Status Update: Pros, ACC Leaders and Upcoming Events
4/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
PITTSBURGH -- Professional sprinters and former Panthers Brycen Spratling and Cambrya Jones helped Team USA to relay victories at last week's Penn Relays, while another former Panther Carvin Nkanata is taking the world by storm.
Running professionally for Kenya, Nkanata not only re-established his own national record in the 200 meter dash at the NTC Pure Athletics Sprint Elite Meet on April 18, but he clocked a world-leading time of 20.14.
Nkanata, who was a six-time All-America performer for the Panthers, and Spratling, a 10-time All-American, will reunite this weekend in the Bahamas for the IAAF World Relays.
Spratling will once again run the 4x400 meter relay for Team USA, while Nkanata will headline the Kenyan efforts in the 4x200 meter relay.
ACC LEADERS:
With one meet remaining before the ACC Championship Meet in Tallahassee, the Panthers currently have two student-athletes who have posted the league's top times or distances in their respective events, and a handful of otherswho are in contention for ACC titles.
Sophomore Desmond Palmer is a true contended for a national title in the men's 400 meter hurdles. He set the school record at the Texas Relays with a 49.59 and currently owns the nation's fourth fastest time in that event. He only trails Michael Stigler of Kansas (48.44), Eric Futch of Florida (49.45) and Keyunta Hayes of UT San Antonio (49.48).
Senior Julia Koloski has posted the ACC's longest distance in the women's triple jump at 12.77m, while was also established at the Texas Relays. Clemson's Anasterasia Terrell (12.68m) has the second best distance in the ACC.
ALSO IN THE MIX:
As we approach the conference meet, also looking to contend for titles will be sophomore javelin thrower Ethan Shalaway, who has the ACC's second best mark of 69.44m, Imani Brown in the men's triple jump who is second in the league with a school record mark of 15.94m, and Evann Thompson who ranks fourth in the ACC in the women's 400 meter hurdles (58.56).
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Panthers have one final meet to improve upon their times for the ACC Championship Meet. Pitt will head to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend to participate in the Jesse Owens Classic.