Hokie ClubWILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech track and field squads completed two outstanding meets on Saturday, as the Hokie distance crew captured two victories at the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Va., and several Tech athletes regionally qualified in the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas.
“Considering, these were our first outdoor meets for a lot of our athletes, it was a pretty productive weekend,” Tech Director of Track and Field Dave Cianelli said. “This was the first decent weather we have gotten, and we had 14 regional-qualifying marks, so overall it was a productive meet.”
The Tech distance relay units won the men’s 4x800-meter relay, in school-record fashion, and the women’s distance medley relay, while coming in second in the men’s distance medley relay to end a successful Colonial Relays.
Sophomore Eddie Judge, senior Billy Berlin, sophomore Jeff Miller and sophomore Ryan Witt ran a school-record 7:26.98 to capture the men’s 4x800-meter title. The foursome shattered the old Tech record of 7:30.12 set back in 2004.
In the distance medley relays, seniors Natalie Sherbak and Jessica Fanning teamed up with freshmen Taylore Williams and Lauren Lemieux to win the gold in the women’s race. The quartet clocked 11:39.67 en route to victory. On the men’s side, freshman Michael Hammond, freshman Eric Hoepker, sophomore Nick McLaughlin and sophomore Chris Walizer crossed the line in 10:00.77 to place second overall.
Meanwhile, the hurdlers and field athletes shined to close out the Texas Relays. Juniors Queen Harrison, competing in her first outdoor meet after suffering a hamstring injury during the indoor season, and Asia Washington tallied a one-two finish, respectively, in the 400-meter hurdles. Harrison clocked a 57.38, while Washington earned a time of 58.41. Both improved on their already regional-qualifying times in the event, earned in the prelims on Thursday.
Junior Kristi Castlin claimed second in the 100-meter hurdles, with a time of 13.04, while freshman Keith Ricks finished an outstanding Texas Relays by placing seventh in a stacked men’s 100-meter dash field.
In field action, four athletes regionally qualified for the Hokies. Sophomore Hunter Hall cleared 17-00.75 to tie for fifth and punch a ticket to the regional meet in the pole vault, while sophomore Kelly Phillips took eighth in women’s pole vault with a regional-mark of 12-07.50.
Junior Igor Misljenovic placed seventh and tossed a 55-03 to earn his first trip to the NCAA Regionals in the shot put. The Zagreb, Croatia native competed in the regional meet in the discus throw last year. On the women’s side, senior Brittany Pryor, already regionally qualified in the hammer throw, threw a regional-mark of 49-10.50 in the women’s shot put.
Two Tech pole vaulters also competed well at the Liberty Invitational in Lynchburg, Va. Junior Yavgeniy Olhovsky won the event, clearing 16-00.75, while sophomore Mike Miller placed third with a vault of 15-07.
The Hokies will compete in one last tune up before the ACC Championships next weekend at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the conclusion of the meet.
Results
Texas Relays
Women
400-meter hurdles – 1, Queen Harrison, Virginia Tech, 57.38, 2, Asia Washington, Virginia Tech, 58.41
Men
Pole Vault- 1, Jason Colwick, Rice, 18-09.25, 2, Maston Wallace, Texas, 18-02.50, 3, Nick Frawley, Air Force, 17-04.50, 4, Brandon Estrada, USC, 17-04.50, t5, Hunter Hall, Virginia Tech, 17-00.75, t5, Alex Bentley, Houston, 17-00.75
Colonial Relays
Men
4x800-meter relay - 1, Virginia Tech, 7:26.98
Distance Medley Relay – 1, Yale, 9:59.32, 2, Virginia Tech, 10:00.77
Women
Distance Medley Relay – 1, Virginia Tech, 11:39.67
Liberty Invitational
Men
Pole Vault – 1, Yavgeniy Olhovsky, 16-00.75, 2, Jared Jodon, Unattached, 16-00.75, 3, Mike Miller, Virginia Tech, 15-07