ACC Nation

ACC WEEKLY WRAP-UP AND COMMENTARY BY THE EVIL Q
jim@accnation.com

This is lucky seven weekend as the ACC wraps up golf, track & field, rowing and tennis championships. We’ll spend a bit more time looking at each of these and throw in our two-cents worth as well.

We’re one weekend away from the ACC lacrosse championships. Has the pack thinned any?

Both baseball and softball championships are next month and the action is getting hotter than a Georgia summer.

Finally, some bits and pieces that you won’t find under one roof. It’s good reading and a great excuse to put off working in the yard this weekend.

TENNIS

The first day of the ACC tennis championship got under way Thursday for the men and women.

In the men’s bracket, NC State defeated Georgia Tech,  Virginia Tech won over Clemson, Miami knocked off Maryland and Duke shutdown Boston College.

In the women’s bracket NC State notched a win over Wake Forest, North Carolina outgunned Maryland, Virginia nipped Virginia Tech and Florida State blanked Boston College.

In quarterfinal action today over in the men’s bracket, No. 1-seed Virginia eliminated NC State. Virginia will play in the semifinals at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Other matches today included Wake Forest taking on Virginia Tech, North Carolina facing Miami and Florida State and Duke battling it out.

In women’s quarterfinal action today, No. 1-seed Georgia Tech handily defeated North Carolina State and Clemson bumped off UNC.

Both No. 1 seeds, Virginia for the men and Georgia Tech for the women, are playing at the top of their games and will be difficult to stop.

ACC tennis wraps up Sunday morning at 11 with the championship.

Click here for complete updates on these matches and the entire weekend of men’s and women’s ACC tennis championship action.

GOLF

The men’s and women’s ACC golf championships got under way Friday morning with some minor surprises on the leaderboards.

On the men’s circuit, Duke was off the course and leading the pack at 9-under par. Florida State, still playing at the time this article was written, was two strokes back. Keep up-to-date with the men through online scoring  provided by Golfstat.

On the women’s circuit, Virginia has a significant jump at 4-under par. Duke is at 6-over in second-place with all teams in the clubhouse. Keep up-to-date with the women through on-line scoring provided by Golfstat.

Unless the Blue Devils are way off their game look for a change in the leaderboard on the women’s side.

ROWING

Friday’s weather was absolutely perfect in Clemson, but then again Saturday is the beginning of the ACC rowing championship and crews will line up in much different conditions.

Stormy weather, including showers and much cooler temperatures, will greet the women at Lake Hartwell. A bit of choppiness in the water may have an impact on the outcome.

No. 3-ranked (nationally) Virginia has been steadily building steam with big wins the past few weeks. The Cavaliers have only dropped one match to No. 1-ranked California. Virginia is considered the team to beat. Only one team probably has that ability — Clemson.

The competition begins at 9 a.m. and will be well over by noon, so if you have plans to attend (no charge) it is well advised to bring rain gear and get there early.

TRACK AND FIELD

The men’s and women’s ACC track and field championships are well under way. The Virginia Tech women have jumped out to a commanding lead while on the men’s side North Carolina is currently leading the way.

Competition runs through Saturday with the awards ceremony slated at approximately 5 p.m. following the women’s 4×400m relay.

Florida State’s Walter Dix (pictured), a key component for the ‘Noles taking another ACC championship, is out of the competition with an unspecified injury.

Virginia Tech’s Dorotea Harbazin helped push the Hokies toward another ACC championship with a record-smashing toss in the hammer throw. The freshman, a Croatian native, hit the 213′ 11″ mark better than seven feet more than the previous record.

LACROSSE

Next Thursday and on into the weekend lacrosse fans will have a chance to see both the men’s and women’s teams battle it out for the ACC lacrosse championship at UVa.

Duke continues to hold sway on the men’s side, while Virginia leads the women’s ACC honors with Maryland leading overall and in national polling.

Here’s a look at the most recent polls for men’s and women’s lacrosse.

Maryland’s Allie Buote and Duke’s Max Quinzani pick up the ACC lacrosse player-of-the-week awards.

BASEBALL

This weekend a gangbuster of a series gets under way in Florida between the Seminoles and the Hurricanes. Some have come to see this rivalry as more intense than the football matchup (see Bits and Pieces) but no matter how you look at it these two teams are hungry for an ACC title and the other is in the way.

Other matchups in the ACC this weekend are covered in ACCNation.com’s Baseball Weekend Skinny where you can challenge our picks.

This week’s ACC Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week honors go to Miami’s Blake Tekotte and Virginia’s Andrew Carraway (pictured above).

SOFTBALL

 North Carolina and Virginia Tech continue to lead the way in ACC softball. The most recent national polls place the Tar Heels in 15th and the Hokies in 19th place.

Georgia Tech’s Whitney Humphries, North Carolina’s Cassie Palmer and North Carolina State’s Shanna Smith (pictured) have earned ACC Softball Pitcher and Player’s of the Week honors.

GYMNASTICS

NC State finished up the season competing in the regionals, sending Leigha Hancock on to the NCAA Championships on beam. 

State picked up multiple honors in the NCAA Southeast Region, including Gymnast of the Year for Hancock.

The Wolfpack women’s gymnastics team is ranked 21st in the most recent poll.

BITS AND PIECES

State of the art and it’s “purrrty” too!

Perceive This!

Tigers love the SEC.

Eleven steps backward and one step forward.

Four times in four years.

Prosser 3-on-3 benefits AHA.

JUCO Fever for Terps.

QB pickup by “Fridge”.

Matt Ryan, a blue chip QB?

Icing on the cake.

Bowden announces first team.

‘Noles know how to skate, too.

Mums a painful word.

We’re in the money.

Football isn’t everything.

A bigger rivalry?

Hokies and Huskers.

Hit the grit.

Cutcliffe looking for quickie.

Duke. Army. Benefit.

State making changes.

Highs and Lowe.

Chris Long ready for NFL.

Getting it together at Virginia.

Cheers!