Seminoles Capture Men\'s Title, Tar Heels Capture Women

Florida State\'s men\'s team captured their fourth consecutive ACC title and second straight indoor championship with four individual wins and one relay victory at Clemson University. North Carolina\'s women\'s team won its second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference team championship title following the two-day meet that started on Feb. 20 and concluded on Feb. 21. Several athletes earned automatic bids for NCAAs along with several athletes hitting the provisional marks.

FSU came back from a 20 point deficit to seal a 164 point team win on the men\'s side.

The Tar Heels have now won 15 ACC titles following the 2004 meet where they tallied 124.5 points. North Carolina\'s Laura Gerraughty became the second women in ACC history to win consecutive throw titles with a season best throw of 65-00.75. Gerraughty also captured the shot put title with a new ACC record of 59-11.75. Gerraughty held the previous record of 59-00 that she set at the 2003 ACC\'s. The junior Tar Heel has now won four indoor ACC titles. North Carolina\'s men placed fourth with 83 points to finish fourth in team standings. Erin Donohuse provisionally qualified for the NCAA\'s with a second place finishing time of 4:48.63 in the mile event. Tar Heel standout Shalane Flanagan is not competing in indoor and outdoor track this year in order to prepare for the Olympic Trials.

Georgia Tech\'s Chaunte Howard won the high jump after clearing the bar with a automatic qualifying height and new ACC record of 6-02.75. Clemson\'s Adam Linkenaugher provisionally qualified in the men\'s high jump with a gold medal height of 7-02.25.

Host Clemson\'s Derek Gilson provisionally qualified in the shot put with a 59-11 best. Three ACC female individuals received automatic bids to the 5,000 race at NCAA\'s. Leading the way is Florida State senior Vicky Gill. Gill clocked a time of 16:07.79. Gill made it to the trophy stand for the second time with a third place provisional finishing time of 9:33.94 in the 3,000. Gill received an automatic slot at NCAA\'s in the 3,000 on Dec. 6 at Clemson with a 9:15.68. North Carolina State\'s Kristen Price came in next with a 16:12.74. Finalizing the top three was Duke Blue Devil Paige Miller with a 16:15.39.

Rick Hill set a new ACC record of 5,528 points in the heptathlon following day two while reaching the automatic NCAA qualifying standard. The Seminole ladies set a new ACC record of 11:32.39 in the distance medley. Duke held the previous record of 11:33.72 since the 2000 meet. FSU\'s medley team consisted of Helen Hofstede, Tamara Campbell, Sydney Mondragon, and Natalie Hughes. FSU, North Carolina, and Wake Forest times provisionally qualified them for NCAA\'s in the women\'s DMR.

Clemson\'s Giesele Oliveria sealed the gold in the long jump with a provisional mark of 20-10.75. Oliveria also sealed a win in the triple jump with an automatic leap of 44-01.75.

The first Women\'s ACC Indoor Championship was held in 1987. The Clemson Tigers have only won a conference title in 1992, but have been runner-ups eight times in the past 17 years. The Lady Tigers have sealed wins in 35 events, second only to 2003 and 2004 team champion North Carolina. From a throwing standpoint for Clemson they have nine shot put titles and two weight throw victories. With all other ACC schools combined the teams have won eight ACC shot put titles and six weight throw championships. Along with holding several titles in the throwing events Clemson holds two ACC titles in the long jump.

Prior to ACC\'s five Clemson Tigers qualified for the 2004 NCAA Indoor Championships to be held March 12-13 in Fayetteville, AR. Tye Hill, Lydell Perry, Derek Gilson, Rick Hill and Ryan Hunter have surpassed the prvisional standards in their respected events for this year\'s national meet.

Clemson University is hosting the Clemson Classic on Feb. 28 prior to traveling to Ames, IA for the Iowa St. Last Chance meet from March 5-6.