Polychroniou Wins Gold as Cavaliers Kickstart Competition at ACC Indoor Championships

BOSTON, Mass. — The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field opened competition at the 2026 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston, Mass. on Thursday (Feb. 26) as Nickolaos Polychroniou won the men's weight throw to lead a total of 10 Cavaliers on the podium. 

Heptathlon Day 1
8. Henry Sullivan  2870 pts

5. Cassie Callis 3748 pts PR

• Nikolaos Polychroniou won the men's weight throw competition throwing for a new personal best mark of 23.06m/75-8. His mark is the second best in program history.
• After winning the event a year ago, Jeremiah Nubbe earned the bronze medal throwing for 22.56m/74-0.25.
• This marks the second straight year in which the Cavaliers have taken home the title in the men's weight throw.
• Also in the field were Keyandre Davis (22.50m/73-10) and Cale Ayers (20.83m/68-4.25) in fourth and seventh place. For his performance, Davis earned second team All-ACC accolades.
• In the women's weight throw, Charlotta Sandkulla broke the school record on her sixth throw with her mark of 20.48m/67-2.50. Sandkulla's mark was good for fifth place overall and second team All-ACC honors.
• The previous program record in the women's weight throw stood at 20.06m/65-9.75 by Eliese Mitchell in 2002.
• Alongside Sandkulla in the women's weight throw final was Bree Lumpkin. Lumpkin threw a new personal best on her first attempt in the competition. Her mark of 18.58m/60-11.50 moved up to Virginia No. 3 all-time. 

• The relay team of Harrison Witt, Anders Felts, Alex Leath and Justin Wachtel finished runner-up in the distance medley relay clocking 9:35.39.
• The dynamic duo of Gary Martin and Nathan Mountain earned the silver and bronze medal in the men's 5000-meters as Martin crossed the line in 13:41.66 just ahead of Mountain in a new personal best time of 13:43.16. Mountain's time moves up to No 5 all-time.
• In the women's 5000-meter run, Gillian Bushee recorded a personal best of 15:48.47 to earn the bronze medal and move up to No. 3 all-time in program history. 

 

• In the men's 5000-meter unseeded section, Will Anthony finished fourth crossing the line in 13:57.24. His time was 11^th overall between the two sections.
• Sarah Akpan equaled her season best in the women's 200-meter prelim clocking 24.32.
• After getting tripped up on the curve, the relay team of Cate DeSousa, Brooke'Lyn Drakeford, Ella Woehlcke and Tatum David finished sixth in 11:09.94.

 

First Team: Elsa Spoor, Nate Mountain, Gary Martin, Nikolaos Polychroniou, Jeremiah Nubbe, Gillian Bushee
Second Team: Cassie Callis, Keyandre Davis, Harrison Witt, Anders Felts, Alex Leath, Justin Wachtel 

The Virginia men's and women's track and field teams continue competition at the 2026 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston, Mass. tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m.