Strong Terps Contingent Ready for ACC Outdoor
4/17/2012 8:00:00 AM | Track & Field
April 17, 2012
Official ACC Championships Page
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Track and field fans will be seeing a lot of Kiani Profit and Zack Ray at this weekend's Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Championships.
The two University of Maryland seniors are among the league leaders in a number of events, so Terrapin head coach Andrew Valmon and his staff will be keeping those two very busy during the championships, to be held at Virginia on April 19 through 21.
Profit is a three-time All-American for the Terrapins in multi-event competitions. She missed last year's outdoor season with an injury, but has come back strong. She exhausted her indoor eligibility in 2011 and this will be her final conference meet with the Terps.
She is expected to compete in the heptathlon this weekend for the first time this outdoor season. She is also the top seed in the 400-meter hurdles by nearly a full second.
"We are looking to surprise a few people at the upcoming championships," said Valmon, who will be the men's head coach for Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics. "On the women's side, we bring Kiani Profit back into the mix, who is a strong leader and will set the stage early in the multi competition.
"We also expect continued efforts from our field events, relays, and individual athletes who are all on the verge of big breakthroughs. If everyone comes together as a team during these championships, we should see some exciting results."
Senior Jessie Echard, who ranks second all-time at Maryland in the hammer, is the fifth seed in that event. Junior Moriah Young, whose career-best of 184-4 matches that of Echard, is eighth this season in the ACC. Young also comes into the meet seeded sixth in the women's shot put.
Another event to watch for Maryland is the women's high jump. Maryland has five student-athletes in the top 10, led by freshmen Thea LaFond and Amber Melville, who have each cleared 5-8 this season. Profit, Amina Smith and Lucile Cancre are also in the top 10 and could score.
Ray could be a busy Terp on the men's side at the ACCs. He is seeded sixth in the 110 hurdles, fifth in the 400 hurdles and sixth in the long jump. Maryland will count on his versatility to earn some points in a few events.
"On the men's side, we are led by Zack Ray who has proved he can compete in multiple events to be a true captain," said Valmon. "He'll join Jon Hill who looks to step on the podium again in the men's high jump. Our men have proven that they are ready to perform, and the greatest advice I will give them as a coach is to go out and compete."
Hill has cleared 7-0.50 this season and will be seeded third in this meet.
Maryland could also earn some points in the throwing events on the men's side, with sophomore Josh Haghighi seeded fifth in the shot put and freshman Pat Cole ranked ninth in the discus after a career-best 158-5 last weekend at the Patriot Open.
Valmon said he has also tried to prepare his student-athletes to represent the proud history of the Maryland Track & Field program.
"Maryland Track & Field brings great honor from predecessors who won a multitude of ACC championships and we will keep this history with us as we head to Charlottesville," he said.
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