McDermott Wins Third ACC Championship

Friday, April 22

Durham, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day Two at ACC Outdoor Championships

McDermott Wins Third ACC Championship

4/22/2011 11:23:00 PM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C.- Senior Ryan McDermott's three-peat on the track he has called home for four years has kept Duke on top after day two of the ACC Championships.

With a contingent of friends, family and teammates urging him on at the finish line, McDermott took off to an early lead in the men's 3k steeplechase. On the bell lap, McDermott began to separate himself from the pack, only Jason Cusack of Virginia Tech was able to stay with McDermott for the next 200 meters. But as Cusack's reserves ran dry, McDermott kicked into another gear to pull away after clearing the final water pit to take the gold with a time of 8:45.42, only a second shy of his personal best. McDermott was embraced after clenching his third straight ACC Championship, the first Duke athlete to do so since Roger Beardmore pulled the trick from 1971-1973.

McDermott was not the only male to help Duke hold down the top spot. Despite cold and rainy conditions, senior Mike Schallmo was able to take an early lead with a first round throw in the men's shot. On his second toss, Schallmo set a new personal best with a toss of 58'3.25”. Schallmo held on to the top spot through prelims, but was knocked to second by a fourth round throw by Michael Putnam of Florida State, and then third when teammate Michael Barbas got threw 58'7.25” to tie his personal record and move into second. Unfortunately a final throw by Putnam and Alex Padgett of Clemson sent the Barbas and Schallmo into third and fourth place. Schallmo has picked up 13 points across two events for the Blue Devils over the weekend while Barbas has netted 10.

Also adding points for Duke was sophomore Curtis Beach. Last year's ACC Championships saw Beach sidelined by injuries during day one of the two day event. This year, after a fantastic day one, with a personal best of 10.88 in the 100m and a 24' jump that was marked foul, Beach came back and completed his first Decathlon in a Duke uniform. A third place finish in the 110 hurdles and a second place finish in the discus left Beach in second place with three events left. Unfortunately, rain delays ended the momentum the sophomore had been building as he lost ground in the pole vault and javelin throw and fell to third place. In the final event of the day, the men's 1,500m, Beach looked sluggish in the first three laps, trailing behind 2009 NCAA runner up Mateo Sossah of UNC and 2011 NCAA heptathlon champion Miller Moss of Clemson. On the final lap, Beach kicked it up while others faltered and took the lead finishing two seconds ahead of eventual champion Sossah. Beach's total of 7543 set a new school record and garnered the title of All-ACC and six points for the Blue Devils.

For the women, Michelle Anumba, struggled to maintain a strong grip on the shot but was able to fight her way from the eighth position going into finals to the fourth spot at the end of the event. Fighting their way to a fourth and fifth place finish, and picking up nine points, were Emily Schwitzer and Mary Carleton Johnston in the women's 3k steeple. Hanging with the lead pack for the majority of the race, the two pushed each other to fight off a surge from the lead runners, but Schwitzer came only 2 seconds shy of attaining All-ACC honors and a bronze medal.

In the high jump, the freshmen duo of Tanner Anderson and Michael Krone added 9.5 total points for Duke. Also hampered by cold weather and a wet track, both jumpers easily cleared the first two heights and made it to 6'9”. Anderson cleared his first jump at the third height of 6'9.5” to secure third place and All-ACC honors. Unfortunately, Krone missed his first jump but was able to clear it on his next attempt and tie for fifth place. No other jumper, save Dwight Barbiasz of Maryland, was able to clear the final height of 6'11.5”.

Going into the final day of the meet, Duke was able to send seven athletes to the finals. In the women's 1,500m Gabby Levac, Esther Vermeer, and 2011 NCAA runner up in the mile, Kate Van Buskirk all qualified by finishing top three in their heats.

Brittany Whitehead and Matt Pridemore both qualified in the 400m dash, breaking Duke's five year drought of athletes in the sprint finals. Whitehead qualified on time while Pridemore was able to win his heat.

In the women's 800m, Devotia Moore and Cydney Ross will once again run in another finals. This marks the fourth ACC finals the two have run in together.

The men's total of 70.50 points is 19.5 ahead of perennial powerhouse Florida State. The women have fallen to second place behind Clemson, but still hold a nine point lead over third place Florida State.

The meet continues tomorrow at 10 a.m. with the postponed women's high jump. You can find live results, stream info and schedule at the official championship homepage of the ACC.