Chris Gilfillan

Sports

3 Tar Heels Qualify for NCAAs in 1st Indoor Meet

By Chris Gilfillan | January 13

With merely an opener under their belts, three North Carolina track and field athletes have already qualified for the postseason NCAA tournament. During Saturday's North Carolina College Big 12 meet, Laura Gerraughty, Adam Shunk and Daniel Harris posted provisional and automatic qualifying marks for the NCAAs. In her first collegiate indoor meet, Gerraughty broke UNC records in the hammer and shot put. Her throw of 55-8 1/2 in the shot put demolished by more than five feet the record set by current senior Ibiene Bilaye-Benibo, who finished second Saturday.

Sports

Track Opener to Serve as Gauge

By Chris Gilfillan | January 10

After preparing the North Carolina track and field team throughout the fall, all Coach Dennis Craddock can do now is wait and watch. The wait will be up and the watching will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday as UNC hosts the North Carolina College Big 12 Meet at the Eddie Smith Fieldhouse. And Craddock hopes to see his team's competitive drive on display. "We've tested our skills with our practices," he said, "Now it's time to see how everyone does in a competition setting."

Sports

Beatty's Run Continues Nearly 50 Years Later

By Chris Gilfillan | December 2

Jim Beatty's campaign slogan captures just about everything one could say about him: "Jim Beatty is running for you." And he's taking it one stride at a time. There are many surnames associated with Beatty -- Jim Beatty the first man to break the indoor-four-minute mile; Jim Beatty the Track and Field Hall of Famer; Jim Beatty the athlete; Jim Beatty the politician. But few connote what Beatty would like for people to remember when they think of his name. He said he wants them to remember his willingness to give back, an attribute he spices up with one of his favorite John F.

Sports

Tar Heels Cruise to 2 Wins In Season-Opening Games

By Chris Gilfillan | November 25

When asked about freshman guard La'Tangela Atkinson, the North Carolina women's basketball team offered a barrage of complimentary descriptions. Creator. Finesse. Infectious. Smart. Special. One word answers for a multi-sided player. Whichever side, Atkinson's high-paced game initiated No. 13 UNC's two dominating wins this weekend. On Friday, the Tar Heels downed Davidson 68-46, and Sunday they defeated East Tennessee State 106-40. And when all was said and done and UNC's coach Sylvia Hatchell was asked to describe, she answered: dynamic.

Sports

Crawford Leads UNC to Victory

By Chris Gilfillan | October 21

By Chris Gilfillan Staff Writer Locked in a 1-1 stalemate with overtime 13 seconds away, North Carolina senior Matt Crawford had a chance to give the Tar Heels a win against N.C. State. With the clock ticking down at Fetzer field Saturday night, he jockied for position in the State penalty area. Ray Fumo sent the corner kick into the crowded box. The ball found Crawford, and he converted his chance for the game-winning score. "I just don't like to lose in anything," Crawford said. "I just want to take every opportunity I can to influence the game."

Sports

Outside Ambitions Curb Matsen's Running Habits

By Chris Gilfillan | October 21

Lacing up on a morning in mid-September, former UNC women's cross country runner Susanna Matsen decided she'd test the limits of her arthritic knees. "Life is a big adventure," she said to herself. "I just hope my surgeon doesn't find out." After she strapped on her shoes, she ran like she was writing the closing lines of her running memoirs. "There was something about running on that morning," Matsen said. "I'd look into people's houses, and I'd think about people brewing coffee or fixing breakfast for their kids."

Sports

Waldrop Moves Beyond Running Into Academia

By Chris Gilfillan | October 14

Today, the NCAA record holder in the indoor mile doesn't even consider himself a runner anymore. In 1974, Tony Waldrop, then a senior at North Carolina, set the world and NCAA record for the indoor mile at 3 minutes, 55 seconds. In 2002, he was named to three ACC 50th Anniversary teams -- men's cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. But now the six-time All-American has hung up his spikes and is running a different race.

Sports

Teamwork Focus Propels UNC to Place 2nd

By Chris Gilfillan | September 16

North Carolina cross country coach Mike Whittlesey was more worried about cooperation than he was about wins or losses at the UNC Challenge. On a rainy Saturday morning at the Finley cross country course, the UNC men's alumni team defeated the present Tar Heel team, while Coastal Carolina eked out a 3-point win over the UNC women's team. But Whittlesey was satisfied by the second-place finishes. He even kept his top four women from competing.

Sports

Cross Country Siblings Bring UNC Team Unity

By Chris Gilfillan | September 13

"Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace." It all began with William Wallace and David Stroupe. At Watauga High School in Boone in 1996, Stroupe and his cross country team watched "Braveheart" the night before the state championship meet. The next morning, donning plaid Scottish kilts and blue face paint, the team recited the "Sons of Scotland" speech and ran the 5k, continuously screaming "Freedom." Stroupe and his teammates captured the state title.

Sports

UNC Runners Face Different Roads

By Chris Gilfillan | August 27

While the North Carolina women's cross country team is returning its star, the men will be busy searching for a leader this year. UNC standout Shalane Flanagan, the returning two-time Southeastern and ACC champion, led the women's cross country team to a seventh place finish in the NCAA's last season. Over the past two seasons the junior was the team's young star -- as a freshman she finished fourth in the nation. Now, one of the oldest on the team, she carries the authority that comes with age.