CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – A national champion, multiple All-Americans, and nine league championships headline the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field season honors, the league announced Thursday.
The honorees were selected via a vote of the league’s head coaches:
ACC Men’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Year
Parker Wolfe, North Carolina
ACC Women’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Year
Olivia Markezich, Notre Dame
ACC Men’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Year
Jeremiah Davis, Florida State
ACC Women’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Year
Jayden Ulrich, Louisville
ACC Men’s Outdoor Freshman Performer of the Year
Ace Malone, Miami
ACC Women’s Outdoor Freshman Performer of the Year
Gladys Chepngetich, Clemson
ACC Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year
Vin Lananna, Virginia
ACC Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year
Shawn Wilbourn, Duke
North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe was named the ACC Men’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Year after winning the 5,000-meter national championship in Eugene, Oregon, capping off a phenomenal 2024 season. Earlier in the spring, the First Team All-American set the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships meet record in the 5,000-meter, crossing the line in 13:19.38. While at the ACC Championships, Wolfe also won the 10,000-meter run in a time of 29:15.12.
Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame capped off her incredible career with another strong outdoor season, earning the right to be named the ACC Women’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Year. Markezich was once again a First Team All-American after finishing second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and running the third-fastest time in NCAA history. During the ACC Championships, the Woodinville, Washington, native won the 5,000-meter in both a meet record and school record fashion, crossing the line in 15:23.14. Markezich was also named the Athlete of the Meet at the Drake Relays after winning both the distance medley relay (10:54.50) and the 4x1600-meter relay (18:44.15).
Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis won the ACC Outdoor Championships in both the triple jump and the long jump, paving the way to being named the ACC Outdoor Field Performer of the Year. Davis, who was also named the Field Most Valuable Performer at the ACC Championships, qualified for the NCAA Championships after finishing in the top-five of both events in the East Regionals. While in Eugene, Oregon, Davis turned in two fourth-place finishes, earning a pair of First Team All-America honors and etching his name in the the Florida State record book. The nine-time All-American recorded 12 points to lead the Seminoles to a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Louisville’s Jayden Ulrich was magnificent throughout her first season in the ACC, earning ACC Outdoor Women’s Field Performer of the Year honors. Ulrich scored 13 points for the Cardinals at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a pair of top five finishes. Ulrich, a native of East Alton, Illinois, finished second in the discus throw (63.05m; 206-10), while also finishing fourth in the shot put (17.89ml 58-8.5). The standout for Louisville won the ACC Championship in both events, setting the meet record in the discus throw with a mark of 61.31m (201-1).
Miami’s Ace Malone capped off a stellar first season by winning the ACC Men’s Outdoor Freshman of the Year award. Malone, a native of Castle Rock, Colorado, finished fifth in the men’s 400-meter dash to earn First-Team All-ACC honors at the ACC Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. To close out the event, Malone helped the Hurricanes to a third-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay.
Gladys Chepngetich completed the sweep of the ACC Freshman of the Year honors after earning the awards in both cross country and indoor track and field seasons as well. Chepngetich won the ACC Championship in the 800-meter, while finishing in second place in the 1,500-meter run. The Eldoret, Kenya, native earned Second-Team All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing with a 800-meter time of 2:02.45. At the NCAA East Regionals, Chepngetich finished in second place with a 1:59.81, breaking the sub-two minute mark.
After leading Virginia to its first outright ACC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship title in program history, Vin Lananna earned ACC Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year honors. The Cavaliers totaled 107 points in the ACC Championships with 69 points coming from distance runners. The 1500-meter duo of Gary Martin and Wes Porter achieved podium performances with second and third place finishes while the duo of Mountain and Yasin Sado went 1-2 in the steeplechase. This is the second consecutive year where Virginia student-athletes occupied the top two spots on the podium in the steeplechase at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Shawn Wilbourn led Duke to its third ACC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field championship in four seasons, earning ACC Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year honors to pair with the accomplishment. Duke totaled 133 points during the ACC Championships, as the Blue Devils became the first team to repeat as outright champions since the ACC expanded to 15 teams. Wilbourn helped lead 28 Duke women to the NCAA East Regional, while also producing five ACC champions and 18 All-ACC honorees.