Clemson All-American track star April Sinkler speaks to the more than 1,000 IPTAY reps at last Thursday's National Meeting in Columbia. Photo by Rex Brown
By Will Vandervort
COLUMBIA — When she came to Clemson four years ago, April Sinkler knew this is where she wanted to be. In fact, after visiting Clemson, the four-time All-American track athlete decided she had seen enough and committed to the Tigers on the spot.
Clemson's Jasmine Edgerson won the 60-meter dash at the Clemson Invitational this past weekend. Photo by Rex Brown
By Will Vandervort
CLEMSON — Clemson’s director of track and field, Lawrence Johnson, is not going to beat around the bush when he talks about the goals for his women’s track and field team this year.
With a mostly veteran squad returning, and a couple of freshmen that will give them even more depth, Johnson says he can see his Tigers not only competing for ACC Championships this winter and spring, but for national championships as well.
Clemson's Shai Carpenter, a freshman, was fourth in the long jump at the Clemson Invitational this past weekend. Photo by Rex Brown
By Will Vandervort
CLEMSON — The last couple of years, the Clemson track and field team has been inching up the men’s standings in the Atlantic Coast Conference. But now with many veteran athletes back for their junior and senior years and several young stars that have added much-needed depth, the time for just competing in the ACC is over. It is now time to go and win the conference.
Clemson's Ty McCormick during the ACC Cross Country Championships. Photo by Tyler Smith.
By Philip Sikes
CLEMSON – While the 2011 ACC Cross Country Championships performance was not what the Clemson men’s team desired, sophomore standout Ty McCormack was certainly an exception.
Running in front of a home crowd at the Musser Fruit Research Center just miles from the Clemson University campus, McCormack took to the forefront early in the race much to the delight of Tiger fans who came out to watch.
After a relatively slow start, McCormack raced to the lead for a good bit of the early part of the men’s 8,000-meter competition Saturday at the conference meet.
“I took the lead around the 2K mark in the race and tried to put them away by pushing as hard as I could,” he said. “Unfortunately, some of the guys are a little older and stronger than me. They got me at the end. I led up until about the 5K mark. I held on to finish eighth, which I’m happy with. It was a 30-second PR (personal best) from the other home meet.”
McCormack’s previous best on an 8K course was also at Musser Farms – earlier this season in a win at the Clemson Invitational. He topped that easily on Saturday with an outstanding time of 23:28.2. On a day when NC State won its second men’s team championship in the last three years, McCormack gave Tiger fans and coaches a reason to smile.
He was honored as one of 14 runners to make the all-conference team. He was the first Tiger since Matt Clark in 2007 to earn All-ACC acclaim. It was an honor not taken lightly by the Gainesville, GA native. In his most recent race prior to the ACC Championships, McCormack fell at the Wisconsin Invitational and finished outside of the top 200 individually – easily the worst finish of his young career.
“It’s been a rough month,” he said. “To recover like this on this course, I can’t complain. Being All-ACC is a huge honor. I know how tough this conference is, especially distance-wise. Being able to do that as a sophomore is a huge deal.
“I can’t thank God enough for everything he’s done. He gave me the strength to complete that race, because I was completely gassed. I can’t be thankful enough for this race.”
Clemson distance coach Brad Herbster spoke with pride when reflecting on the race his sophomore leader had just completed.
“Ty ran a great race,” Herbster said. “Our plan was to get up into the top 10. He surged in the middle of the race pretty hard. If he can ease off that a little, he’ll have a lot more success later on. Ty was the team today. He used so much energy in the middle of the race. We’ve got to get him ready for regionals, we’ll see if he can be all-region.”
McCormack will have that opportunity in two weeks when the Tigers travel to Louisville, KY for the Southeast Regionals.
Clemson's Justin Murdock. Photo by Rex Brown.
By William Qualkinbush
CLEMSON — Justin Murdock got tired of sitting on the sidelines and watching his teammates finish the track season. A few small life adjustments later, the junior will finish the 2011 outdoor season participating at the NCAA Championships.
After showing lots of promise over his first few seasons with the Tigers, Murdock suffered injuries in both seasons that hindered his progression as an athlete and prevented him from competing at his peak performance level at the close of competition. [Read more...]
Clemson's Alyssa Kulik. Photo by Rex Brown.
By William Qualkinbush
CLEMSON — Track and field is often defined by brash bravado. Arrogance is seen as a prerequisite for success.
Clemson distance runner Alyssa Kulik does not approach her craft that way. Instead, she describes herself as shocked and surprised when she records a personal best time. Now she has a chance to let her feet do the talking as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships—a goal that even she doubted she could reach at the start of the season. [Read more...]
Clemson's Warren Fraser. Photo by Rex Brown.
By Philip Sikes
CLEMSON – Warren Fraser says he enjoys the challenge of competing against the best in the sport of track & field, because he knows it will elevate his performance level. That mindset was put to the test on May 7 at the Bob Pollock Invitational, when 2008 Olympian and collegiate record-holder Travis Padgett ran in the lane next to him at Clemson’s Rock Norman Track.
“I had heard everyone talk about Travis Padgett,” he said. “I was literally shaking in the blocks next to him. But I like to run against people I know are supposed to be the best. I know if I can stay with that kind of sprinter, I’m going to run a fast time.” [Read more...]
Clemson's Michaylin Golladay leads by showing perseverance. Photo by Rex Brown.
By William Qualkinbush
CLEMSON — Running competitively for Clemson University has not always been a rosy experience for fifth-year senior Michaylin Golladay.
After dabbling in a number of disciplines early in her career, Golladay considered transferring or leaving the sport altogether. But recently, she has found her niche under Director of Track and Field Lawrence Johnson as a standout hurdler. [Read more...]
