Track: Seniors shine at UNC Invitational

Racing for the final time at Belk Track on Saturday at the Joe Hilton UNC Invitational North Carolina senior Ryan Booker made up a 10-meter deficit on the anchor leg of the men's 4x400-meter relay to beat Michigan State for the win.

Coach Dennis Craddock called it pride" but Booker said his edging of his Spartan foe at the finish line had little to do with April 6's basketball victory.

""It's not just because of basketball" it's because they're the opponent Booker said.

Everybody's the same" and the only place you want to be is No. 1. And that's what we tried to go do.""

UNC finished the relay in 3:12.79" just more than a hundredth of a second better than Michigan State. Booker knew he had a chance at the victory coming off the final turn" but Craddock knew his senior was in good position just after taking the baton.

""As I was watching Michigan State run" usually there's one slow leg and the first three I didn't see one Craddock said. I said ‘OK" they must be trying to get the lead and hope to win it.'""

Saturday marked the final day of competitive racing on the Carolina blue track for 11 athletes"" including Booker. It was also fitting that his relay team's win came as the final event of the day.

""It was the last time I was here" and I wanted to go out with a win" Booker said.

The Tar Heels' success on Saturday might have come as something of a surprise, because the meet was meant as nothing more than a tune-up for this weekend's title events.

Because we start ACC's next Thursday" we wanted athletes to get a good workout but nothing strenuous and hard Craddock said. All the work is in" but we didn't want any injuries.""

Tar Heels sat atop eight total events in Saturday's meet" with All-America Vanneisha Ivy and heptathlete Daniel Keller among those winners. Ivy recorded a 24.02 time in the women's 200-meter run while Keller won men's long jump at 22 feet 7 3/4 inches.

Both the 4x100 and 4x400 women's relay teams captured first along with sprinters LaToya James Ashley Verplank and Elizabeth Mott. James and Mott both claimed NCAA East regional marks while Verplank ran the 800 meters in a personal-best time of 2:07.51.

Parker Smith winning the men's pole vault at 17 feet 4 1/2 inches joined Keller and the 4x400 relay team as the men with titles. UNC saw 12 Tar Heels place in the top three of their events" with the men favoring the field events and women on the track.

""That's the nature of our team" Craddock said. With our team men we are very strong with our field events" but we're trying to get some more sprinters into it.

""With our women" we don't have as much depth as we normally do in field events" but we're very good in running events.""



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