Serving the students and the University community since 1893

°F

Thursday May 26th

Track And Field

Graduate student Jill Shippee poses for a portrait at the Eddie Smith Field House on May 23, 2022.

UNC graduate thrower Jill Shippee: ACC record-holder and student-athlete advocate

By Abigail Keller | May. 23

As a star goalkeeper at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, N.Y., UNC track and field star Jill Shippee initially had her sights set on playing soccer in college.
In the fall of 2017, Shippee came into the UNC track and field program as a first-year on the throwing squad. She staked her claim inside the circle instantly.
Now, as a graduate student closing out her last track season as a Tar Heel, Shippee holds the school and ACC women’s hammer throw record of 69.76 meters.

Freshman Colton Sands competes in the 5000M ACC Championship race at Morris Williams Track on Saturday, May 14, 2022. The UNC men's team finished fourth in the meet overall.

UNC men finish fifth, women finish ninth, in ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships

By Shelby Swanson | May. 15

Graduate student Jill Shippee throws at the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, VA, over the weekend of Jan. 21, 2022. Photo courtesy of Tom Connelly.

Several UNC track and field athletes give podium-worthy efforts at Penn Relays

By Abigail Keller | May. 1

Anna Keefer is pictured at a track and field invitational at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, over the weekend. Photo courtesy of Tom Connelly.

UNC track and field's indoor season ends at NCAA Championships

By Abigail Keller | Mar. 12

Junior Anna Keefer prepares to race in her heat in the 60-meter sprint. Keefer went on to win the heat and finish second overall in the event in the Eddie Smith Field House on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020.

North Carolina track and field takes part in Tiger Paw, Darius Dixon meets on Saturday

By Adam Parks | Feb. 12

UNC delivers strong showings in Hokie Invitational

By Adam Parks | Jan. 24

Sydney Banks is pictured at a track and field invitational at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, over the weekend. Photo courtesy of Tom Connelly.

UNC track and field opens season at Virginia Tech Invitational

By Nia Satterfield Brown | Jan. 16

The North Carolina track and field program opened its season this weekend in Blacksburg, Va. for the Virginia Tech Invitational.

Jody Stewart was recently hired as an assistant coach for UNC track and field. Photo courtesy of UNC Athletic Communications.

Jody Stewart joins UNC track and field as sprints coach after six years at Texas State

By Rithvik Chelasani | Nov. 3

"It’s been amazing for me spending time with student-athletes and just talking about training and physiology," new sprints and hurdles coach Jody Stewart said. "For me I’ve really enjoyed the interactions from day one and I look forward to more great things throughout the year.”

Junior exercise and sports science major Michael Spragley is a runner on both the track and field and cross country teams. He is pictured in the Koman Practice Complex on Oct. 11.

Michael "Speedy Sprag" Spragley shines a light through track and music

By Evan Rogers | Oct. 17

Whether he’s rapping in the Pit on a Wednesday night with UNC-CH Cypher or racing past an ACC foe on the track, North Carolina track and field star Michael Spragley hopes to show people the light in all that he does.

Dylan Sorensen coaches players at the University of North Carolina Cross Country Wolfpack Invite at the Wake Med Cross Country Course in Cary, NC on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey A. Camarati/UNC Athletic Communications.

Dylan Sorensen is the new head coach of UNC women's cross-country team

By Erin Singleton | Jul. 26

Chris Miltenberg, UNC's director of cross-country and track and field, cited Sorensen's people-first philosophy and recruiting prowess in his decision. Last year, Sorensen helped lead the women's cross-country team to make the 2020 season their most successful in more than a decade. The team made its first NCAA championships appearance since 2014, finishing 14th.

UNC midfielder Crystal Dunn (19) runs down a loose ball.

Six former UNC athletes are set to compete for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics

By Lucas Thomae | Jul. 18

Over 600 athletes will be representing Team USA when the Olympic Games kick off on Friday. But before donning the red, white and blue, some were sporting powder blue and argyle. Former women's soccer players Tobin Heath and Crystal Dunn, baseball players Tim Federowicz and Ryder Ryan, sprinter Kenny Selmon, and rugby player Naya Tapper will all be competing in Tokyo.

Thomas Ratcliffe runs at the NCAA Track & Field Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, OR on Friday, June 11, 2021. Photo courtesy of Rick Morgan/UNC Athletic Communications.

Thomas Ratcliffe competes at Olympic trials after school-record performance

By Mikyla Williams | Jun. 27

When Chris Miltenberg left Stanford to become the director of track and field at UNC, Thomas Ratcliffe followed him across the country to finish his final year of eligibility. After facing much adversity throughout his college career at Stanford and fifth year at UNC, Miltenberg has been by Ratcliffe's side through it all.

Junior Jill Shippee attempts her second throw in the women's weight throw. Shippee won the overall event by almost five meters in Eddie Smith Field House on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020.

Jill Shippee shines as UNC competes at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

By Erin Singleton | Jun. 25

"Day in and day out Jill Shippee has put her head down, worked, grinded, battled back from some injuries and has always been a good competitor," Daniel McArthur said. "She competed at NCAAs and found herself in third place, and that's just a testament to how our coaches have prepped our team and taught us how to be successful athletes when it matters.”

Parker Wolfe, one of UNC track and field's top recruits, smiles with his family after being awarded the Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year at Cherry Creek High School. Photo courtesy of Luke Akinsola.

UNC track and field signee Parker Wolfe wins Gatorade National Boys Runner of the Year

By Rithvik Chelasani | Apr. 25, 2021

Parker Wolfe, one of the top recruits in the North Carolina track and field program's 2021 recruiting class, recently found out that he had been named the Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Paige Hofstad runs at the ACC Championship in Cary on Friday, October 30, 2020. Photo courtesy of Jeff Camarati/UNC Athletic Communications.

'Best two years of my life': Distance runner Paige Hofstad is thriving as a Tar Heel

By Lindsey Ware | Apr. 12, 2021

Despite transferring from Georgetown late in her college career, fifth-year Paige Hofstad has blazed her own trail in helping lead a distance running renaissance for the North Carolina cross country and track programs.

UNC Track and Field head coach Chris Miltenberg has worked hard to rebuild the program and its culture from the ground up. Photo courtesy of UNC Athletic Communications

‘Something way bigger’: Chris Miltenberg aims to put UNC Distance on the map

By Joshua Dolgoff | Apr. 5, 2021

When head coach Chris Miltenberg took over the UNC track and field program in 2019, he had a mission: build one of the best teams in the country.

Sunday sports roundup: Softball wins, track and field competes as NCAAs and more

By Sports Desk | Mar. 14, 2021

On Sunday, UNC softball beat Notre Dame to tie its weekend series, track and field competed at the NCAA Indoor Championships and women's tennis extended its win-streak.

First-year Hannah Nam sticks her landing after performing her balance beam routine during a meet against George Washington in Carmichael Arena on Friday Feb. 28, 2020. The Tar Heels placed first against the Colonials.

Saturday sports roundup: Softball struggles, gymnastics team defeats Temple and more

By Sports Desk | Feb. 28, 2021

This roundup for Saturday, Feb. 27, features the gymnastics squad's tri-meet with Temple and N.C. State, the softball team's doubleheader against Alabama and the ACC Championships for indoor track and field and men's swimming and diving.

Cameron Douglas, junior sprinter for UNC, reaches for the baton as he starts his sprint during the Men 4x400 Relay in the Dick Taylor Carolina Cup at Eddie Smith Field House on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2019. The Tar Heels won the relay with a time of 3:16.88.

Preview: North Carolina track and field teams to compete at ACC Indoor Championships

By J Banzet V | Feb. 24, 2021

The North Carolina track and field teams will head to Clemson University on Thursday, Feb. 25 to compete in the 2021 ACC Indoor Championships, with the men's team looking to win its first title since 1996, and the women's team looking for its first since 2004.

Isaiah Palmer, a sophomore sprinter for UNC, prepares to run during the Men 4x400 Relay in the Dick Taylor Carolina Cup at Eddie Smith Field House on Sat., January 13, 2019. The Tar Heels won the relay with a time of 3:16.88.

Ahead of ACC Championships, UNC makes final tune-ups at VT Challenge, DMR Invitational

By Lindsay Callihan | Feb. 22, 2021

Due to a shortened indoor season, the Virginia Tech Challenge and the JDL DMR Invitational were the last meets for the Tar Heels before they compete at the Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Championships, serving as a final tune-up before the tournament.