CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – With the opening weekend of the outdoor track and field campaign complete, the Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its first weekly award recipients for the 2024 season.
Pitt and Miami led the way, snagging two weekly honors apiece. The Panthers saw Devin Nugent win Men’s Track Athlete of the Week and Ilse Steigenga garner Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. Miami’s Ace Malone earned Men’s Rookie of the Week honors while teammate Makenzy Pierre-Webster was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. NC State’s Jamar Davis earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after a strong multi-event showing.
ACC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Devin Nugent, So., Pitt, Abington, Pa.
Nugent ran an ACC-best time of 51.09 in the 400-meter hurdles at the USF Alumni Invitational over the weekend. The Abington, Pennsylvania, native is currently tied for the fourth-fastest time in the nation throughout the spring season. Nugent also helped the Panthers take second place in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:07.25. The relay team’s time was the fifth-fastest in the country this season, leading the ACC, and was also the seventh-fastest in Pitt history.
ACC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Makenzy Pierre-Webster, Grad., Miami, Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Pierre-Webster clocked a time of 52.40 seconds in the 400 meters to claim a first-place finish at the Hurricane Invitational. The Whitby, Ontario, Canada, native’s time is the fastest in the ACC thus far and ranks second nationally.
ACC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Jamar Davis, Grad., NC State, Mebane, N.C.
Davis recorded a pair of podium finishes at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invite, medaling in both the triple jump and long jump. The graduate student won the triple jump after clearing 15.12m (49’ 7.25”) in the season opener, ranking second in the ACC and ninth nationally. The Mebane, North Carolina, native also took second place in the long jump after leaping 7.32m (24’ 0.25”) for a mark that ranks third in the conference.
ACC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Ilse Steigenga, Sr., Pitt, Exmorra, Netherlands
Steigenga opened the outdoor season with a victory in the long jump at the USF Alumni Invitational. With a conference-leading leap of 6.25m, Steigenga also ranks fifth nationally in the event after the season’s opening weekend.
ACC Men’s Freshman of the Week
Ace Malone, Fr., Miami, Castle Rock, Colo.
In his first collegiate meet, Malone clocked a time of 20.83 seconds in the 200 meters, marking the second-best time in the ACC this season. Malone’s time sits as the fourth-best by a freshman throughout the country and ranks 17th among all sprinters.
ACC Women’s Freshman of the Week
Jade Ofotan, Fr., Georgia Tech, Glenn Dale, Md.
Ofotan impressed in her Yellow Jackets’ debut, clocking a time of 11.75 seconds – good for a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash at the Yellow Jacket Invite. Her time leads the ACC after the opening weekend and is tied for 10th nationally among freshmen. The Glenn Dale, Maryland, native also helped lead Georgia Tech to victory in the 4x100 meter relay, recording a conference-leading time of 45.29.
ACC Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week
Mar. 19 – Devin Nugent, Pitt
ACC Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week
Mar. 19 – Makenzy Pierre-Webster, Miami
ACC Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
Mar. 19 – Jamar Davis, NC State
ACC Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
Mar. 19 - Ilse Steigenga, Pitt
ACC Men’s Outdoor Rookie of the Week
Mar. 19 – Ace Malone, Miami
ACC Women’s Outdoor Rookie of the Week
Mar. 19 – Jade Ofotan, Georgia Tech