ATLANTA, Ga. (theACC.com) – After two days of fierce competition at the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Duke Blue Devils lead both the men’s and women’s fields.
The Blue Devil men lead the pack for the second straight day, holding a 6.33-point advantage over second-place Virginia. North Carolina rounds out the top three teams with 44 points following the second day. On the women’s side, the Blue Devils rose to the top spot on the leaderboard after finishing the first day in second place. With 48 points, Duke is being chased by second-place Virginia Tech (43) and third-place Notre Dame (34).
Ilse Steigenga of Pittsburgh won the women’s heptathlon after logging 5,637 total points. On her way to victory, Steigenga won the long jump and finished second in both the shot put and 800 meters. Duke’s Brianna Smith finished in second place with 5,616 points and Pitt’s Lydia Bottelier finished third with 5,472 points. Steigenga became the first woman in Pitt history to win an individual title at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Louisville’s Jayden Ulrich won the women’s shot put with a heave of 17.95 meters (58-10.75), nearly a full meter better than anybody else in the field. Virginia Tech’s Katrin Brzyszkowska recorded a personal-best mark of 17.05 meters (55-11.25), while Wake Forest’s Ashlyn Giles picked up First Team All-ACC honors with a third-place finish and a throw of 16.65 meters (54-7.5). Ulrich is Louisville’s first women’s shot put champion since Emmonnie Henderson won three consecutive titles between 2015 and 2017.
In the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase, Notre Dame’s Sophie Novak clocked a personal-best time of 9:48.00 to win the gold medal. Novak won by more than eight seconds over second-place finisher Madison Neuner (9:56.63). Georgia Tech’s Helena Lindsay rounded out the top three of the steeplechase, finishing in 10:01.69.
Virginia Tech’s Victoria Gorlova won the women’s long jump competition with a 6.32-meter leap, defeating Pitt’s Steigenga by just 1.25 inches. Steigenga’s 6.29-meter (20-7.75) jump was good for the silver medal, while Wake Forest’s Robbie Grace earned bronze after leaping 6.27 meters (20-7).
Duke freshman Gemma Tutton completed the sweep of the pole vault events for the Blue Devils, winning the women’s competition with a height of 4.37 meters (14-4). On Thursday, Duke’s Simen Guttormsen won gold in the men’s pole vault, clearing 5.65 meters (18-6.5) in the process. Tutton was followed by Louisville’s Natalie Lark (4.27m, 14-0) and Virginia Tech’s Chiara Sistermann (4.27m, 14-0).
Friday’s events began with the men’s javelin throw which was won by Devoux Deysel of Miami. The junior became the first-ever Hurricane to win an ACC men’s javelin throw championship, recording a final mark of 70.49 meters (231-3) to take home the gold medal. Duke’s Marten Gasparini finished in second place with a throw of 68.73 meters (225-6), while Ethan Cocco of Clemson finished in third place with a 66.83 meter (219-3) mark.
The Hurricanes became the first team to sweep the javelin events since Virginia did so in 2003. On Thursday, Deisiane Teixeira won the gold medal in the women’s javelin throw with a 55.74-meter (182-10) throw.
The Hurricanes’ success on the men’s side continued with the decathlon. Edgar Campre totaled 7,661 points to win the gold medal. Virginia Tech’s Sean Murphy finished with 7,532 points and a second-place finish, while Virginia’s Ethan Robinson claimed the bronze medal with 7,435 points. Campre won the long jump, shot put, 110-meter hurdles and discus throw to become Miami’s first decathlon champion since 2017.
Florida State took home the top two spots in the men’s long jump with Jeremiah Davis and Jordan Turner finishing in first and second place, respectively. Davis, who claimed his second consecutive ACC long jump title, lept 7.97 meters (26-1.75) while Turner lept 7.90 meters (25-11) to earn the silver. Miami’s Russell Robinson joined the Seminole duo on the podium with a third-place finish, jumping 7.82 meters (25-8). All three podium finishers matched or topped their season bests.
In the men’s shot put, Courtney Lawrence of Clemson topped the field with a personal-best heave of 19.75 meters (64-9.75). Notre Dame’s Michael Shoaf earned the silver medal with a 19.16-meter (63-7) mark, while Thomas Kitchell of Wake Forest set a new personal best on his way to the bronze medal, throwing 19.16 meters (62-10.5)
Nathan Mountain of Virginia broke the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships record in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, crossing the line in 8:30.05 to defend his title from 2023. His Cavalier teammate, Yasin Sado, also bested the previous mark and picked up the silver medal after clocking a time of 8:30.78. NC State’s Brett Gardner finished in third place with a time of 8:31.38.
The final day of competition will continue on Saturday, May 11, starting with the men’s high jump and women’s discus throw, both of which will begin at 2:00 p.m. All of Saturday’s 26 championship events will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Team Standings
Women
(8 of 21 events scored)
1 – Duke, 48
2 – Virginia Tech, 43
3 – Notre Dame, 34
4 – Louisville, 29
5 – Pitt, 25
6 – Miami, 23
7 – Wake Forest, 20
8 – Virginia, 18
9 – NC State, 17.5
10 – Syracuse, 16
11 – Georgia Tech, 15
12 – Clemson, 13.5
13 – North Carolina, 6
14 – Boston College, 4
15 - Florida State, 0
Men
(8 of 21 events scored)
1 – Duke, 58.33
2 – Virginia, 52
3 – North Carolina, 44
4 – Miami, 32
5 – Virginia Tech, 30.33
6 – Notre Dame, 24
7 - Florida State, 23
8 – Clemson, 22.33
9 – Wake Forest, 8
10 – NC State, 6
11 – Louisville, 4
T-12 – Georgia Tech, 3
T-12 – Syracuse, 3
14 – Pitt, 2
15 – Boston College, 0
Friday Event Winners
Women’s 3000m Steeplechase
Sophie Novak, Notre Dame, 9:48.00
Men’s 3000m Steeplechase
Nathan Mountain, Virginia, 8:30.05*
* - ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships Record
Women's Heptathlon
Ilse Steigenga, Pitt, 5,637 points
Men’s Decathlon
Edgar Campre, Miami, 7,661 points
Men’s Javelin
Devoux Deysel, Miami, 70.49m (231-3)
Women’s Shot Put
Jayden Ulrich, Louisville, 17.95m (58-10.75)
Men’s Shot Put
Courtney Lawrence, Clemson, 19.75m (64-9.75)
Women's Long Jump
Victoria Gorlova, Virginia Tech, 6.32m (20-9)
Men’s Long Jump
Jeremiah Davis, Florida State, 7.97m (26-1.75)
Women’s Pole Vault
Gemma Tutton, Duke, 4.37m (14-4)