Pitt track and field posts solid showing at ACC Indoor Championship

Pitt track and field competed in the 2024 ACC Indoor Championship this past weekend, hosted by Boston College. The Panthers posted several strong performances, and many athletes earned personal bests.

Pitt kicked off its successes on Thursday in the pentathlon with senior Taylor Newton placing seventh and graduate student Lydia Bottelier placing fourth. Bottelier also received Second Team All-ACC honors and placed second in the women’s high jump with 1.76m. Newton placed fifth in the women’s high jump with a personal best of 1.70m. 

Junior Nigel Hussey earned a personal best with a time of 21.29 in the men’s 200m prelims and advanced to the final round. In the women’s 200m, first-year Somiyah Braggs also hit a personal best with a time of 23.88. 

The men’s distance medley relay, consisting of Jack Miller, Raymond Oriakhi, Luke Simpson and Finn Walsh, ran the eighth-best time in program history, finishing with a time of 9:51.59. The women’s distance medley relay, consisting of Sydney Nowicki, Mackenzie Sullivan, Claire Hoffman, and Olivia Bufalini, finished with a time of 11:34.07. The time was the ninth-best women’s program time, as well as a season-best.

Junior Luke Miller finished with a personal best of 14:07.96 in the 5k event, placing fourth all-time in program history and finishing 16th at the meet. 

Senior Foluke Olujide-Ajibade broke her own school record in the women’s weight throw, posting a mark of 21.67m. She received First Team All-ACC accolades and was a podium finisher. 

On Friday, the Panthers returned to action, and graduate student Clement Campbell placed sixth in the men’s long jump with 7.79 meters. His score earned him the third-best mark in school history, and his second Second Team All-ACC honors. 

Sophomore Devin Nugent ran a personal best with a time of 47.22 in the 400-meter prelims to advance to the final race. He also received seventh place in indoor program history. Braggs also competed in the women’s 60-meter prelims and advanced to the final race. She broke her own second-best time in program history, going from 7.40 to 7.36.

Senior Ilse Steigenga jumped 6.34 meters in the women’s long jump, placing third on the podium. She received First Team All-ACC honors. 

The Panthers wrapped up the championship on Saturday. 

Nugent placed fifth in the men’s 400 finals with a time of 47.25 and earned Second Team All-ACC honors. Braggs placed fourth in the women’s 60 finals with a time of 7.37. Hussey placed fifth in the men’s 200 with a time of 21.39. 

Jack Miller and Quintin Gatons placed 16th and 24th place, respectively, in the men’s 3000. Gatons placed the third fastest time in program history with 8:05.81. In the women’s 3000, Nowicki had a time of 9:35.13 and placed 10th.

Sophomore Niya Crawford placed fifth in the women’s shot put with a distance of 15.72 meters, making third-best for the school record. She also earned Second Team All-ACC honors. 

The men’s 4×400 relay consisted of Malik Ricketts, Stephon Brown, Thomas McDonough and Nugent. They ran a time of 3:09.44 and earned the fourth-fastest time in school history. 

Overall, the Panthers had two individual events and one relay on the podium. The men’s team had 17 points and ended in twelfth place. The women’s team earned 31 points, making them 10th overall. This finish by the women’s team was the best ever for the Panthers in school history.