North Carolina
ACC Indoor Championships
Carolina Finishes Day One At ACCs
February 25, 2010 | Track & Field
Feb. 25, 2010
BLACKSBURG, VA. -
The University of North Carolina track and field teams supported their multis student-athletes in the first day of competition at the ACC Indoor Championships. The women completed the pentathlon to take sixth, seventh and eighth places while the men are four events into their two-day heptathlon.
"We were really thinking that our women could take 5-6-7," said head coach Dennis Craddock, "But instead we got 6-7-8. That's still six total points for our team and we're happy right now."
Alexandra Coppadge led the Tar Heels with her sixth-place finish of 3707 points, followed by Ariel Roberts in seventh with 3605 and Danielle Brock in eighth with 3603. Gabby Gioia, who has been struggling with a thigh injury for the last few weeks, fought through the pain to compete in the pentathlon and finished with 3315.
Coppadge tagged season highs in the 800, 60-hurdles and long jump in only the second pentathlon the Tar Heels have competed in during 2010. Roberts and Brock both earned personal records in the pentathlon with their performances. Carolina's women's team is currently tied for third with Duke at six points.
The men competed in the first four events of the heptathlon on Thursday: 60-meter dash, long jump, shot put and high jump. Mateo Sossah is currently in second place with 3090 points. Sossah, who is currently ranked seventh nationally, is a mere 18 points behind first place at the end of day one. Matthew Villemain is currently eighth with 2638 and Chadd Pierce is in 10th with 2310.
"I'm very happy with where our guys are at right now," said Craddock, "You know, any of the top five men's multis in the ACC are great enough to do well at NCAAs, so it is going to be close. But to have Mateo where he's at and Matt in eighth, that's helps our team to look for scores tomorrow."
Sossah shined in the shot put with a personal best throw of 45-5 1/4, the longest throw of all the multis for the day. But Sossah's impressive throw was tainted by his high jump: he only reached a height of 6-4, well below his average. He still has the 60-hurdles, pole vault and the 1000 to better his score and perhaps win an ACC title.
Villemain earned a season and career best in the long jump, leaping 20-9 1/4, and the 60, running in 7.48, to help out his heptathlon score. Pierce is competing in his first full heptathlon for his career and earned personal highs in the 60, long jump and shot put. This is the first full heptathlon that Carolina's three men multis have been able to compete in all season. Their first, which was originally scheduled at the Dick Taylor Carolina Classic in January, was unable to be completed due to inclement weather.
The start of individual action and the conclusion of the men's heptathlon will begin at 12 p.m. at the Rector Field House located on Virginia Tech's campus in Blacksburg, Va. Live video stream will be available starting at 3 p.m. available.
COMBINED EVENT PERFORMANCES
Women's Pentathlon
Alexandra Coppadge
Total Points - 3707, 6th
60 Hurdles - 8.78
High Jump - 5-5 3/4
Shot Put - 35-11 1/4
Long Jump - 17-9
800 - 2:32.07
Ariel Roberts
Total Points - 3605, 7th
60 Hurdles - 8.99
High Jump - 5-7
Shot Put - 32-7 3/4
Long Jump - 17-1 1/4
800 - 2:28.72
Danielle Brock
Total Points - 3603, 8th
60 Hurdles - 9.03
High Jump - 4-10 1/2
Shot Put - 41-1
Long Jump - 17-11
800 - 2:29.00
Gabby Gioia
Total Points - 3315
60 Hurdles - 9.20
High Jump - 5-5 3/4
Shot Put - 34-2 1/4
Long Jump - 17-1 1/4
800 - 2:50.88
Men's Heptathlon - After Day One
Mateo Sossah
60 - 7.27
Long Jump - 23-4 1/2
Shot Put - 45-5 1/4
High Jump - 6-4
60-Hurdles
Pole Vault
1000
Matthew Villemain
60 - 7.48
Long Jump - 20-9 1/4
Shot Put - 33-2 1/2
High Jump - 6-5
60-Hurdles
Pole Vault
1000
Chadd Pierce
60 - 7.82
Long Jump - 19-7 1/2
Shot Put - 29-8
High Jump - 6-1 1/2
60-Hurdles
Pole Vault
1000
Players Mentioned
