Mountain Earns ACC Athlete of the Week Honors

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday (April 23) that Nate Mountain of the Virginia track and field program earned ACC Athlete of the Week status after a record setting weekend at the 2024 Virginia Challenge.

At the 2024 Virginia Challenge, Nate Mountain put on a show in the men’s 3000m steeplechase invitational section running blistering 8:20.86. Mountain not only surpassed former Cavalier Derek Johnson in the race, Mountain also surpassed Johnson’s Virginia school record in the event which previously stood at 8:25.23 from 2023. No stranger to competing against each other, Mountain and Johnson went 1-2 at the ACC Outdoor Championships last season.

Mountain finished second in the field just behind Matthew Wilkinson of Under Armour. Wilkinson stormed to the finish in 8:18.53 to break the Virginia Challenge Meet and Lannigan Field record. Pulled along by Wilkinson, Mountain also broke the 42-year-old ACC Conference record previously held by Hans Koeleman of Clemson at 8:21.72.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native currently ranks first in the ACC by a total of 13 seconds while also leading the NCAA by five seconds this season. His successful run does not stop there as Mountain recorded the 13th fastest 3000m steeplechase mark all-time in collegiate history with the fastest time in the country this season. With a 12-second personal-best, Mountain achieved the US Olympic Trials “A” Standard which stands at 8:30.00.

Mountain joins Will Anthony, Gary Martin and Jenny Schilling on the list of Cavaliers that have earned ACC weekly honors this outdoor track & field season. In the most recent USTFCCCA ranking, the men’s team checks in at No.17.

Virginia Outdoor ACC Weekly Award Winners

Up Next
Virginia will be back in action as the team competes at the prestigious Penn Relays Thursday (April 25) through Saturday (April 27) in Philadelphia, Pa. before returning home to host the Virginia High Performance at Lannigan Field on Sunday (April 28).