Carolina Track & Field Hosts Only Home Meet of Season, Honoring Legend Dick Taylor
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Carolina Track and Field is gearing up for its lone home meet of the season, set to take place January 16-17 at the Eddie Smith Field House. This year’s event carries special meaning, as it’s named in honor of Richard “Dick” Taylor - a Tar Heel legend, Class of 1950, who passed away in 2022. Taylor left a lasting mark on the sport as an NCAA Division I hurdles record holder during his collegiate days and later as a member of the UNC System Board of Governors.
For Carolina athletes, this meet is more than just a chance to compete in front of a home crowd - it’s an opportunity to build momentum early in the indoor season, and to do it on a track that bears the weight of tradition and legacy.
Vera Sjöberg’s Historic Performance Sets the Tone
All eyes will be on the Tar Heels this week, and for good reason. Vera Sjöberg is coming off a performance that turned heads across the NCAA.
Her time of 8:43.06 in the 3000 meters didn’t just break a school record - it obliterated it. The previous mark, held for 22 years by Olympic medalist Shalane Flanagan, was left in the dust as Sjöberg became the first woman in Carolina history to dip under the nine-minute barrier in the event.
That performance didn’t just rewrite the program’s record book - it placed Sjöberg as the eighth-fastest 3K runner in NCAA history. Her dominant showing earned her ACC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors and served notice that she’s a force to be reckoned with this season.
What to Watch: Event Schedule Breakdown
Here’s how the action is set to unfold over the two-day meet at Eddie Smith Field House. Field events get things started on Friday, with a full slate of jumping and throwing events continuing into Saturday. The track heats up on Saturday afternoon, with sprint, mid-distance, and relay races stacked back-to-back.
Friday, Jan. 16 - Field Events Begin
- 4:00 PM - Men’s Weight Throw & Men’s High Jump (Women’s events follow immediately after the men’s)
Saturday, Jan. 17 - Full Day of Action
- 11:00 AM - Women’s Long Jump (Men’s Long Jump follows 30 minutes after conclusion)
- Women’s & Men’s Triple Jump - Sequentially following long jump events
- 11:30 AM - Men’s Pole Vault
(Women’s Pole Vault to follow)
- 12:00 PM - Men’s Shot Put
(Women’s Shot Put to follow)
From there, the track events take center stage:
- 12:15 PM - Women’s 60m Hurdles
- 12:35 PM - Men’s 60m Hurdles
- 12:45 PM - Women’s 60m
- 1:00 PM - Men’s 60m
- 1:15 PM - Women’s 300m
- 1:35 PM - Men’s 300m
- 1:55 PM - Women’s 1000m
- 2:15 PM - Men’s 1000m
- 2:20 PM - Women’s 60m Hurdles (second round)
- 2:30 PM - Men’s 60m (second round)
- 2:40 PM - Women’s 500m
- 2:50 PM - Men’s 500m
- 3:05 PM - Women’s Mile
- 3:25 PM - Men’s Mile
- 3:45 PM - Women’s 4x400m Relay
- 4:00 PM - Men’s 4x400m Relay
A Weekend That’s About More Than Just Times
While the meet will offer plenty of chances for athletes to hit qualifying marks and build early-season confidence, it’s also a celebration of Carolina’s track and field history. Honoring Dick Taylor - a man who once set records on the track and later helped shape the university’s future - adds a meaningful layer to the competition.
With standout performances like Sjöberg’s already setting the tone, and a full slate of events packed into two days, this meet is shaping up to be a showcase of both talent and tradition in Chapel Hill.
Fans can follow along with live stats throughout the meet via Durham Striders Timing.