New Rochelle star to join Tar Heels
By Christopher Hunt
When New Rochelle senior Elizabeth Mott first got to Chapel Hill for her visit to North Carolina, her questions and her mother, Sherrie’s questions all began with “if.”
“If she comes here,” her mom would say.”
By the time she left, Sherrie Mott was still saying “if,” while Elizabeth began saying “when, I come here.”
As simple as that, Mott, committed to the University of North Carolina last Sunday. The all-American 400-meter runner signed her National Letter of Intent today.
“I liked the coaches,” she said. “I liked the school. I liked the team. It was like a family. I just felt a connection.”
Mott, who finished fourth at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships, finishing the 400 meters in a personal-best 54.81 seconds, will join with one of the world’s greatest 400 runners, sprints and hurdles coach Antonio Pettigrew, a five-time U.S. 400-meter champ. Mott chose UNC over Villanova, Florida Atlantic and George Mason.
“They told me that if he doesn’t know anything he knows how to coach the 400,” Mott said of Pettigrew. “It’s nice to know that I’ll definitely have good coaching in my event. It’s nice that I’ve have someone there to take me to the next level.”
She said at the start of the season that North Carolina was her first choice and alerted coaches of her interest but initially the school didn’t return the same sentiment. That was until her breakthrough performance at the Eastern States championships Feb. 26 when she finished second in the 400 in 55.25.
“I was happy when I ran the 55 I felt like my goals were going to be reached,” she said. “It definitely opened a lot more doors for me.”
Not only did Mott become one of the top quarter-milers in the country but she also established herself as one of the best hurdlers in the state. Mott won the public schools state championship in the 55 hurdles with a personal best of 8.13. She said Pettigrew and head coach Dennis Craddock said she would likely race in the 400 hurdles outdoors, an event that New Rochelle coach Andy Capellan said she would focus on this spring as well.
The decision came down to Villanova and UNC with Villanova as the front runner before Mott headed to Chapel Hill last weekend. Still, feeling unsure, Mott said he was hoping that she would find clarity and North Carolina and it wasn’t long before she did.
“The season was really long,” she said. “It was stressful because of college issues, trying to run certain teams for coaches, school, everything. I’m glad I made it through, made it though with all my ligaments attached to my body.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.