Virginia Track & Field Teams Top All ACC Teams at NCAA Outdoor Championships

UVA's men's and women's teams placed higher in the team standings than any other ACC program at the NCAA Track & Field Championships

Virginia Athletics

Both of the Virginia men's and women's track & field teams finished above all other ACC teams in the team standings at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week in Austin, Texas. Seven Cavaliers - five men and two women - earned All-American honors, including three podium finishes. 

Virginia Men's Track & Field

Fifth year Ethan Dabbs earned Virginia's first medal of the meet on Wednesday in the men's javelin. Dabbs earned a silver medal, as his fourth attempt of 79.27 meters was second only to LSU's Tzuriel Pedigo (79.79 meters). This is the second year in a row that Dabbs has finished as the runner-up in the event and he is now a three-time First-Team All-American, as he also placed seventh in 2019. 

The dynamic duo of sophomore Nate Mountain and fifth year Derek Johnson both notched top eight finishes in the 3000-meter steeplechase, as Mountain placed 4th in 8:35.99 and Johnson took 8th in 8:37.29, both earning All-American honors. 

Graduate Owayne Owens put the finishing touches on an incredible collegiate career with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump with his mark of 16.36 meters. That finish was his highest-ever at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and Owens earned his first-career First-Team All-American selection at NCAA Outdoors. 

Finally, junior Conor Murphy placed fifth in the 800 meters with a personal-best time of 1:46.43, the fourth-fastest time in program history, and earned All-American honors. 

As a team, Virginia placed 11th in the team standings, the third-highest finish for the UVA men in program history. The Cavaliers recorded 21 points, third-most in program history, and placed higher on the team standings at the NCAA Championships than any other ACC team for the first time since 2017, when UVA finished third. Virginia's five First-Team All-Americans were also the most for the program since 2017. 

“Our team competed exceptionally well throughout the entire meet," said Virginia director of track & field Vin Lananna. "From the very start of our campaign this year we have tried to emphasize the fact that every point counts and all five of our men scrapped for each and every point they could get. I am incredibly proud of the way they competed this week.”

Virginia Women's Track & Field

Sophomore Margot Appleton placed third in her heat in the women's 1500 meters to advance to an NCAA Final for the second time this season, as she also placed fourth in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships. In the finals, Appleton raced to a third-place finish and the bronze medal with a time of 4:09.30, becoming the fifth Cavalier in program history to earn All-American honors in the event and first since 2009. 

Graduate Ashley Anumba broke the Virginia program discus record for the seventh time in her career with a mark of 61.13 meters on her fourth attempt. That mark earned her the silver medal, as Anumba was only bested by an NCAA Championships record throw of 65.55 meters by Oregon's Jorinde Van Klinken. Anumba became the third Cavalier in history to earn First-Team All-American honors in the women's discus. 

Sophomore Sophie Atkinson place 18th in the women's 10,000 meters and fifth year Alix Still finished 21st in the heptathlon. 

The Virginia women placed 17th in the team standings, the program's fourth-best finish of all time, and totaled its fourth-most points with 14 total team points. The Cavalier women also placed higher in the team standings than any other ACC program. 

“A small group of women competed exceptionally well this week," said Vin Lananna. "Those who are graduating have laid the foundation for great success to come and have left us in a very good position. Both teams competed brilliantly in every event, and I think we had some extraordinary things ahead for us. I am looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the next few seasons.”

To stay up to date on all Virginia Cavaliers sports news, follow CavaliersNow on social media:

Facebook: @CavaliersNow
Twitter: @CavaliersNowFN