With a time of 13:20.88 in the men’s 5000 meters on Friday at the NCAA Track and Field Championships, UNC graduate student Thomas Ratcliffe set a new school record and earned First Team All-American status.

Ratcliffe’s time was good enough for seventh place overall at the event, which was the highest any Tar Heel has finished in the 5000 meters since Jim Farmer claimed fourth place back in 1988.

His run was nearly 12 seconds better than the previous school record of 13:32.50 set by Ralph King in 1977, and earned him a spot in the upcoming Olympic trials.

Ratcliffe is the second UNC track athlete to earn First Team All-American honors at the NCAA Championships, joining Jill Shippee — a junior who took third place in the Hammer Throw on Thursday with a new ACC record throw of 69.42 meters.

Shippee’s effort was the first time a UNC athlete ever finished within the top three in the Hammer Throw.

 

 

Photo via Todd Drexler (SESportsMedia.com)

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