janson of Florida State (2002-03, 2005-06).
 
For good measure, the Virginia Tech men’s distance medley relay team then followed with a gold medal time of 9:41.87.
 
The closing gold medals left the Hokie men atop the team standings with 42 points, followed by Notre Dame (28), North Carolina (22), Pitt (19) and Louisville (16.5).
 
Louisville leads the early women’s standings with 33 points. Duke (20), Miami (18), Virginia Tech (16.5) and North Carolina (15.5) round out the top five.
 
A capsule look at Thursday’s action:
 
Men’s 5,000 Meters
Until he pulled away at the finish, Lopez Segura joined a five-man pack that included Georgia Tech’s Andrew Kent, Syracuse’s J.P. Trojan, and the Notre Dame duo of Kenny Vasbinder and Matthew Carmody. Kent finished a second behind Lopez Segura in second place at 13:50.86, while Vasbinder took the bronze medal at 13:52.70. Each of the runners who placed third through 10th in Thursday night’s race posted times that were personal or season’s bests.
 
Women’s Pole Vault
Baxter’s winning vault of 4.37 meters (14-4) bested Louisville junior Aliyah Welter and Georgia Tech junior Olivia Moore, who both jumped 4.32m (14-2). Welter’s silver medal effort was a personal best.
 
Men’s DMR
The Hokies’ foursome of Tyler Leeser: 3:00.24 (1200m) Patrick Forrest: 46.64 (400m) Dave Whitfield: 1:51.15 (800m) and Ben Nibbelink: 4:03.85 (1600m) ran a steady race to finish just ahead of Pitt (9:42.29). The Hokies won the ACC men’s DMR for the fourth time since 2013 and for the first time since the 2018 team set a Clemson indoor facility record of 9:38.31
 
Women’s DMR
The NC State women closed out Thursday’s program in blazing fashion as anchor Elly Henes’ closing 1600 meters time of 4:33.80 lifted the Wolfpack from third place to a season-best gold medal finish of 11:07.64. NC State’s team of Samantha Bush, Alexis Postell and Anna Vess finished more than six seconds ahead of second-place Clemson, which also staged a strong finish. NC State’s women set a school record with their first-place time, which currently stands as eighth-best in the nation.
 
Men’s High Jump
Junior Tony Jones posted Wake Forest’s first men’s high jump championship in program history with a personal best of 2.16 meters (7-1). Jones placed ahead of 2019 ACC champion Greg Lauray of Pitt and Virginia Tech freshman Aidan Clark (2.13m/6-11.75).
 
Women’s Weight Throw
Competing among a star-studded field that included the last three ACC women’s indoor weight throw gold medalists, Louisville senior Makenli Forrest tossed her way back to the top. Forrest – who took first place at this same Clemson facility in 2018 – won again on Thursday with her season-best mark of 22.46 meters (73-8.25).  She edged Notre Dame’s Rachel Tanczos – the 2019 winner and 2020 silver medalist – who threw 22.41 meters (73-6.25). Miami senior Debbie Ajagbie, the 2020 winner who set the meet record of 22.55, placed third Thursday with her season-best mark of 21.76 (71-4.75).
 
Women’s High Jump
Miami freshman Taylor Wright came through with a well-time season’s best to claim the women’s high jump. With a mark of 1.79 meters (5-10.5), Wright matched the efforts of Duke teammates Erin Marsh and Elasia Campbell to win on progressions. The marks were personal bests for both Blue Devil competitors.
 
Men’s Weight Throw
Miami senior Kevin Arreaga stepped up with a season-best throw of 21.16 (69-9) in the fourth round, surpassing a pair of North Carolina throwers to claim the gold medal. Troy Yearwood took the silver medal for the Tar Heels with his throw of 21.08m (69-2), and James Joycey threw 20.41m (66-11.5) to claim third place.
 
Men’s Pole Vault
Notre Dame junior Colton Crum became the first student-athlete to claim a gold medal at the 2021 ACC Indoor Championships with his gold medal pole vault of 5.12 meters (16-9.5) early Thursday afternoon. Crum won by progressions over Virginia Tech junior Harrison Rice. Louisville senior Sean Roth vaulted 5.02 meters (16-5.5) and took the bronze.

Men’s Heptathlon
Louisville junior Micah Oberhausen holds first place in the men’s heptathlon after placing among the top five in all four events held Thursday. Oberhausen won the shot put with a throw of 14.10 meters (46-6.75) while placing fourth in the 60 meters, second in the long jump in fifth in the high jump. He leads with 3,138 total points to lead second-place Felix Wolter of Pitt by 49 points and Virginia Tech’s Sean Murphy by 59. Wolter took first place in Thursday’s long jump, and Murphy was the winner in the high jump. Heptathlon competition concludes Friday with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1,000 meters.
 
Full Day Set Friday
The running of the DMR races concluded Thursday’s opening session, which also included prelims in a combined six men’s and women’s running events. Action resumes on Friday and will feature finals in the men’s and women’s long jump, the women’s high jump, and the women’s 5,000 meters.

The day will also be highlighted by the conclusion of the men’s heptathlon, the women’s pentathlon and men’s and women’s qualifying in four more running events. Competition begins with the heptathlon 60-meter hurdles at 9:30 a.m.
ACC Network Extra will return to provide coverage at the Friday and Saturday sessions. Play-by-play announcer Shawn Kenney will be joined by veteran analyst Larry Rawson from 4 p.m. through 8 p.m. on Friday, and from noon until the meet’s conclusion on Saturday (see watch links below). A live stream of the action will also air each morning, beginning at 9:30 on Friday and 10:30 on Saturday.

MEN’S STANDINGS
1. Virginia Tech 42
2. Notre Dame 28
3. North Carolina 22
4. Pitt 19
5. Louisville 16.5
6. Georgia Tech 14
7. Duke 12
8. Wake Forest 11
9. Miami 10.5
10. Virginia 8
11. Syracuse 7
12. Boston College 3
13. Clemson 2
 
WOMEN’S STANDINGS
1. Louisville 33
2. Duke 20
3. Miami 18
4. Virginia Tech 16.5
5. North Carolina 15.5
6. Notre Dame 11
7. NC State 10
8. Georgia Tech 8.5
9. Clemson 8
11. Florida State 4
12. Wake Forest 3
13. Pitt 1
 
Please see the links below to follow the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships on-line:

2021 Indoor Championships Schedule of Events
Printable Schedule PDF
 
Results
Live Results
 
Links to each day’s livestream:
Friday, Feb 26:  Noon – 8 pm (live stream only from Noon until 4 pm) | ACC Network Extra
Saturday, Feb 27: 10:30 am – 4 pm (live stream only from 10:30 until noon) | ACC Network Extra
 
National, ACC Performance Lists: https://www.tfrrs.org/indoor_lists.htm