Three Tar Heels earn All-America honors at track championships

The North Carolina track and field team closed out the outdoor season this past weekend at the NCAA Championships, where three UNC athletes earned All-America honors. 

“I thought it was a really good championship for us. We brought four men, four women, so we really showed the balance we have as a team,” Coach Harlis Meaders said. 

Junior Sarah Howard obtained Second-Team All-America honors for her 12th place finish in the women’s shot put, but her throw of 16.20 meters was not enough to qualify for the finals. 

One of those two First-Team honorees was Xenia Rahn, who will end her career with her name in both the UNC and ACC record books. 

“It’s really fulfilling to break records at such a high level,” Rahn said.

Rahn finished seventh in the heptathlon, earning 5,851 points. 

“I’m satisfied with how I competed. It is fulfilling to earn All-American honors. I just got down early in the high jump, and it’s just really hard to bounce back from that,” Rahn said.

Sophomore Ceo Ways garnered the other First-Team All-America nod for UNC with a seventh-place finish in the men’s 400 meter dash. 

Ways only qualified for one final, as his 200 meter time of 21.33 missed the cut, but he kept a positive attitude for his future on the track. 

“I’m thankful to have ran safely, avoided injury, and it’s great to get the experience of these championship meets. The races seem to get faster and faster, so it’s awesome to earn All-American,” Ways said.

Ways also ran with Kenny Selmon, Javonte Lipsey and Cory Nicholls in the men’s 4x400 meter relay, but their time of 3:12.16 did not qualify them for the finals. 

The trio that produced the UNC moniker “Hurdle U,” Selmon, Lipsey and RJ Alowonle, all finished within two seconds of each other in the men’s 400 meter hurdles, just missing qualifying for the finals. 

Redshirt senior Lianne Farber and senior Anne LeHardy finished their decorated careers in the qualifying races, with Farber running a 4:29.48 in the women’s 1,500 meter and LeHardy clocking in with a 16:32.35 in the women’s 5,000 meter. 

Most events at the NCAA Championships were featured on ESPN networks, which did not go unnoticed by some of the competing Tar Heels.

“Track isn’t a top sport for a lot of people, so it’s really awesome to be on ESPN,” Ways said.

This year was a strong one for the Tar Heels, and Meaders was quick to highlight the many individuals who helped the team’s successful campaign.

“I want to thank the whole coaching staff, the medical staff, the men and women athletes and everyone who helped make this season possible,” Meaders said.