ACC honors WFU President
SPECIAL TO THE
CHRONICLE
The Atlantic Coast
Conference (ACC) has
bestowed the President's
Award for Exemplary
Service to Wake Forest
University President
Nathan O. Hatch
The award was
announced at the ACC's
spring meeting Tuesday
evening. May 12.
Each year, the outgoing
conference president hon
ors someone for commend
able service to the ACC
during the year of the pres
ident's term or over an
extended period of time.
Martha Putallaz, the
2014-2015 ACC president
and faculty representative
for Duke University, chose
to honor Hatch for demon
strating exceptional leader
ship during what she called
"a most pivotal, challeng
ing and transformative time
in the history of intercolle
giate athletics"
In April 2010. Hatch
agreed to represent the
ACC on the NCAA
Division I Board of
Directors and was then
elected chairman two years
later. He served as Division
I board chairman from
August 2012 until January
2015.
Under his leadership,
the NCAA developed a
new, more streamlined and
efficient governance struc
ture, raised academic stan
dards, restructured enforce
ment. increased autonomy
for power conferences and
brought student-athletes
into the governance
process, among other
accomplishments.
He also played an
instrumental role in the
ACC expansion effort that
welcomed the University
of Notre Dame, where
Hatch served as provost
before coming to Wake
Forest, to the conference.
"President Hatch was
able to achieve all that he
did because he was a truly
effective and patient leader,
one who listened and could
make all parties feel valued
and heard, a man of great
integrity trusted by all, and
who truly represented the
best interests of academics
and athletics as a paired
endeavor," said Putallaz.
"It has been a privilege
to represent Wake Forest,
and all of the member insti
tutions of the ACC, as the
NCAA took historic steps
to advance and modernize
intercollegiate athletics,"
Hatch said. "I accept this
award with honor and grat
itude for the people and
institutions that have
allowed me to pursue my
professional and personal
passions as an academic, an
administrator and an athlet
ics supporter."
Wake Forest University President Nathan O. Hatch has received the Atlantic
Coast Conference (ACC) President's Award for Exemplary Service to the ACC.
World Series
from page A6
earlier that day and both lasted 13 innings. As a result, the
WSSU-Mercyhurst contest didn't begin until 9:45 pjn.
This game went past midnight and ended around 12:45
Sunday morning.
In losing to Mercyhurst, the Rams had to be back
in action for a 12 noon start on Sunday. Given the time
that the game ended, there wasn't much time to rest. By
9:30 on Sunday morning. WSSU reported back to the
tournament site for batting practice prior to facing
Millersville.
"It was a quick turnaround, but our guys handled it
well," said Ritsche. "They battled all the way through.
This group has no reason to hang its head. I'm proud of
everything they accomplished."
Against Mercyhurst, the Rams trailed 2-0 going into
their half of the ninth inning. Dylan Dombrowskas
smashed a double off the leftfield wall and scored on
Steger's two-base hit down the first-base line. With no
outs, Jacob Barber laid down a sacrifice bunt to move
Steger to third base. The inning - and the game - ended
with back-to-back strikeouts for WSSU.
"Things went all the way down to the wire," said
Ritsche. "We played extremely well, but just couldn't
come through when we needed it the most. We were only
one hit ball away from forcing a tie and then possibly scor
ing the winning run."
Winston-Salem State put on a noteworthy offensive
display in convincing wins over Seton Hill and West
Chester. In the opener, Gavin Culler and Colby Keene
drove in two runs apiece in a 5-2 victory over Seton Hill.
Sam Burton pitched six strong innings and allowed one
run on four hits.
The next night, the Rams beat West Chester 9-4.
Connor Andrus hit a three-run home run, while Culler.
Barber and Alex Grubb had two RBIs each. Left-hander
lyier Scearce threw 62 innings and gave up two runs on
.four hits with five strikeouts.
I I
Photos by Cmf T. Grecakc
4x1 Exchange Prep's De'ja Reid gets ready to hand the baton to Malaysia
Albright in the 4x100 relay.
I I
Prep's Ashya Smith (clearing hurdle) finished second in both hurdles events at
the state meet.
Champions
from page B1
with us for about four
weeks, but she's really
helped out in the 4x100."
Looking back on the
state championships,
Deonica Reid was most
pleased with her perform
ance in the 200. Before the
start, she felt ill. but willed
her way through the race.
Deonica wot in 25.36 sec
onds to beat Walkertown
rival Aaliyah Craft. "The
200 was the most satisfying
win." she said. "Right
before the race. I felt sick,
so I was glad to run a per
sonal best and make it to
the finish line."
In the 100 finals.
Deonica seized control
from the start and was
never pressed. She crossed
the line in 12.43 seconds, a
4ew strides ahead of run
ner-up Jessica Norman of
Littleton Northwest
Halifax (12.64). "I felt like
I was kind of floating." she
said. "But since I won, I
can't be mad about that."
Deonica had hopes
of winning four .gold
medals. But those hopes
vanished in the long jump,
which was decided by a
mere three inches. Vanisha
Wilshire of Louisburg won
the event with a leap of 18
feet. and Deonica was next
with a jump of 17-feet, 10
inches. "I don't believe I
did anything wrong (that
caused me to finish sec
ond)," she said. "What hap
pened is that she
(Whilshire) just had a very
good day."
The performance of
Smith, a sophomore, is a
clear signal that despite
Deonica Reid's graduation,
the track and field outlook
for Prep is bright. She's
much-improved in the hur
dles and has stepped up as a
key member on both relay
teams. Smith's showing
from last Friday represents
quite a turnaround from a
year ago, when she failed
to place among the state's
top eight. '
Smith set some lofty
goals for this year's state
competition, which includ
ed giving Kylie Polsgrove
of Avery County all she
could handle in both hur
dles races. That was a tall
order, since Polsgrove is a
three-time state outdoor
champ in both events.
In the 100 hurdles.
Smith stayed in contention,
but Polsgrove ran 14.94
seconds, while Smith
clocked 1534. The end
result was the same in the
300 hurdles. Polsgrove
won in 45.49 and Smith
earned the silver medal
with a time of 4823.
"It feels good (being
state runner-up)," said
Smith, who was a back-up
forward on Winston-Salem
Prep's state-championship
basketball team. "My goal
was to beat Kylie, but I'm
glad that she's a senior and
I'm a sophomore. I still
have some time to catch up
to her (times) and do what
she's been able to do.
"This year, every
thing worked so much bet
ter for me ... better tech
nique. better form. It made
a huge difference."
Prep's ownership of
the relay races was never
more evident than in the
4x100. Jt was the fourth
year in a row that the
Phoenix won the title.
Forman, Smith. De'ja Reid
and Albright ran a season
best of 50.45 seconds and
Pamlico County was dis
tant second at 51.16.
De'ja Reid turned
the relay into a one-sided
affair when she jetted to
take a 7-meter lead on the
third leg. Albright got the
baton on her anchor leg and
added to that lead. "We did
our best and ran our fastest
time of the year," said
De'ja Reid. "I left every
thing out on the track and
was able to push my team
mates so they could give it
their best."
The win in the 4x200
was especially satisfying in
light of what transpired in
the 2014 state meet: The
heavily-favored Phoenix
was disqualified for a lane
violation. This year, it was
a vastly different result.
Forman, Smith and the
Reid sisters clocked
1:45.03 to win easily over
Pamlico County again
(1:48.19).
Off day
from page SI
and I thought! was having
a good race. But the other
two runners were able to
pull out and get in front of
me.
"It's very tough to win
two years in a row. The
competition really comes
after you. They work so
hard to beat you, so you
have to maintain and be
consistent every time you
step on the track for a
race"
The 200 had far less
drama. Sessoms owned the
race from his initial burst
out of the starting blocks.
He won comfortably in
21.73 seconds over second
place Avery (21.93).
"The 200 went OK."
he said. "I was hoping to
run a personal best, but it
didn't happen. All I
focused on was pushing
hard from the start and
that's what helped me to
get the victory."
In the relays. Carver
entered the state meet as
defending champs in both
events. Based on fastest
times, the Jackets best shot
for victory was in the
4x200 (Sessoms, Devon
Pleasants. Antonio Berry
and Kendyl Dean). The
Jackets stayed in con
tention early. but
Claremont Bunker Hill
pulled away on the third
leg and clocked 1:28.05 to
put the issue to rest. Bunn
was second (1:2930) and
Carver was third at
1:29.38.
The 4x100 was a
case of the competition
being that much better.
Carver was the No. 5 seed,
and not very likely to chal
lenge the frontrunners
Eventual winner Bunn
42.07 along with Wilson
Beddingfield, Franklinton
and Marshville Forest Hills
dominated this event.
Carver (Sessoms. Dean.
Detain Bin yard and
Pleasants) ended up in
sixth place at 43.11.
The Yellow Jackets
had only one athlete com
peting in the girls' division,
and she served notice that
she'll be a major factor in
2016.
By the end of the day,
SyKonza Evans showed
why she had been ranked
among the state's top Eve
in the sprints by NC
Runners (http://ncmile
split.com).
Evans, a junior, lived
up to her No. 2 state rank
ing in the 100 and ran
12.50 seconds to finish as
the runner-up behind state
champ Tia Glover of St.
Paul's (1237). Top-seeded
Jaleesa Smoot of Salisbury,
posted a third-place finish
with a time of 1238.
The end result in the
200 was somewhat surpris
ing. Coming in, Evans was
seeded fifth and at best,
was considered a long-shot
pick to place among top
three.
Thanks to nice curve
running and maintaining
her form coming down the
stretch, Evans finished
third in 25.68 seconds.
"For me, this was a
good experience to run
against some of the top ath
letes in the state," said
Evans. "I need-to get better
with my block starts in the
100. For the 200,1 wish I
could've finished stronger.
But that's something for
me to work on. Next year,
I'm coming back harder
and stronger."
State championship notes
Atkins: Triple jumper Llyric Mack delivered as
expected in her specialty. Entering the state meet, she had
the secood-best jump in the state and was seeded second.
Mack challenged for the top spot, but wasn't able to alter
the expected order of finish. Wilshire won with a leap of
39-feet, 4 inches and Mack was next at 36-feet, 7 inches.
"I'm happy with my perfaanance." Mack said.
"But since I'm a junior, I still have another year left, so
I'm going for 40-feet so 1 can act a new state record. 1
was hoping to jump 37 (feet) today, but my ankle started
bothering me and 1 just gave it all I had on my last jump.
I scratched, but that's OK, I'm satisfied for now. When
next year comes, it'll be my turn."
Mack also placed eighth in the long jump (15-feet,
7 inches).
In the shot put, Ronald Brown nailed down fourth I
place with -a toss of 46-feet 5V4 inches. ... The boys'
4x400 relay team made some inroads at the stale meet.
The Camels foursome (Jeremy Kankula, Tony Davis.
Maiz Law son and Haywood Heebies) benefited from
Kankula's strong lead-off leg. which set the tone for a
fourth-place finish (9 minutes, 32.62 seconds).
Walkertown: Craft had visions of pulling off a
double in the 100 and 200 sprints in her final high school
track meet. It was last spring when she raised quite a few
eyebrows with a stunning victory over Deotnca Read in
the 200 at the stale championships.
This time it was a different outcome. Craft finished
second in the 200 (25.66) and third in the 100 (12.72). "I
felt I did well today." said Craft, who has a track scholar
ship at Winston-Salem State. "But at the same time, 1
know I could've done better. With the training I had at
Walkertown, it made me a stronger runner in the 200 and
400. Those are the races that I'm most likely to focus on
in college "
Craft also scored points with a seventh-place finish
in the high jump (4-feet-lO inches). ... In the boys?
4*800 relay, the Wotfpack quartet of Matthew Rogers,
Logan Carter, Donwill Mason and Ryan Carter finished
fourth (8:38.88).
Jacob Cobb of Winston-Salem Prep ran 2324 sec
onds in the 200-meter dash, which was good for seventh
place