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ACC 50th Anniversary Teams
On May 8, 1953, the Atlantic Coast Conference was formed at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. In the intervening 49 years, the league has come a long way since those early days and has developed into a national leader in intercollegiate athletics. In the midst of the 2002-2003 season, the conference celebrated its 50th birthday in style. A series of events were planned to commemorate the ACC 50 years of excellence in intercollegiate athletics, including naming a 50th Anniversary Team for each of the conference’s sports.

Women’s Track and Cross Country

Ann Bair, Track (1980-1983)
Two-time All-American in the high jump (I) (1981, 1983)…ACC Outdoor Champion in the high jump (1983) and Heptathlon (1983)…UVA Outdoor record holder in the high jump (1.89m, 1983).

Dana Boone, Track (1988-1991)

Named to All-America team three times in 1991 (Long Jump, (I,O), Triple Jump (O))…All-American in the outdoor Long Jump in 1990…All-American in the Indoor and Outdoor Triple Jump in 1989…Three- time ACC Champion in the Outdoor Long Jump (1988,1990,1991)…ACC Indoor Champion in Long Jump (1989)…Two-time ACC Outdoor Champion in the Triple Jump (1988, 1991)…Holds UVA Indoor record for the Long Jump (6.44m, 1991)…Holds UVA Outdoor record for the Long Jump (6.65m, 1990) and the Triple Jump (13.05m, 1991).

Gail Bryant, Track (1982-1985)
Six-time All-American (440m (I), 4x440m (I)-1982, 4x800m (I), 800m (O)-1984, 4x800m (I), 800m (O)-1985)…ACC Outdoor Champion in the 400m (1985)…Two-time ACC Champion in the 400m Hurdles…UVA Outdoor record holder in the 800m (2:04.21,1985), 4x800m (8:32.13, 1982).

Claire Forbes, Cross Country and Track (1990-1993)
Two-time All-American in 1992 (3,000m (I,O))…Two-time ACC Outdoor Champion in the 1,500m (1990, 91), 3,000m (1990, 92)…Three- time ACC Outdoor Champion in the 5,000m (1990, 91, 92)…ACC Indoor Champion in the Mile (1990) and 3,000m (1992)…ACC Performer of the Meet (1990, 92).

Sonja Fridy, Track (1984-1987)
Five-time All-American in 1987 for Long Jump (I,O), 500m (I), 200m (O), 400m (O)…ACC Outdoor Champion in the Long Jump (1985, 1986,1987), 100m (1984,1986,1987), 200m (1984 1986, 1987)…ACC Indoor Champion 60m (1987)…Holds UVA Outdoor records in the 100m (11.36,1987), 200m (23.14,1987), 400m (51.96,1987), 4×400 (3:36.24, 1985)…Holds UVA Indoor records in 55m (6.82,1986), 500m (1:09.89,1987), 4x400m (3:39.93,1987)…ACC Performer of the Meet (1986).

Sherry Gould, Track (1991-1994)
Three-time All-American (1993- High Jump (I,O …1994 High Jump (I))…ACC Champion in Heptathlon (1993)…Two-time ACC Indoor Champion in the High Jump (1993, 1994)…Holds UVA Indoor High Jump record (1.87m, 1994).

Margaret Groos, Cross Country (1977-1980)
Two-time All-American in Cross Country (1978, 79) … All-American (1,500m (O),1979)…Holds UVa Outdoor record for the 5,000m (15:51.24, 1980), 3,000m (9:07.84, 1979)…Holds UVa Indoor record for 3,200m (9:52.24, 1980) and 5,000m (15:34.74,1981).

Jill Haworth, Cross Country (1980-1983)
Nine-time All-American (1980-DMR (I), 1981-DMR (I),4x800m(I), 1,400m (O),Cross Country, 1982-DMR(I), One Mile (I), 1,500m (O)…Cross Country, National Champion 1,500m (I) (1981)…Member of National Championship Cross Country Team (1981, 82).

Patty Matava, Cross Country (1985-1988)
Three-time All American in Cross Country (1985, 86, 87)…All- American in the 5,000m (O) (1988)…Two- time ACC Outdoor Champion in the 5,000m (1984, 87)…Holds UVa Outdoor record for 10,000m (32:58.64,1987).

Aileen O’Connor, Cross Country (1979-1982)
Three-time All-American in Cross Country (1979, 80, 81)…All-American (1981-5,000m (I), 10,000m (O), 1982-Two Mile (I), 10,000m)…Member of the 1981 and ’82 National Championship Cross Country Teams…National Champion in 5,000m (1979) and 10,000m (1979).

Jennifer Owens, Cross Country (1998-2001)
Two-time All-American in Cross Country (1999, 2001).

Michele Rowen, Track (1983-1986)
Five-time All-American (4x800m (I)-1984, 4x800m (I), 1,500m (O)-1986, Mile (I), 1,500m (O)-1986)…ACC Indoor Champion in the Mile (1987)…ACC Outdoor Champion in the 3,000m (1987)…Holds UVA Outdoor record in the 1500m (4:15.37, 1987), 4x1500m (17:48.76, 1987), DMR (11:06.58, 1987).

Marissa Schmidt, Cross Country (1979-1982)

Two-time All-American in Cross Country (1981,1982)…All-American in 4×800 (I) (1981), Mile (I) (1982)…Member of the 1981 and ’82 National Championship Cross Country Teams.

Dana Slater, Cross Country (1979-1982)

All-American in Cross Country (1982)…Member of the 1981 and ’82 National Championship Cross Country Teams.

Lesley Welch, Cross Country (1980-1982)

All-American (1981-Cross Country, 1982-DMR (I), Three Mile (I), 3,000m (I), Cross Country)…National Champion in Cross Country (1982)…Member of the 1981 and ’82 National Championship Cross Country Teams.

Lisa Welch, Cross Country (1980-1982)

Two-time All-American (Cross Country-1981, DMR (I)-1982)…Member of the 1981 and ’82 National Championship Cross Country Teams.


Men’s Track and Cross Country

Ray Brown, Track (1981-1984)
Three-time All-American (1000m (I),1984; 800m (O), 1984; 800m (I), 1982)…Two-time ACC Champion in the 800m (O), 1983, 1984…UVA record holder in the 1000m (2:20.57, 1984), 4x800m(O) (7:14.64, 1982), 4x800m(I) (7:23.64, 1983), and the DMR (O) (9:25.56, 1983).

Greg Canty, Track (1977-1980)
Two-time All-American in 1977 and 1978 in the 1,000-yard run…Three-time ACC Outdoor Champion in the 800m (1978,1979,1980)…Four-time ACC Indoor Champion in the 1,000 yard run (1977-1980).

Mike Cotton, Cross Country (1978-1981)
Two-time All-American (3,000m SC,1981 and Cross Country, 1980)…ACC Champion in the 3,000m SC (1979) and 10,000m (1981)…ACC Performer of the Meet (1981)…UVa record holder in the 10,000m (28:55.34, 1981).

Paul Ereng, Track (1988-1989)

Four-time All-American (800m (I,O) 1988, 1989)…ACC Champion in the 800m (O) in both 1988 and 1989 and the 800m (I) in 198 …National Champion in the 800m (O) (1988), 800m (I) (1989), 800m (O) (1989)…Holds UVA Indoor records in the 500m (1:02.44, 1988), 800m (1:44.84, 1988), and the 4x400m (3:12.55, 1989)…Holds outdoor records in the 800m (1:43.16, 1989) and the 4x400m (3:07.14,1988).

Bobby Thiele, Cross Country (1997-2000)
Named to All-America team in 1999 for performance in Cross Country.

Keith Witherspoon, Track (1973-1976)

Named All-American in the Triple Jump (I) (1976)…Two-time ACC Indoor Champion in the Triple Jump (1975, 1976)…Two-time ACC Outdoor Champion in the Triple Jump (1975, 1976)…UVA Indoor and Outdoor record holder (I)16.16m (1976), (O)16.27m (1976).

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