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NCAA Runner-Up for Appleton, Trio of Cavaliers Earn All-America Honors on Final Day of NCAA Championships

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EUGENE, Ore. – The Virginia women’s track and field team closed out competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on Saturday (June 14) as Margot Appleton finished runner-up in the women’s 1500-meters while Celia Rifaterra and Estel Valeanu notched All-America honors in the high jump and discus throw.

Margot Appleton Returns to the Podium
In her third NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance, Margot Appleton completed the 1500-meter and 5000-meter double, earning All-America honors in both events.
  • Appleton executed a tactical race in the women’s 1500-meters to become the NCAA runner-up clocking 4:08.99 and earned first team All-America honors.
  • This marks the second time in three years in which Appleton has made the podium in the women’s 1500-meters at the NCAA Outdoor meet. She finished third in the event in 2023.
  • Just under two hours later, Appleton toed the line in the women’s 5000-meters where she finished 13th clocking 15:44.76.
  • For her performance in the 5k, the senior earned second team All-America accolades.
  • This marks her second consecutive year earning All-America honors in the 5000-meter event after finishing fourth a year ago.

All-America Honors for Estel Valeanu
In her third consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships, Estel Valeanu earned second team All-America accolades in the women’s discus.
  • On her first throw in the competition, Valeanu recorded a new personal best of  58.22m/191-0 to finish ninth in the field.
  • Valeanu bettered her previous best of 57.28m/187-11 and improved her Virginia No.2 all-time mark.
  • She adds another All-America accolade to her resume alongside a ninth in 2024 competing for LSU and sixth in 2023 with Harvard.

Celia Rifaterra Setting the Bar
In her second NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance, Celia Rifaterra cleared 1.84m/6-0.5 to finish seventh in the high jump and earn first team All-American honors.
  • After earning honorable mention honors a year ago, Rifaterra notched first team All-America honors clearing 1.84m/6-0.5 for seventh place.
  • Rifaterra cleared the first three bars on her first attempt at each height before knocking the bar down at 1.87m/6-1.50.
  • Alongside Rifaterra was her teammate, Carly Tarentino in her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut. Tarentino cleared 1.74m/5-8.50 on her first attempt to finish tied for 19th place and garner honorable mention accolades.


Wednesday-Friday Recap

  • Gary Martin finished fifth in the men’s 1500-meters to earn his first career outdoor first team All-America accolades clocking 3:47.58.
  • In the men’s 5000-meters, Will Daley execute a smart race to earn his first second team All-America honors finishing 13th in 13:36.55. He moves up to Ni.5 all-time in program history.
  • On the first day of competition, Keyandre Davis garnered second team All-America honors in the men’s hammer throwing for 66.24m/217-4 to finish 15th in the field of 24 athletes.
  • On the second day of competition, Annika Kelly secured second team All-America honors in the women’s hammer throwing for 64.87m/212-10 to finish 14th in the field.
  • In the semifinal, Gary Martin (3:52.97) and Margot Appleton punched their tickets to the final in the men’s and women’s 1500-meters. Both earned an automatic bid placing in the top five finishers in their respective heats.
  • In their NCAA Outdoor Championships debut, Alex Sherman (50.98) and Jenny Schilling (33:07.58) notched honorable mention accolades in the men’s 400-meter hurdles and the women’s 10,000-meters. Both finished 17th in the competition.
  • Justin Wachtel garnered honorable mention accolades in the men’s 5000-meters.
Scoring a total of 10 points, the Virginia women finished 26th in the team standings.
 
2025 Cavalier All-Americans
First Team: Margot Appleton (1500m), Gary Martin (1500m), Celia Rifaterra (High Jump)
Second Team: Margot Appleton (5000m), Will Daley (5000m) Keyandre Davis (HT), Annika Kelly (HT), Estel Valeanu (Discus)
Honorable Mention: Alex Sherman (400mH), Jenny Schilling (10,000m), Carly Tarentino (High Jump), Justin Wachtel (5000m)

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