Feb. 21, 2017
By Megan Golden
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame is prepared to host the Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships for the first time in program history from February 23-25 at Loftus Sports Center.
The Irish welcome 14 additional ACC schools to campus to compete in the first meet of the 2017
postseason. Athletes will race on Notre Dame’s 320m track, which is the country’s longest college track.
WHAT: Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships
WHEN: February 23-25, 2017, beginning at 11 a.m. ET each day
WHERE: Loftus Sports Center (Notre Dame, Ind.)
RESULTS: Flashresults.com
LIVE STREAM: ACC Network Extra/WatchESPN (details below)
For the Record
Notre Dame senior Anthony Shivers recorded a 20.27m throw at the Meyo Invitational, breaking his previous school record and finishing sixth overall at the meet. Shivers is tied for the 39th-best throw in the country.
Irish senior Nathan Richartz broke his own school record with a 5.50m jump and a first-place finish in the pole vault at the Tiger Paw Invitational on February 10. Richartz’s vault ranks tied for seventh nationally.
Senior Indi Jackson broke the Notre Dame indoor track and field record at the Alex Wilson Invitational, throwing 16.23m in the shot put. Her mark ranks fifth-best in the conference and 24th-best nationally.
National Qualifiers
Junior Jessica Harris set a personal record in the mile on Saturday at the Alex Wilson Invitational, running in just 4:35.27. Harris’ time currently ranks 12th in the country and second in the conference.
Harris will look to compete for a conference title and an even lower mark at this weekend’s conference championships.
Dual Sport Success
Freshman Troy Pride Jr., who also is on the Irish football team, is coming off of a first-place finish (6.93) in the 60m dash at the Alex Wilson Invitational on Saturday.
Pride owns season bests of 6.85 in the 60m and 22.01 in the 200m, and will compete in both events at the ACC Championships. He will need to lower his times by approximately .20 in order to qualify nationally.
Pride made 12 tackles in eight games as a cornerback on the Irish football team this past fall.
Rohrer Repeat?
Notre Dame sophomore Anna Rohrer, the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Champion, will look to win her second straight conference championship this school year. Rohrer ran the ACC Championship 6K last fall in 19:26.4, and followed up that performance with a third-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championship.
Rohrer ran a season-best 9:15.22 in the 3,000m race at the Meyo Invitational and will compete in the 3,000m and 5,000m at the conference meet. She currently ranks 26th nationally in the 3,000m, so she will aim to trim her time by nearly 20 seconds in order to qualify nationally.
Local Connection
The Notre Dame track and field roster features eight Indiana natives, including graduate student Tommy Grant.
Grant, who transferred from Bethel College prior to this season, will compete in the 60m and the 200m. His time of 21.85 at the Notre Dame Invitational was the 16th-best time recorded in the ACC this season.
Seidel Sidelined
Graduate student Molly Seidel recently suffered an ankle injury and will be sidelined for approximately three weeks. The four-time NCAA Champion won the 3,000m and 5,000m races at the 2015 and 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
First for Everything
The Irish, who will host the event, will compete in their fourth ACC championship after joining the conference prior to the 2014 season. The track and field postseason event marks the first of its kind hosted by Notre Dame.
Notre Dame has won 353 conference titles, including 33 team championships and 320 individual championships. The Irish own a combined nine indoor and outdoor men’s and women’s individual ACC titles with four belonging to graduate student Molly Seidel.
The Irish run on a 320-meter track, which is the largest indoor track in the country. A long track means long straights, which typically leads to faster-than-usual times.
Irish head coach Alan Turner said his team certainly believes it has home track advantage.
“Our student-athletes are accustomed to training and competing on it,” Turner said. “We also have an advantage of getting extra rest by not having the long flights and sleeping in our own beds.
“I am excited, our athletes are excited, and I think most of the athletes in the ACC are excited to come to Loftus and get on the big track. We want to be great hosts and are looking forward to a great weekend of ACC Championship track and field.”
Live Coverage
The meet will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra/WatchESPN from 3:30-7 p.m. ET on Friday and Noon-4 p.m. ET on Saturday. ACC Digital Network broadcasters Dan O’Brien and Shawn Kenney will provide fans with the play-by-play, and former Irish head coach Joe Piane will join the crew for the long-distance races (3,000m & 5,000m).
The complete, three-day schedule of events can be viewed by clicking here. For a closer, behind-the-scenes look at the Irish track and field program, follow @NDXCTF on Twitter. Fans in attendance are encouraged to post their photos using #ACCITF on social media.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse and cross country/track and field programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.