Track & Field: Anumba, Appleton, Murphy each earn ACC weekly accolades

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday that a trio of Virginia student-athletes were honored with weekly awards following the first week of the 2023 outdoor track and field season. Conor Murphy was named men’s track performer of the week, while Margot Appleton was named women’s co-track performer of the week and Ashley Anumba was named women’s co-field performer of the week. All three Cavaliers rank in the nation’s top two in their events.

Murphy earns the honor after recording a victory in the 1500 meters at NC State’s Raleigh Relays. The junior middle-distance specialist posted a personal-best time of 3:39.75 which ranks as the fastest time in the NCAA this season. The time also places Murphy at No. 3 on the Virginia all-time performance list.

The performance comes on the heels of a breakout indoor campaign for Murphy in which he set the Virginia mile record, won silver in the 800 meters at the ACC Championships and earned first-team All-American honors in the mile. The weekly honor is Murphy’s second of the 2022-23 season – he was named men’s track performer of the week on Jan. 31.

Appleton raced to a victory of her own in the 1500 meters at Raleigh Relays. The sophomore standout posted 4:08.96 to go nine seconds under her previous best and take the win. The time currently stands as the fastest in the NCAA and set both a Raleigh Relays record and a facility record at the Paul Derr Track & Field facility.

Anumba set a Virginia discus record with her very first throw of the 2023 season. Traveling, 59.37 meters (194’9”) the mark proved to be enough to win the event for Anumba at Raleigh relays while setting the meet record. Anumba eclipses her own pervious Virginia record of 59.06 meters (193’9”) which she set at the Nigerian National Sports Festival in December 2022 – The performance marks the fifth time Anumba has broken the Virginia discus record since she joined the team as a graduate transfer in 2022. Anumba’s mark ranks second in the NCAA this season.