Back-to-Back-to-BACK 

• Margot Appleton won her third straight ACC Outdoor 1500-meter title fending off Silvia Jelelgo of Clemson in second.
• Appleton edged out Jelelgo clocking 4:11.28 to the Clemson Tiger’s 4:11.61.
  1500m DOMINANCE

  Margot Appleton (4:11.28) holds off Silvia Jelelgo (4:11.61) of Clemson to defend her title!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/z2w788LXvQ

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Setting a High Bar

• Celia Rifaterra continued her undefeated season winning the women’s high jump competition clearing a personal-best 1.86m/6-1.25.
• After clearing the first two bars on her first attempt, Rifaterra began clearing on her third attempt.
• Rifaterra is just the second Virginia woman to win gold in the women’s high jump alongside Ann Blair from 1983.
• Carly Tarentino equaled her personal best of 1.80m/5-10.75 to tie for second place in the competition. She cleared each of her three bars on her first attempt at each height before knocking the bar down at 1.83m/6-0.
• For their performance, both Rifaterra and Tarentino earned first team All-ACC honors.
  Let’s watch it again

  Big time performances by Celia Rifaterra and Carly Tarentino in the women’s high jump to go -!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/LDZy3dYLO3

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 18, 2025

Gold for Christiana Ellina

• Christiana Ellina won the women’s javelin throw on her sixth and final attempt in the competition throwing for 52.44m/172-0.
• Ellina brought home the first ACC gold medal and first team All-ACC honors in the women’s javelin since Meghan Briggs in 2010.
  𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘

  Christiana Ellina brings home the first ACC gold medal in the women’s javelin since Meghan Briggs in 2010!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/T8pGuvK8pY

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Freshman Phenom

• Maya Rollins won the silver medal in the women’s 100-meter hurdles clocking 13.42.
• Rollins already owns the freshman record in the event which she set in the prelims of 13.33. Her time also ranks third all-time in program history.
• For her performance, Rollins earned first team All-ACC honors.
  Clock it

  Maya Rollins brings home the SILVER!!!! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/EmHM9tr2W6

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Hurdle Dominance

• Alex Sherman brought home the bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles clocking a new personal best of 49.98.
• Sherman’s time broke the Virginia record which previously stood at 50.02 by Steve Delice in 2010.
• His time ranks 17^th in the NCAA and eighth in the east region this season.
• This marks the third consecutive year in which Sherman has made the podium at the ACC Outdoor Championships, winning the silver medal in the event a year ago and bronze in 2023.

More Notable Performances

• Virginia went three for three qualifying to the final of the women’s javelin with Christiana Ellina, Abigail Meckes and Siobhan Loughney.
• Ellina won gold while Meckes (42.61m/130-3) and Loughney (42.23m/138-6) finished seventh and ninth.
• Emily Alexandru ran a strong race in the women’s 400-meter hurdles clocking a new personal-best 58.13. In her first ACC Outdoor final, Alexandru finished fifth and earned second team All-ACC honors. She moves up to No.7 all-time in program history.
• Lily Hulland earned second team All-ACC honors in the women’s triple jump finishing fifth with her mark of 12.89m/42-3.50 (+3.0).
• On her third event of the weekend, Estel Valeanu finished fourth in the women’s discus throwing for 55.93m/183-6.
• Both men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relay teams recorded season best times. The women’s quartet of Ariel Fletcher, Lola Kolawole, Sophia Akpan and Sarah Akpan just missed the podium by one spot finishing fourth in 44.30. The four tied for the fifth fastest time in school record.
• The men’s contingent of Evans White IV, Jacob Garnett, Jerlan Fish and Peter Djan combined efforts to stop the clock at 40.91.
• Will Daley grabbed a point in the men’s 1500-meters clocking 3:46.49 for eighth place.
• In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, Peter Djan ran his way to a seventh-place finish crossing the line in 13.97.
• Running a season-best 23.13, Sarah Akpan finished sixth to earn important points for the team and second team All-ACC honors.
• After winning the women’s 1500-meters, Margot Appleton returned to the track in the women’s 5000-meters. Appleton was the top Cavalier finisher in seventh place with her time of 15:52.55.

• Not far behind Appleton was Jenny Schilling (15:53.43) and Gillian Bushee (16:04.33) in ninth and 13^th place, both recording new personal best times. With their times, Schilling moves up to No.3 all-time while Bushee moves up to No.6 in program history.

• The 4×400-meter relay team of Sarah Akpan, Ariel Fletcher, Emily Alexandru and Brooke’Lyn Drakeford ran a season-best 3:33.14 to finish in sixth place and secure the team title for the Cavaliers. Their time ranks third in program history.

Thursday/Friday ACC Medalists & All-ACC:

• Jenny Schilling won the women’s 10,000-meters clocking 33:22.34.
• Keyandre Davis won the bronze medal in the men’s hammer throw with a new personal best mark of 67.12m/220-2. With his mark, Davis moved up to No.5 all-time in program history.
• John Fay (63.72m/209-1, 6th) and Annika Kelly (64.81m/212-7 PB, 4th) earned second team All-ACC honors in the men’s and women’s hammer throw. Kelly also broke her own school record which she set earlier in the season.
• Estel Valeanu earned second team All-ACC accolades in the women’s shot put throwing for 16.47m/54-0.50 to finish fifth.

All-ACC Finishes:
The Cavalier men and women accumulated a total of 14 All-ACC performances over the course of the meet:

• First team men: Keyandre Davis (HT), John Fay (HT), Alex Sherman (400mH)
• First Team women: Emily Alexandru (400mH), Margot Appleton (1500m), Christiana Ellina (JT), Celia Rifaterra (HJ), Maya Rollins (100mH), Jenny Schilling (10,000m), Carly Tarentino (HJ)
• Second team women: Sarah Akpan (200m), Lily Hulland (TJ), Annika Kelly (HT), Estel Valeanu (SP, DT)

The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash
The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge (2005-2007), has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. It is an all-sports, points-based program with the Commonwealth Clash trophy presented to the winning school each year for its dominance in head-to-head competitions. In men’s and women’s track and field, the points are awarded to the team that finishes highest at the ACC Championships. Virginia has already clinched the title; the Cavaliers get the point on the women’s side while the Hokies take the men’s point. With one more opportunity (baseball) to earn points, Virginia has a total of 14 points while Virginia Tech has 7 points.

Up Next
Virginia will continue the championship portion of the season with the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville, Fla. Wednesday (May28) through Saturday (May 31) before heading to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday (June 11) through Saturday (June 14).

Primorac handed over the crown, and Vladimir Gojković returned the Montenegrin champion title to Škver on his return.

The Jadran M:tela water polo players are celebrating the trophy after defeating their Boka Kotorska rival in the third match of the final series – after two victories on five points, everything is now settled in the regular season (11:9).

The team from Novi thus reached their 13th title since Montenegro became independent and ended the season with one trophy, as Primorac won the Cup at the end of 2024.

The third game also brought drama. Primorac opened the derby better and led 5:2 in the second quarter, but then the hosts went on a 6:0 run in a period of almost 11 minutes in which Vjekoslav Pasković’s team failed to score.

Jadran led 8:5, Primorac reduced the lead to 8:7 through Nemanja Vic and the phenomenal Đorđije Stanojević, and then the game was goal for goal.

The new champion could have gone three points clear on several occasions in the last period, Primorac could have evened the score, and Uroš Vučurović put an end to the uncertainty with a goal four seconds before the end.

Vučurović scored after a timeout by Gojković after a foul was called on Dragan Drašković with 23 seconds left. There were huge protests from the Kotor fans about the referee’s decision, and coach Pasković was sent off, but Jadran didn’t look back…

Dmitrij Holod, Aleksandar Ivović and Vuk Milojević were double scorers, Vučurović, Danilo Radović, Đorđe Lazić, Matija Sladović and Danilo Stupar scored once each.

Stanojevic stood out for Primorac with four goals, while Nika Shushiashvili scored twice.

JADRAN M:TEL – PRIMORAC 11:9 (2:4, 4:1, 4:3, 1:1)

Herceg Novi – Swimming pool at Škver. Spectators: 1.000. Judges: Mišković, Ivanovski.

Jadran M:tel: Đurović (six saves), Holod 2, Vučurović 1, Obradović, Vujović, D. Radović 1, Lazić 1, Gojković, Ivović 2, Sladović 1, Milojević 2, V. Radović, Stupar 1, I. Radović.

Primorac: Masaro, Brguljan, S. Cetkovic, Susijasvili 2, Murisic, Draskovic, Matkovic 1, Janovic, Vico 1, Brkic, P. Cetkovic, 1, Stanojevic 4, Vuckovic, D. Cetkovic.

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Three-seed Naperville Central girls water polo and Waubonsie Valley square off for a chance to play against Naperville North in the sectional finals. The Warriors defeated the Redhawks 7-6 in the regular season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.

Kaylee Shiffer records an early hat trick for Naperville Central

In the early going, Julia Weber finds Kaylee Shiffer near the net, and she puts the Redhawks on the board. It’s 1-0 after three minutes of play.

Now in the second quarter, the Warriors are looking to answer. Malini Madiman passes to Reece Clavey on the right wing, and she tosses it over the goalie’s outstretched arms. That one ties the game at 1-1 with five minutes left in the half.

Minutes later, Maddie Malinger connects with Kaylee Shiffer near the goal, and she goes up high for another score. Shiffer now has a hat trick, giving the Redhawks a 4-2 lead with three minutes to play in the second quarter.

Waubonsie Valley girls water polo keeps it close in the IHSA Girls Water Polo Sectional Semifinal

With a minute left in the half, Reece Clavey delivers a perfect pass to Calin Ball, and she tosses it into the back of the net. The Warriors close the gap to 4-3 with one minute left in the half.

Now in the second half, Meghan Tueting connects with Molly Moore, who gives a couple of pump fakes before firing it into the back of the net. That one extends the Naperville Central lead to 6-3.

Moments later, Calin Ball passes it ahead to Ruby Meier, and she’s all alone. She goes one-on-one with the goalie and wins the battle. It’s now a 6-4 game with four minutes to play in the third quarter.

Meier and Weber score two more, and Central girls water polo defeats Waubonsie

After a penalty, Ruby Meier has a free shot at the goal against Eleni Nicoloudes. She targets the top corner, but Nicoloudes gets a hand on it and keeps it out of the net. The big save preserves the Redhawk lead at 6-4.

With less than a minute left in the third quarter, Megan Tueting throws it to Julia Weber in front of the net, and she’s able to ward off the Waubonsie defenders and score another goal for Naperville Central. That one gives the Redhawks an 8-4 lead. Waubonsie Valley goes on to score two goals in the fourth, but Naperville Central hangs on to win 8-6, advancing to the sectional finals against Naperville North.

SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

FINALS 

At Cerritos College 

DIVISION 3

Tesoro d. Orange Lutheran, 25-16, 25-16, 27-25

DIVISION 5

Kennedy d. Esperanza, 23-25, 27-25, 25-20, 26-24

DIVISION 9

CAMS d. Downey Calvary Chapel, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19

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DIVISION 6

El Toro d. Quartz Hill, 17-25, 28-26, 25-21, 25-19

At Santa Barbara 

DIVISION 4

Sage Hill d. Santa Barbara, 15-25, 25-13, 18-25, 25-20, 15-8

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

FINALS 

At Cerritos College 

DIVISION 1

Mira Costa d. Huntington Beach, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 29-31, 15-11

At Mater Dei 

DIVISION 2 

Mater Dei d. Peninsula, 20-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-19

At Crossroads 

DIVISION 8

Wildwood d. Katella, 25-22, 25-15, 25-15

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS 

FINALS 

DIVISION 7

San Gabriel Academy d. Brea Olinda, 3-2

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.