ACC Preview: Men

Similar to that of the women in there is one noticeable dominate team, Florida State. Florida State been the only relevant national title contender in the conference and treats its fellow members as such. State. Florida State has won the conference title outdoors six consecutive times. There successful indoor championship streak ended in February of this year to championship meet host Virginia Tech. The Hokies of Virginia Tech still will field a strong team but this maybe a championships level team for Florida State.

The Sprints as usual are the highlight of the ACC Conference. Florida State in recent years has been the headliner. Ngoni Makusha burst onto the scene in 2011 with a personal best and collegiate record of 9.89 in the 100 meter dash. Makusha has forgone his senior season and has left the responsibility up to senior Maurice Mitchell. While Makusha was the 100 meter guy, Mitchell was the 200 meter guy. Mitchell will not be alone in the sprints, fellow senior Kemar Hyman, David Ambler and Brandon O'Connor in the 400 will look to continue the Florida State sprint tradition.

There are plenty of great distance programs in this conference and there always seems to be a top listed as a favorite to win the NCAA title either Indoor or Outdoor. Robby Andrews of Virginia is the national headliner. Andrews burst on the scene in 2010 winning the indoor 800 NCAA crown. Andrews is developing well in the 1,500 meters as well finishing 2nd last outdoor season at the conference championship and is the favorite for the crown this indoor season. Teammates Michael Hammond and William Mulherin of Virginia Tech should be the main challenge in the 1,500 and potential threat in the 5,000 meter race.

The field event battle is another in which Florida State and Virginia Tech push to claim the top. In the horizontal jumping events Florida State loses a phenomenal performer in defending long jump champion Ngoni Makusha. Paul Madzivire will look to continue the success at Florida State will fending off Jeff Artis-Gray of Virginia Tech. The Triple Jump will favorite Virginia Tech with the return of Hasheem Halim the outdoor conference champion. David Wilson may be a competitor or he may enter the NFL Draft. Halim is also a preseason favorite to earn All-American honors.

In the high jump defending champ Dwight Barbiasz of Maryland may never get the chance to defend his title. The University of Maryland has decided to end their Men's track and field program. Rumors are that he is headed to the University of Florida (yay). Ronnie Black and Rene Stauss will lead the way for Virginia Tech for a potential 1-2 finish. The pole vault will also be kind to Virginia Tech. Joel Davis is the top returnee for the Hokies in the conference and Andrew LaHaye of Florida State will clash in a quality competition. Teammate Michael Putman will represent the Seminoles well in the throwing events along with Emory Parsons of North Carolina.

Curtis Beach of Duke will be the heavy favorite in the Heptathlon after having an excellent freshman season. However his performance will likely not affect the team race. I will pick Florida State for now, but I may change depending on the decision from David Wilson.

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ACC Preview: Women

It is that time of year, the wonderful indoor track and field season. We have discovered in recent years that a great indoor campaign does not always pan out well for the outdoors. However for track and field fans it is still an important and fun season.

The ACC as we currently know it will change in the 2012-2013 seasons by adding Pittsburgh and Syracuse from the Big East. The two programs will add depth to an already stellar conference.

In the sprints and hurdles Clemson has been the king, or queen if you will, in these events. This season that will not change. Junior Stormy Kendrick is the defending champion and was solid during the 2011 season and should claim both the 60 meters and 200 meters. Teammates Jasmine Edgerson and Marlena Wesh will continue to be a challenge with Kendrick ultimately prevailing.

Wesh is a great long sprinter. She has yet to really perform at the level her talent can take her. She is in a Allyson Felix mode just posing as a 400 meter runner. This season expect Wesh to step it up with no real competition to challenge her.

Teammates of Wesh and Kendrick at Clemson will also likely dominate their best event indoors, the 60 meter hurdles. With Ti'erra Brown of Miami gone, Brianna Rollins and Bridgette Owens are free to dominate. Rollins is the defending NCAA Indoor Champion and was the only athlete under the 8 second mark last season with a personal record of 7.96. Defending champion Edgerson will look to boost points in the event as well.

In the 4x400 relay Clemson will take the crown in this event as well. Although North Carolina was the team to beat last season, they had a pair of seniors on their squad. Losing two relay members to graduation will be hard for the Tar Heels to replace. Clemson has the luck of returning all four members of their outdoor runner-up squad from last season.

In the distance races no one school is expected to dominate at the top. However schools such as North Carolina, Duke and Boston College will be well represented in each event. Jillian King of Boston College looks to the lead the way in both the 800 and 1,500 meter races. King will be challenged by Amanda Winslow of Florida State and Morgane Gay of the University of Virgina in the 1,500 and should see competition from Tasha Stanley of North Carolina in the 800. King has the advantage of strong kick due to her speed and strong performances in the 800. In the long distance races Jessica Perry of Florida State should claim the crown in the 5,000. Fellow sophomore Erin Mercer of North Carolina State will also pose as a threat to the top. For the ACC the future looks bright in distance racing as usual.

Clemson represents themselves well in the sprints and hurdles, but they are superior in the jumps as well. In the high jump April Sinkler will look to add to ACC title hardware. The 2011 outdoor champion is also a threat to claim in the NCAA Indoor title and the ACC title in then long jump as well. With Kimberly Williams of Florida State now gone due to graduation the only challenge Sinkler will find will be from teammate Jasmine Brunson.

Sinkler will look to complete the triple-crown by claiming the triple jump as well. This event too was dominated by Williams. Another Seminole named Michelle Jenije will look to make it tough for Sinkler to sweep the events. Teammate Lauren Terstappen is the early favorite to claim the Pole Vault. Two Tar Heels in Sandi Morris and Merritt Van Meter will look to challenge Terstappen for the crown.

Samira Burkhardt of Virginia Tech and Brittney Waller of Clemson look to claims the crown in their respected throwing events. Burkhard the defending champion in the shot put will see strong competition Lawanda Henry of North Carolina State. Miranda Wilson of Miami should challenge defending champion Waller in the weight throw.

In the pentathlon the consistent dominant performer in Kiani Profit of Maryland has now graduated. Junior Ariel Roberts of North Carolina will look to take over, Roberts finished runner-up to All-American Profit last season.

The expected team champion: CLEMSON

Clemson just has way too much fire power to be denied. They have room for plenty of errors and at championship meets they do not generally make them.

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