BLACKSBURG, Va. - Carolina left the ACC Championships with two strong team finishes Friday morning at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course, putting both programs inside the conference top 10 and the women into the top five.
The men came through 7th in the 8k with 206 points, led by Caden Leonard’s standout run. The true freshman finished 9th in 23:00.0, good for ACC Freshman of the Year honors and a spot on the All-ACC Team. Leonard also set a personal best in the 8k.
Jacob Laney followed with a 25th-place finish in 23:15.8, another personal best, while Joe Barrett cracked the top 50 as well, taking 31st in 23:20.7. Tommy Latham placed 77th in 24:02.5, Joe Martin was 82nd in 24:09.8, Luke Pash finished 98th in 24:27.7, Joe Sapone was 102nd in 24:32.2, and Jack Bowen crossed in 107th in 24:34.8.
The women delivered an even bigger result, finishing 4th in the 6k with 161 points. Ciara O'Shea led the way again for UNC, running a personal-best 19:47.5 to finish 22nd. Libby Castelli was right behind in 24th at 19:49.7, and the Tar Heels packed in the rest of their scoring well inside the top 50.
Kinley Wolfe placed 36th in 20:07.0, Katelyn Rupe was 37th in 20:07.4, Logan St. John Kletter finished 42nd in 20:10.2, and Maddie Gardiner took 49th in 20:15.5. Pia Beaulieu finished 52nd in 20:17.9, Hannah Rae Shaffer was 107th in 21:10.9, and Camryn Wennersten placed 141st in 22:17.8.
With conference racing finished, UNC now turns to the NCAA Southeast Regional in Spartanburg, S.C. on November 13.
In Other News...
UNC Is Closing In On A Recruit Tar Heels Fans Will Obsess Over
A major recruiting decision is coming into focus for one of the top names in the 2027 class, and North Carolina appears to be right in the middle of it. DeMarcus Henry, the five-star forward ranked No. 2 in the SC Next 100, is set to announce his college choice Friday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPNs NBA Today, with the Tar Heels, Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisville still in the mix.
UNC helped itself with Henrys final official visit, which included a call from Michael Jordan, and the Tar Heels are now viewed as a leading candidate in the race. Recent reports and predictions have leaned toward Chapel Hill, adding even more intrigue to a recruitment that has already become one fans will be watching closely as the clock ticks toward his announcement. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces A Trap-Game Test Fans Can't Ignore
North Carolina is back in the kind of game that can tell you a lot about where it stands in the ACC race, even if the conversation around Week 9 has centered more on Miamis looming test than the Tar Heels themselves. The matchup figures to draw attention because it puts North Carolina in the middle of a prediction market that expects a close game, and those kinds of games usually say plenty about a teams steadiness, its ability to handle pressure and whether it can make an opponent uncomfortable for four quarters.
For the Tar Heels, the bigger storyline is less about the outside noise and more about whether they can turn a difficult spot into a statement opportunity. Miami is being picked to escape with a narrow win, which leaves North Carolina with a chance to challenge that expectation and change the tone around its season, even if the projection still tilts toward the Hurricanes. The setup is simple enough, but these are exactly the sorts of games where the details matter and one timely swing can change how the rest of the week gets discussed. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Suddenly Has Major Recruiting Momentum Ahead Of Elite Prospect's Decision
North Carolinas recruiting pitch to Henry has picked up real force in a hurry. The No. 2 overall recruit and top small forward in the 2027 class recently made a visit to Chapel Hill, then cut his list down to four schools, with the Tar Heels still in the mix alongside Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisville.
The buzz around UNC only grew when Michael Jordan personally called Henry as part of the programs push. Now the spotlight shifts to Friday, when Henry is expected to reveal his decision on ESPNs NBA Today at 3 p.m. ET, setting up a high-profile finish to a recruitment that could reshape the Tar Heels future plans. [Read more 🡒]