April 17, 2010
CLEMSON, S.C. – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track & field teams both finished seventh overall at the 2010 ACC Outdoor Championships, which wrapped up this evening at the Rock Norman Track in Clemson, S.C. The women’s team ended the Championships with 54.5 points, while the men tallied 41.5 points.
The leaders on the final day of the ACC Championships for the Yellow Jackets were seniors Alphonso Jordan and Alana Clooten, who won events. Jordan captured the triple jump for the second straight year, while Clooten won the first ACC Championship of her career with a victory in the hammer throw.
Jordan’s performance in the triple jump was an historic one as well, as his final mark of 54 feet, 6.50 inches was not only a new outdoor school record, but a new ACC Outdoor Championships and Rock Norman Track record. With the effort, Jordan broke an 18-year old record, previously held by Florida State’s Kelsey Nash.
Clooten, who finished sixth in the hammer at last season’s ACC Championships, registered an impressive performance in the event to earn her first ACC Championship gold medal. The senior’s mark of 188 feet, six inches won her the event by almost 12 feet and was also the third best mark of her career. With the win, Clooten becomes the first Georgia Tech woman to win the event at the ACC’s in school history.
In other action on the afternoon, Terri Ann Grant earned All-ACC honors for the second time in her career with a second place finish in the women’s portion of the high jump, finishing with a mark of 5 feet, 11.25 inches. The mark was a career-best for Grant. Meanwhile, junior Joanna Wright just missed out on All-ACC honors in the pole vault, finishing fifth overall after posting a mark of 12 feet, 5.50 inches.
On the men’s side, Jordan had an impressive showing in the 110 meter hurdles with a fifth place finish after crossing the finish line in 14 seconds flat. Teammate and fellow senior Juan Cave also just missed out on All-ACC honors in the high jump, finishing in a tie for fourth with a mark of six feet, 8.75 inches.
In other results, senior Tiffany Grant finished eighth in the 400m dash with a time of 55.68, while sophomore Mary Kate DuBard placed eight in the 1500 meter run after crossing the finish line in 17:13.68. In the women’s 400m hurdles, sophomore Jasmine Isley placed sixth in 59.62, while in the high jump, Bianca Stewart finished in a tie for fifth with a final mark of five feet, 8.50 inches.
The Georgia Tech track & field teams return to action on Thursday, April 22nd when they take part in the illustrious Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pa.
