Hokie ClubATLANTA, Ga. (May 13, 2017) – The Virginia Tech men’s track and field team used the day for positioning, while freshman Sarah Edwards brought home a gold medal on the women’s side to highlight Saturday’s action at the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Georgia Tech’s Griffin Track & Field Facility in Atlanta, Georgia.
The women’s team only added 15 points to its team total, but the Hokies remain in first place with 58.5 points. They lead second-place Duke by just one point.
Edwards ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase for just the second time in her career, finishing with a lifetime-best time of 10 minutes, 5.58 seconds for the win. Freshman Kayla Richardson also competed in the event, placing fourth overall with a career-best time of 10:11.89 to earn second-team All-ACC honors. Both Edwards and Richardson racked up the Hokies’ 15-point total on the day.
Junior Courtney Blanden had herself a day in the 400-meter sprint, placing first in her heat and qualifying for the finals with a career-best time of 52.93 seconds. Blanden nearly broke former Tech standout Queen Harrison’s school-record time of 52.88 set back in 2008.
Senior Hanna Green qualified for the finals in the 800-meter run, which will be held Sunday. Green, who easily won her heat in a time of 2:06.40, won the 800 at the league’s indoor meet and finished second in the event at this year’s NCAA Indoor Championships. Freshman Laurie Barton and sophomore Rachel Pocratsky also qualified for the 800 finals, placing fourth (2:06.56) and seventh (2:07.57), respectively, in the qualifying round.
Additionally, freshman Eszter Bajnok placed 18th overall in the women’s long jump, leaping 5.41 meters (17 ft., 9 in.).
On the men’s side, Tech stands in a two-way tie for third place with 34 points. Florida State also collected 34 points throughout two days of competition. Virginia leads the team race with 75 points, followed by Duke in second with 39 points.
Senior Brad Johnson earned a bronze medal in the men’s pole vault competition, clearing a total of 5.17 meters (16 ft., 11.5 in.) to collect first-team All-ACC honors. Sophomore Deakin Volz finished fifth with a height of 4.97 meters (16 ft., 3.5 in.), landing on the second team list, while senior Jeffrey Linta placed 10th overall.
The day ended for the Hokies with two runners competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase event – and both of them scored points. Senior Daniel Jaskowak finished fifth with a time of 9 minutes, 6.26 seconds, and freshman Fitsum Seyoum came in seventh with a personal-best time of 9:11.74. The top eight finishers in an event score points toward the team total.
The Hokies’ Mackenzie Muldoon also added to the men’s total by finishing sixth in the decathlon with a personal-best 6,758 points. Muldoon recorded career bests in four of the five events on Saturday – the discus (34.77 meters), the pole vault (4.30 meters), the javelin (46.02 meters) and the 1,500-meter run (4:45.90). With Saturday’s finish, Muldoon garnered second-team All-ACC honors for the first time in his career.
A trio of male also runners positioned themselves to help with the team scoring. Freshman Michael Davenport qualified for the finals in the 100, which will be held Sunday, with a time of 10.62 seconds. Additionally, the senior duo of Patrick Joseph and Drew Piazza both qualified for the 800-meter finals, finishing in second (1:48.48) and fifth (1:49.83), respectively, in the preliminary rounds.
Other Hokies who competed, but did not qualify for the finals in their respective events included Shanel Burr (16th, 100 hurdles), Aaron Simpson (10th, 110 hurdles), Arlicia Bush (10th, 400 meters), Brandon Thomas (11th, 400 meters), Matthew Baker (25th, 400 meters), Darius Watkins (14th, 100 meters), Dante Price (19th, 100 meters), Shannon Quinn (16th, 800 meters) and Owen Buck (30th, 800 meters).
The final day of action at the 2017 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships begins at 2 p.m. with the men’s high jump. Sophomore Will Kendall will compete for the Hokies in the event.
Additionally, the ACC Network Extra will provide a live stream coverage via WatchESPN and the ESPN app beginning at 5 p.m. and run until the conclusion of the meet. Former Olympic decathlon gold medalist Dan O’Brien will serve as the color analyst. He also will be joined by veteran ESPN play-by-play announcer Shawn Kenney. Admission is free to the championships.
Following the 2017 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the Hokies will have one week off from competition prior to the NCAA East Regional held on the University of Kentucky’s campus in Lexington, Kentucky from May 25-27.
Fans can follow all the action during each meet of the 2017 outdoor season by following the squad on Twitter and Instagram.
PERSONAL BESTS
400 meters
Courtney Blanden (52.93)
1,500 meters
Mackenzie Muldoon (4:45.90)
3,000 steeplechase
Sarah Edwards (10:05.58)
Kayla Richardson (10:11.89)
Fitsum Seyoum (9:11.74)
Discus
Mackenzie Muldoon (34.77 meters)
Pole vault
Mackenzie Muldoon (4.30 meters)
Javelin
Mackenzie Muldoon (46.02 meters)
Decathlon
Mackenzie Muldoon (6,758 points)