Hokie ClubEUGENE, Ore. - Senior Queen Harrison continued her stellar 2010 campaign, adding another NCAA title to her resume on Friday, winning the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA National Finals in Eugene, Ore. The Hokie men are tied for 10th place with 16.5 points, while the women sit in sixth place with 18 points going into the final day of the meet.
The Richmond, Va., native clocked a 54.55, a school and personal record in the final 400-meter hurdle competition of her collegiate career, to capture her first NCAA title in the event. Harrison bested her own school record in the event, formerly 54.60 which she set in 2008. The victory also vaulted Tech up the women’s standings into a tie for second at the time with 18 points.
With the victory, Harrison tallied a second NCAA crown for her collection and for Virginia Tech women’s track and field. The Hermitage High product won the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, the first-ever NCAA track and field championship for the Tech women. She will go for her second NCAA gold medal this meet, and third overall, tomorrow in the 100-meter hurdles, where teammate and fellow senior Kristi Castlin will also compete.
“Queen ran a beautiful race,” Tech Director of Track and Field Dave Cianelli said. “It was controlled and she was strong at the end, so I was pretty confident that she would win. Now she has to get ready for the 100-meter hurdles tomorrow, her final race as a collegian.”
The Hokie hammer throwers completed a strong meet, as freshman Alexander Ziegler and sophomore Marcel Lomnicky finished second and third, respectively in the event. Ziegler held the lead for the majority of the competition, but Walter Henning of LSU, the champion in the event, tossed a winning 238-09 in his final attempt. With one throw to go, Ziegler launched a mark of 237-07, a career best and good enough for second place, but could not out-distance Henning. Lomnicky tossed a mark of 232-10.
“With our throwers, you knew it was going to be a very close battle,“ Cianelli said. “It was a great throw in the sixth round for Henning to win it., but [Ziegler] responded very well with his sixth throw. It just wasn‘t long enough.”
Ziegler and Lomnicky both achieved All-American status with the efforts. Ziegler earned his second-career All-America honor after placing third in the weight throw at the indoor meet earlier this year, while Lomnicky garnered his third All-America accolade. Lomnicky won the hammer throw at the 2009 NCAA Championships, and took eighth in the weight throw at the 2009 national indoor meet. Senior Matej Muza ended his collegiate career with a 11th-place finish in the hammer throw, notching a mark of 210-02. Lomnicky and Ziegler’s efforts totaled 14 points to the men’s team total, as they finished the day with 16.5 total points.
Tech will wrap up the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships tomorrow. Hokie action begins at 11:40 a.m., as senior Igor Misljenovic competes in the men’s shot put. Results will be available on hokiesports.com.