NC State
ACC Indoor Championships
Pearson Crowned Conference Champion in 5,000 Meters
2/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Track
Feb. 20, 2004
Clemson, S.C. - After one day of competition, the NC State men's track and field squad sits in second place with 41 points, while the women's team is in eighth place with 21 points at the 2004 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships. The NC State men brought home titles in the 5,000 meters and the long jump, while the women's side recorded both NCAA Automatic and Provisional times in the 5,000 meters. Florida State was the leader after the first day for the men with 49 points, while Georgia Tech was the top women's squad with 38 points.
NC State sophomore Manny Lawson won the long jump Friday afternoon at Clemson. Lawson, a linebacker and special teams contributor on the NC State football team, competed in the long jump for the first time this season and posted a top leap of 24'03.50". Lawson is the first NC State track athlete to win an ACC crown in the jumps during the indoor season since 1998, and he is only the fourth individual to win the long jump for NC State. Another NC State football player, A.J. Davis, finished fourth in the long jump as well. Davis, competing for the second time this year, had a top jump of 23'08.25". Both players have been going through winter workouts with the football squad, as well as training with the track team.
Freshman Mitchell Pope also scored points in the field events, he finished fifth in the shot put with a heave of 55'03". Classmate Chris Crawford took 12th in that event as well (46'00.75"). In the pole vault, Eric Hoverstad scored a point when he tied for fifth, clearing 15'05".
In the running events, senior Chad Pearson brought home the 5,000 meters title for the Wolfpack, making it the sixth time in the past seven years NC State has claimed that title on the men's side. Pearson won by over four seconds with his time of 14:21.14. Also bringing home points in that race was freshman Stephen Furst with a sixth place showing (14:52.67), in his first track race of the season. For the second straight season, the men's DMR squad earned All-ACC honors, this year with a second place showing. Andy Smith, Monterrio Adams, Jesse Rhodenbaugh and Wesley Smith took second with their time of 9:56.78.
Monterrio Adams advanced to the finals tomorrow, as he finished sixth in the prelims of the 400 meters with a time of 48.91. Omar Wells took 18th in that race as well (51.42). Also advancing to the finals, was Jesse Rhodenbaugh in the mile with a time of 4:12.99 good for ninth. Matt Kassouf finished 21st in that race as well (4:24.43). TJ Giwa ran in both the 60 meters and the 200 meters. Giwa brought home a ninth place finish in the 200 meters with a time of 21.95, and 18th place showing in the 60 meters (7.01).
For the third time in her career, Kristin Price earned All-ACC honors in the indoor 5,000 meters. Price finished second in that race today with an NCAA Automatic time of 16:12.74. Also scoring points, and running a NCAA Provisional time of her own, Renee Gunning placed fifth in that same race with a time of 16:41.74. Other NC State runners in the 5,000 meters were Josianne Lauber in 10th (17:10.68), Erin Swain in 14th (17:31.11), and Ginger Wheeler in 18th (17:42.39). Running in the finals of the mile tomorrow will be both Julia Lucas and Claudin Hull. Lucas finished second in the prelims with a time of 4:51.78, while Hull took ninth (4:56.04). Also in the mile, Jennifer Boyd was eighth (5:08.20), Michele Popple took 16th (5:09.25) and Leslie Jimison was 19th (5:11.65). The women's DMR squad of Julia Lucas, Nasheena Quick, Janelle Vadnais and Kristina Roth scored points with a fifth place showing (11:51.61).
Both Felicia Fant and Ebony Foster will be busy tomorrow, running a combined five times in various finals. Fant won the prelims of the 60 meters with a new school record and NCAA Provisional time of 7.40. Fant will also run in the 200 meter finals, she was eighth on the day (24.62). Foster will join Fant in both the 60 meter and the 200 meters, as well as compete in the finals of the 60 hurdles. Foster was the second fastest qualifier in the 60 hurdles running a 8.45, while also taking fourth in both the 60 meters (7.51) and the 200 meters (24.39).
Not advancing in the prelims of the 60 meters were Nasheena Quick in ninth (7.61), Joya Rodgers in 10th (7.61), and Courtney Patterson in 12th (7.62). Patterson and Rodgers also ran in the 200 meters, with Patterson placing 18th (25.70) and Rodgers was 21st (26.44). Quick also finished 10th in the 60 hurdles (8.72). In the 800 meters, Georgia Davis finished in 14th place (2:17.71).
Kelly Smoke scored more points for the Pack in the shot put, as she finished fifth with a top heave of 45'09.25". Also in the shot put, Brie Ward was 15th (36'07.50"). In the high jump, Joann Jackson cleared 5'04.50" for a seventh place showing. Laila Thomas finished 15th in the long jump with a mark of 17'01.50".
The ACC Championships will resume tomorrow beginning at 11:00 a.m with the field events, while the running events begin at 12:30 p.m.
