Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) announced its honorees for Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the Division I outdoor season, with Virginia Tech earning three honors for the Southeast Region. Director of Track and Field Dave Cianelli was named the men’s coach of the year, while throws coach Greg Jack was named men’s assistant coach of the year. Jacks’ star pupil, national hammer throw leader Marcel Lomnicky, was named the Men’s Field Athlete of the Year.
Indoor success in 2011 for Cianelli carried over into an outdoor season that saw 24 qualify for the NCAA East Regional and 14 men move on to the NCAA Championships, the third most of any team nationally. The Hokies’ NCAA field also includes a meet-record seven competitors in the jumps. The Hokies finished second at the ACC Championships, crowning four individual conference champions including a new all-time ACC record in the men’s hammer throw by Marcel Lomnicky (248-10, 75.84m). Heading into the national finals, the men’s team is currently ranked No. 8 in the country and have reached as high as No. 7 this season. Cianelli also earned Southeast Region Men’s Coach of the Year honors during the indoor season, making this his fourth career USTFCCCA men’s honor.
Jack has overseen arguably one of the finest groups of men’s throwers in NCAA history. Lomnicky and Alexander Ziegler are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the country in the men’s hammer throw and are the only two competitors this season to throw past 70 meters (229-8). Along with Denis Mahmic, who is 23rd nationally in the event, they swept the hammer throw podium at the ACC Championships, repeating the same feat from the indoor season in the weight throw. Matthias Treff, ranked 16th nationally in the javelin, won his second career ACC javelin title and will also compete at the NCAA Championships. This is Jack’s fourth career Southeast Region honor, having won during the 2010 indoor and outdoor seasons and the 2006 outdoor season, where he was also named USTFCCCA National Men’s Throws Coach of the Year.
Lomnicky has been the face of the men’s team this season, dominating the rest of the field in the men’s hammer throw all year. He has won every hammer throw competition he has competed in all season, including his third consecutive ACC title that not only set a new school record (248-10, 75.84m), but a new all-time ACC record previously held by former Hokie great Spyridon Jullien. Lomnicky has received mention for the Bowerman Award all season, given to the year’s most outstanding track and field student-athlete. The Nitra, Slovakia, native will be looking for his second career NCAA title this weekend, having won it in 2009 and then finished third in 2010 despite a rib injury.
Events at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, begin on Wednesday, June 8.