Indoor Track: Virginia men finish second, women fourth at ACC Championships

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Posted on Monday, Mar. 3, 2025, 11:30 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Photo: UVA Athletics

The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field program concluded competition at the 2025 ACC Indoor Championships in Louisville on Monday, as the men’s team finished runner-up while the Cavalier women finished fourth.

The final day of competition was highlighted by Margot Appleton, Gary Martin and Wes Porter’s medal-worthy performances in the mile and 3000-meters.

Coming down to the final event of the weekend, the Cavaliers were just shy of taking home the men’s team title. The Virginia men scored a total of 75 points to finish runner-up to conference rival Virginia Tech. Going into the 4×400-meter relay, the Hokies were atop the leaderboard and ahead of the Cavaliers by one point.

The quartet of Alex Sherman, Gage Gose, Evans White IV and Max Russo combined efforts to run 3:11.45 which was good for seventh place and solidified the team scores. The Virginia men recorded the best program finish since 2017 when the team also finished runner up to Virginia Tech.

On the women’s side, Virginia scored a total of 55 points to finish fourth among the now 18 team conference. Last season, the Cavaliers were seventh with 50.5 total points. This marks the best finish since 2020 when the team finished third with 87 points. 

PODIUM FINISHES

  • Gary Martin did exactly what Gary Martin does best. The junior won the gold medal in the men’s 3000-meters in ACC Championships meet record time of 7:36.69. Martin’s time ranks as the eighth fastest in collegiate history and the fastest ever recorded at a conference meet. His time is just off his personal best and Virginia school record of 7:36.09.
  • Margot Appleton stood atop the podium twice today as the senior won gold in the women’s mile followed by earning the bronze medal in the women’s 3000-meters. Appleton broke the ACC Championship meet record as well as the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center facility record clocking 4:26.21 for a mile.
  • Returning to the track just two hours later, Appleton secured the bronze medal in the women’s 3000-meter race with her time of 8:51.27.
  • In the men’s mile, Wes Porter surged in the final stretch of the race to finish in third place and bring home the bronze medal. Porter completed the eight-lap race in 4:02.78.
DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS
  • Double trouble in the men’s 60-meter hurdles as Peter Djan and Ethan Robinson both recorded new personal bests on their way to All-ACC accolades. Djan finished fourth in 7.77 just ahead of Robinson in fifth place with his time of 7.81. Djan moves up to No.2 in program history while Robinson betters his No. 4 all-time mark.
  • Robinson’s performance comes after earning the bronze medal and breaking the Virginia program record in the heptathlon earlier in the competition.
  • Led by Appleton, Tatum David ran a strong race in the women’s mile crossing the line in 4:37.23 to finish sixth and pick up All-ACC second team honors.
  • Brooke Lumpkin recorded a fifth-place finish in the women’s shot put competition launching one out 16.37m/53-8.50. Just behind Lumpkin was Janae Profit in eighth place with her mark of 15.89m/52-1.75. Profit’s mark is a new personal best and Virginia No.9 all-time.
  • In the men’s 400-meter final, Alex Sherman sprinted to a sixth-place finish clocking 46.88. Sherman earned the first All-ACC indoor honors of his career.
  • In the first heat of the men’s 3000-meters, Justin Wachtel kicked in the final stages of the race to safely win the heat in a new personal best time of 7:52.49. His time betters his Virginia No.4 all-time mark.
  • Not far behind Wachtel was Will Anthony in 11th place (7:55.03) and Will Daley in 15th place (7:58.01).
  • In the women’s 3000-meters, Jenny Schilling recorded a top 20 finish with her time of 9:13.08 which was good for 17th overall. Gillian Bushee recorded a new personal best of 9:19:59 to better her Virginia No.9 time.
  • Competing in his first ACC Indoor Championships, freshman Caleb Holman jumped out to a fifth-place finish in the men’s triple jump with his mark of 15.45m/50-8.25. Holman earned All-ACC second team honors for his efforts.
  • The weekend concluded with the 4×400-meter relays. The relay team of Sarah Akpan, Brooke’Lyn Drakeford, Emily Alexandru and Kaela Swift combined efforts to run 3:41.50. The quartet of Alex Sherman, Gage Gose, Evans White IV and Max Russo got the baton around the track in 3:11.45.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS BY THE NUMBERS
  • Virginia brought home three gold medals including Margot Appleton (Mile), Gary Martin (3000m), Jeremiah Nubbe (WT).
  • Gary Martin earned Virginia’s sole silver medal over the weekend in the men’s 5000-meters.
  • The Cavaliers secured four bronze medals including Margot Appleton (3000m), Keyandre Davis (WT), Celia Rifaterra (HJ) and Wes Porter (Mile).
  • First Team All-ACC honorees include Margot Appleton (Mile, 3000m), Keyandre Davis (WT), Gary Martin (3000m, 5000m), Jeremiah Nubbe (WT), Celia Rifaterra (HJ), Ethan Robinson (Hep)
  • Second Team All-ACC honorees include Sophie Atkinson (5000m), Tatum David (Mile), Peter Djan (60mH), John Fay (WT), Lily Hulland (TJ), Caleb Holman (TJ), Brooke Lumpkin. (SP), Carly Tarentino (HJ), Ethan Robinson (60mH), Lauren Yeboah-Kodie (LJ, TJ), Justin Wachtel (3000m).
  • The Cavalier notched 18 personal best marks while making eight moves on the all-time top 10 list.
  • Two school records were broken including Gary Martin (5000m) and Ethan Robinson (Hep).
  • Two ACC Championship meet records were broken including Margot Appleton (Mile) and Gary Martin (3000m).
FROM DIRECTOR OF TRACK & FIELD VIN LANANNA
“Indoor track will always be somewhat of a challenge, nonetheless every one of our men and women got out and competed at 100% with phenomenal performances all the way around. The results will reflect that we lost to Virginia Tech by a few points but what people don’t see is the effort that went into every point, rallying for every point and scraping for every point no matter what it was. I am excited as we head into the NCAA Championships and the outdoor season.”

Complete Team Standings
Women (17 of 17 events scored)
1. Clemson 89
2. Stanford 65
3. Louisville 62
4. Virginia 55
5. Florida State 54
6. Virginia Tech 53
7. Notre Dame 47
8. Pitt 46
9. North Carolina 37
10. Duke 35
11. NC State 34
12. Cal 31
12. Miami 31
14. Wake Forest 14
15. Georgia Tech 5
16. SMU 3
17. Boston College 2
– Syracuse 0

Men (17 of 17 events scored)
1. Virginia Tech82
2. Virginia 75
3. Florida State 64
4. North Carolina 54
5. Cal 53
6. Miami 41.5
7. Clemson 41
7. Duke 41
9. Notre Dame 39
10. NC State 35.5
11. Louisville 35
12. Stanford 28
13. Pitt 21
14. Wake Forest 20
15. Boston College 13
16. Syracuse 11
17. Georgia Tech 8
THE SMITHFIELD COMMONWEALTH CLASH
The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge (2005-2007), has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. It is an all-sports, points-based program with the Commonwealth Clash trophy presented to the winning school each year for its dominance in head-to-head competitions.
In men’s and women’s track and field, the Commonwealth Clash point is awarded to the team that finishes higher at the ACC Championships. Thus, the points split 1-1 as Virginia Tech got the point on the men’s side and Virginia on the women’s. The Cavaliers currently lead the Hokies 8-5 this season.

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers continue the championship season with the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach on Friday and Saturday, March 14-15.