2015 Track & Field Schedule Announced

CLEMSON, S.C. — Head coach Mark Elliott’s second season at the helm of Tiger track & field includes a much later start for the ACC Outdoor Championships, according to the team’s schedule that was announced today. Typically held mid-April, the championships were pushed back to May 14-16 of next year to highlight Clemson’s indoor and outdoor slate.

“Based on my experiences with other conferences, their outdoor championships were always around the time we’re moving to next year,” Elliott said. “In the past, the ACC Outdoor Championships were a month after indoor season. Now, it’s more of a gradual build toward the three biggest meets of the outdoor season. You want your athletes on the same training path as other national programs. It’s really one of the best moves as it relates to our conference.”

The 2015 indoor schedule includes two home competitions within the first three weeks of the season. The Tigers host the Orange & Purple Classic to open the indoor campaign on Jan. 10, and return two weeks later for the Bob Pollock Invitational.

The ACC Indoor Championships are once again set for Blacksburg, Va., on Feb. 26-28. The NCAA Championships return to Fayetteville, Ark., and the Randal Tyson Track Complex the weekend of March 13-14.

The outdoor schedule begins with a competition at Coastal Carolina University on March 19-21. Unlike years past, the Tigers now will enjoy the luxury of building up to its three biggest meets, the ACC Championships, NCAA East Prelims and NCAA Championships. For the second straight season, the Tigers will not host an outdoor meet.

“The ACC meet moving also helps recruiting,” Elliott said. “Penn Relays now becomes more important. It used to be the week after ACCs, and you couldn’t get kids up for it. Now we can showcase our team in front of some of the best high school kids in the world, which is great for everyone.”