Juniors Eliese Mitchell and Kiamesha Otey of Virginia's track and field team made their mark in the NCAA indoor championships March 9 and 10 to close out the indoor season. One week later, the Cavaliers kicked off the outdoor season against a host of teams in Charlotte.
Otey won All-American honors and finished fifth overall in the long jump at the NCAA indoor championships. She jumped 6.26 meters to finish fifth, beating her 6.14 qualifying mark.
Otey "had it in her head all along and she went to NCAAs and came back an All-American," senior sprinter Shay Clark said.
Mitchell finished eighth in the weight throw with a distance of 18.97 meters.
Mitchell and the Cavaliers had a smooth transition to the outdoor season with a strong performance in the Charlotte 49er Classic. Mitchell won the hammer throw and took two third place finishes in discus and shot put.
The women finished strong in Charlotte, as senior Dawn Cleary added a first place finish in the 1500 meter and a third place finish in the 3000 meter races to Mitchell's accomplishments.
"The girls are tough, they are always competitive," Clark said.
None of the men topped an event, but two members had second place finishes as the team switched gears for outdoor competition.
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"The biggest difference between the indoor and outdoor season is the distance," Clark said. "In indoor everything is over in an instant, so we need to build up our endurance for the outdoor season."
Virginia believes they can win the ACC championships, which will be held in Charlottesville this year.
If the Cavaliers are going to enjoy success this season, they will have to oust some established competitors.
"Clemson has always been a powerhouse," Clark said. "We have to turn things around in our heads and have the mentality that they have to run against Virginia."
"We have a new track and new everything because of the ACC championships," Clark said. "We definitely want more spectators. I just want track to get the kind of respect we deserve, I want people to respect us as athletes"
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