April 20, 2006

Results

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --- Junior Justin Ryncavage just missed an Atlantic Coast Conference outdoor meet record in winning the javelin and senior Laura Gerraughty won the hammer throw to lead the University of North Carolina track and field teams on day one of the ACC Outdoor Championships Thursday at Kentner Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest. In addition to the two champions, juniors Nick Owens and Rhian Jenks and freshman Adam Montague earned All-ACC honors.

Ryncavage led a very strong showing by the Tar Heel men in the javelin. His winning throw of 240 feet, 1 inch, was a facility record and just seven inches shy of Sean Murray's ACC meet and Carolina record of 240-8 set in 1992. Joining Ryncavage on the medal stand was Montague, a freshman from Australia competing in his first ACC meet. His top mark of 224-8 was good for second place. Freshman Erek Latzka also scored for the Tar Heels, taking fifth place with a throw of 185-5.

Gerraughty's title was her 11th career ACC crown and her second in the hammer. Despite having not competed in the event in 2006, Gerraughty bested the field with a winning throw of 204-5 (62.32m), just 0.50 meters shy of the ACC meet record set by Clemson's Jamine Moton in 2002 and a new facility record.

In a showdown of the nation's three best men in the hammer throw, Virginia Tech's Mohsen Anani outdistanced his teammate Spyridon Jullien and Owens for medalist honors. Anani's fifth throw of the day travled 231-5 (70.55m) to move ahead of Jullien (69.13m) for the title. Owens hit 225-3 (68.66m) for third.

Jenks earned All-ACC honors with a third-place finish in the pole vault. Her top height of 12-5 1/2 (3.80m) earned Carolina six team points. Florida State's Lacy Janson was the story of the day, breaking the all-time collegiate record in the event with a leap of 15-0 1/4 (4.58m). She became just the second collegiate women to clear 15 feet.

Carolina has three men in the top 10 through five events of the decathlon. Kevin Patterson is in fifth with 3,417 points, with Charles Wilkinson in seventh (3,307) and Daniel Keller in tenth (3,254).

Competition resumes Friday morning at 10:30.