Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – Senior Queen Harrison earned a Virginia Tech school record in the women’s 400-meters, and the rest of the Virginia Tech track and field squads concluded a terrific Hokie Invitational on Saturday at the Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va.
“Overall it was a very good meet,” Tech Director of Track and Field Dave Cianelli said. “Keith Ricks [in the 60-meters] and Queen [Harrison] and Kristi [Castlin] in the 60-meter hurdles with their performances were the highlights of the meet, but I felt like the team as a whole took a big step in getting prepared for the ACC Championships in five weeks.”
Fresh off winning the 60-meter hurdles yesterday, Harrison continued her strong Hokie Invitational on Saturday. Harrison finished second and was the top collegiate finisher in the women’s 400-meters. The Richmond, Va., native clocked a 53.64 in the effort, provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championships. The time also set the indoor school record in the 400-meter dash, coming in just under the former Tech standard of 53.66, set by Asia Washington in 2009. Freshman Yvonne Amegashie placed eighth in the event, running a 56.37.
Sophomore Ogechi Nwaneri completed a successful weekend, adding a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash on Saturday. Nwaneri timed in at 24.25 in the 200-meters, after placing third in the 60-meters on Friday night. On the men’s side, sophomore Keith Ricks, who broke the Tech record in the 60-meters last night, also took third in the men’s 200-meter dash with a time of 21.49.
Senior Yavgeniy Olhovsky, cleared 17-07.25 to capture the men’s pole vault title and provisionally qualify for the national meet. Olhovsky did not have any misses at any height prior to bowing out of the competition, winning the tiebreaker over unattached athlete Brian Mondschien, who had three. Juniors Hunter Hall and Jared Jodon also put together impressive performances. Hall placed third with a provisional-qualifying mark of 17-03.50, while Jodon finished fourth, vaulting 16-09.50.
In other field action, senior Lisa Birnbaum and junior Kelly Phillips tallied sixth and seventh, respectively, in the women’s pole vault. Both vaulters cleared 12-05.50, but Birnbaum vaulted the height without any misses giving her the tiebreaker.
The Hokies capped the meet with a stellar effort in the women’s 4x400-meter relay. Tech took second place overall, as the quartet of Harrison, Amegashie, Castlin and sophomore Aunye Boone clocked a 3:42.18 in the runner-up showing.
Tech travels to State College, Pa., on Jan. 29-30 for the Penn State National, its only meet away from Rector Field House before the National Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., in March. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the conclusion of each day’s events.
Women’s Results
200m Dash – 1, Deedee Trotter, Unattached, 24.03, 2, Candyce McGrone, Florida State, 24.17, 3, Ogechi Nwaneri, Virginia Tech, 24.25, 4, Georgina Nembhard, Georgia, 24.44, 5, Gabrielle Glenn, South Carolina, 24.45, 6, Landria Buckley, Howard, 24.53, 7, Cierra McGee, George Mason, 24.56, 8, Barbara Pierre, St. Augustine’s, 24.57
400m Dash – 1, Deedee Trotter, Unattached, 52.80, 2, Queen Harrison, Virginia Tech, 53.64, 3, Brandi Cross, South Carolina, 53.83, 4, Asia Washington, Unattached, 54.17, 5, Odeika Bent, Georgia, 56.17, 6, Angelique Smith, St. Augustine’s, 56.20, 7, Chenoa Freeman, Liberty, 56.34, 8, Yvonne Amegashie, Virginia Tech, 56.37
Pole Vault – 1, Lacy Janse, Unattached, 14-05.25, 2, Vica Shobe, South Carolina, 12-11.50, 3, Jade Reibold, Georgia, 12-11.50, 4, Amy Fryt, Duke, 12-11.50, 5, Erin Mahony, Unattached, 12-11.50, 6, Lisa Birnbaum, Virginia Tech, 12-05.50, 7, Kelly Phillips, Virginia Tech, 12-05.50, t8, Kat Majester, Georgia, 12-05.50, t8, Lizbeth Mabry, Florida State, 12-05.50
4x400m Relay – 1, South Carolina, 3:40.79, 2, Virginia Tech, 3:42.18, 3, Maryland, 3:42.70, 4, Tennessee, 3:42.80, 5, George Mason, 3:43.88, 6, St. Augustine’s, 3:46.84, 7, Charlotte, 3:49.29, 8, Howard, 3:49.51
Men’s Results
200m Dash – 1, Marquis Holston, Norfolk State, 21.28, 2, Brandon Byram, Florida State, 21.29, 3, Keith Ricks, Virginia Tech, 21.49, 4, Rachaunn Ruffin, George Mason, 5, Darius Law, Charlotte, 21.76, 6, Antonio Sales, South Carolina, 21.77, 7, Eric Harris, Georgia, 21.78, 8, Cornelius Tyler, Charleston Southern, 21.82
Pole Vault – 1, Yavgeniy Olhovsky, Virginia Tech, 17-07.25, 2, Brian Mondschein, Unattached, 17-07.25, 3, Hunter Hall, Virginia Tech, 17-03.50, 4, Jared Jodon, Virginia Tech, 16-09.50, 5, Allen Brandon, Georgia, 16-03.50, 6, Robert Rasnick, Tennessee, 16-03.50, 7, Kolby Shepherd, Liberty, 15-09.75, 8, John Eagen, Georgia, 15-09.75