2013 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships: Men’s Mid-D & Distance Preview
*LRC Additional NCAA Conference Previews Here
*MB: LetsRun.com’s 2013 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Conference Championship Previews Are Now Live – Discuss them here
by Isaac Wood for LetsRun.com
February 20, 2013
LRC Intro: The ACC outdoor preview – we mean the ACC indoor meet – is this weekend. Sorry, we just had to get that in there as it’s bad for the sport that a supposedly major conference has their conference meet before Penn/Drake Relays and it shows you most of the ADs don’t care about track but only about saving $$$. Someone has to hold them accountable. The outdoor meet is literally in what …? 8 weeks?
Here’s a stat for you. Their outdoor championship actually takes place closer to the NCAA indoor meet (6 weeks) than the NCAA outdoor meet (7 weeks).
Please be clear, the intro is from LetsRun.com and not Isaac Wood.
800m
Darrin Gibson of Florida State is the no. 1 returner in the ACC at 800m. In 2012, Gibson ran 1:49.42 to place second behind Ryan Witt of Virginia Tech. Gibson along with Shawn Roberts of Georgia Tech, have the same exact PRs for 800m outdoors. This launched both of them to the east regional meet. Shawn Roberts’ coming out party as a solid mid-distance guy happened outdoors in 2012 where he broke 1:50 for the first time. O’Neal Wanliss is the best 400m runner in the group with a fast PR of 47.43, along with his 1:48.43 800m PR. If the race gets tactical, which a lot of championship races end up being, Wanliss is one to watch out for along the final straightaway. Aaron Ramirez of Clemson is a very good mid-distance runner with good PRs of 1:49.04 outdoors and 3:44.97 1500m PR. His season best is 1:50.89 which places him 3rd in the conference by time. The wildcard is Anthony Kostelac of Virginia. Kostelac won this event two years ago in 2011 where he ran 1:49.24 for the win. He has solid PRs of 1:48.86 and 4:02.99 (mile) and should be considered a sleeper, butg has only run two races this year 4:08 and 4:09. The question will be if he actually runs the 800 at the ACC Championships, but chances are a former conference champion would get a chance to reclaim the title.
Predicted Place and Time
1. Shawn Roberts- Georgia Tech- 1:49.54
2. Darrin Gibson- Florida State- 1:49.87
3. Anthony Kostelac- Virginia-1:50.21
4. O’Neal Wanliss- North Carolina- 1:50.72
5. Aaron Ramirez- Clemson- 1:50.88
Mile
Ryan Hill has the ACC lead currently with the 3:54.89 he ran at Millrose last weekend. That is the fastest time in the conference by five and a half seconds. Will Mulherin of Virginia Tech is a very good 5000m runner, but has pretty good leg speed to go along with a very good aerobic capacity. His 4:00.21 SB/PR puts him no. 2 in the conference. He also has a 7:55 and 13:41 3K/5K PRs under his belt which makes him one of the elite distance runners in the country. If the pace is hard early (which it probably will not be) he will have a shot at the title because of his strength and toughness. Isaac Presson is the returning champion and has run a PR in the mile this season running 4:00.79 at the Husky Classic a few weekends ago. A 3:40.16 1500m PR is very strong and he should be considered a legitimate contender (especially if Hill does not even run) but he was only fifth outdoors last year. Michael Hammond of Virginia Tech is a very strong miler and should be considered a threat at any time he is entered because of his race savvy. Hammond ran 3:39.22 for 1500m last outdoor season, but has not had much success in the mile early on in his 2013 indoor campaign (1:53/2:25/4:03). Hammond finished 7th nationally in 2011 for the indoor mile. David Forrester comes in to the 2013 indoor season coming off of injuries that affected a great deal of his cross country season. A solid run at the Husky Classic a few weeks ago running 4:01.51, is a good indicator that Forrester is ready to roll a fast mile and has a shot at winning the indoor crown. Mark Amirault of Virginia, a Princeton grad in his sixth year, has PRs of 4:00.26 and 7:54.08 (3000m) and won the Ivy League mile crown in 2011 and ACC 5000 crown last year, so obviously runs well when it counts, but it’s very hard to figure out what event he’ll be in
1. Ryan Hill- NC State- 4:07.43
2. Will Mulherin- Virginia Tech- 4:07.99
3. David Forrester- Florida State- 4:08.32
4. Isaac Presson- North Carolina- 4:08.65
5. Michael Hammond- Va Tech- 4:09.73 (if Hill or Mulherin does not run he moves up a spot)
3000m
The returning champ is Ryan Hill who in all reality is the favorite in every single event from the mile on up. Hill’s 7:49.20 is the no. 2 time in the country and no. 1 in the ACC. If Hill pulls off a triple (which NC State could do, they could use the points), Hill would need to be smart and slow down each race. Forrester is another possible contender along with Mulherin (7:55 sb) and Amirault (7:57 sb). Pat Schellberg of North Carolina has the no. 4 time in the ACC having run 8:04.47. A 13:59.14 5000m PR is good and it seems as if his speed is coming along as he has developed. If the race is slowed down, it might be to his disadvantage, but he will certainly be in the mix. James Kostelnik and Mike Moverman of Duke are others that could be seen up with the front pack for a majority of the race. Moverman has run 8:07.91 this season and Kostelnik 8:07.51.
1. Ryan Hill- NC State- 8:02.67
2. Will Mulherin- Virginia Tech- 8:04.09
3. David Forrester- Florida State- 8:04.62
4. Mike Moverman- Duke 8:06.02
5. Pat Schellberg- North Carolina- 8:06.12
6. James Kostelnik- Duke- 8:08.42 (if Hill or anyone else does not run, he moves up a spot)
LRC Addition: If Amirault runs this as well as the 5,000 or instead of it, you’d have to pick him for 2nd or 3rd.
5000m
The majority of the top athletes in the conference are a handful of runners that have good ranges from mile-5000m. Ryan Hill of NC State, Will Mulherin of Virginia Tech, David Forrester of Florida State, Mark Amirault of Virginia (the returning champion), etc. This race will most likely be no different as it merely depends on what coaches and runners decide to run and how they plan their race. Ryan Hill is the 2011 champ and Andrew Colley (his teammate at NC State who is a two-time XC All-American) who has not run since December, placed second in the 5000m in 2011. Thomas Curtin of Virginia Tech who could be considered a contender in the 3000m as well as 5000m, has the third fastest time in the conference, having run 14:02.73 at the Husky Classic. Curtin had a solid XC season finishing 88th at nationals and will be in the mix of this race. Thomas Porter of Virginia is the no. 3 returner from last season and has not done much this indoor which gives me reason to believe he might not run. In that case the door is open for several other athletes to crack the top five. Brian Atchison of Duke and Ty McCormack of Clemson are a two who could possibly fill that role.
1. Ryan Hill- NC State- 14:08.91
2. Mark Amirault- Virginia- 14:09.45
3. Andrew Colley- NC State? -14:11.56
4. Thomas Curtin- Virginia Tech-14:12.84
5. Thomas Porter- Virginia-14:12.99
6. Ty McCormack-14:13.50 (moves up a spot for whoever does not compete)
DMR
Virginia Tech is absolutely loaded at the mid-distance events with four different athletes who have run sub-1:52 for 800m and three different athletes who have run sub 4:05 for a mile. A 48.31 400m guy (McCants) should be good enough for the win. NC State has some solid options and most likely will use someone else besides Hill for the mile anchor leg, perhaps someone like: Sonnenfelt or Colley. Duke has some solid core guys, Moverman, Kostelnik, DeMatteo and will be in the mix. Virginia has Amirault who they will most likely not use, but Sean Keveren has not been mentioned, along with Thomas Porter and Kostelnac could make up a solid DMR.
1. Virginia Tech
2. Virginia
3. NC State
4. Duke
5. Florida State
*LRC Additional NCAA Conference Previews Here
*MB: LetsRun.com’s 2013 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Conference Championship Previews Are Now Live – Discuss them here