Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech track and field and cross country director Dave Cianelli announced on Friday additions to the incoming class of newcomers.
The Hokies' sprints/hurdles group gets a bolster in its arm with adding six on the women's side and three on the men's side, under the watch of sprints/hurdles coach Tim Vaught.
WOMEN
Nykah Smith enters her freshman year after setting four school records at Maynard J. Jackson and winning the 200 and 400 at the GHSA Region 6-5A meet. Smith also has been a part of a 4x400 relay squad that won state in 2016, as well as her team taking the state 3A title. She is a four-time All-County selection, a team captain and was voted MVR by her teammates and coaches this past season.
"From the time I walked on campus I felt at home," Smith said. "I immediately felt connected to Coach Cianelli and Coach Vaught and truly appreciate them for accepting where I've come from and the belief in where I can go on the track.
"Virginia Tech offers a great academic career for me as well as athletically. I could only see myself in maroon and orange and yelling Hokie Nation!"
Kanajzae Brown comes to Blacksburg following two years at High Point where she set four school records and won the 60-meter dash at the Big South Conference Indoor Championships. Brown earned all-conference honors and was an all-academic selection, too. In high school at Aquaculture and Central Magnet, she was a three-time Connecticut Class LL state champion in the 100 and a two-time state champ in the 200 and 4x100 relay.
"I decided to embark on my journey to Virginia Tech because I believe that this university will help me get to the next level," Brown said. "Virginia Techs motto Ut Prosim represents the art of mastering selflessness. I believe that being in an atmosphere that hones in on serving others is deeply a part of who I am already shaping to be as an individual and will help to further build my character.
"Coach Vaught has my best interest at heart and genuinely cares about my growth both on the track and off. The team made me feel very welcomed from the time I expressed my interest in attending this university and I am excited to be a part of a championship winning team!"
Kayla Copeland is coming off her prep career at Stone Bridge where she won her conference's 100 and 200 sprints, while earning first and second place in the 100 and 200 at the 5A regional championship. Copeland went on to earn all-state honors in the 100, 200 and long jump.
"I chose Virginia Tech because not only does it have an excellent academic program, but an impressive track program, where I felt I could achieve not only on the track but in the classroom as well," Copeland said. "I enjoyed the campus and student life and felt it would be a great fit for me for the next four years."
Kaylah Duke joins Tech's class after she earned all-state in the 100-meter hurdles at Oscar Smith, placing fourth during the 2018 outdoor season, 55-meter hurdles, placing sixth. She is a three-time All-American in the shuttle-meter hurdles relays and 4x400 relay national champion EE.
"I chose Virginia Tech for both academic and athletic reasons," Duke said. "The Pamplin Business school attracted me for multiple reasons, the main one being that students will begin learning business on Day 1 of class. I also loved the fact that students are able to have a job set for them before they even graduate.
"On the athletic side, I felt at home when I met Coach Vaught, his fiancé and a couple of the team members on my visit. I knew that I would reach my potential under Coach Vaught's training along with my hard work. It's obvious something is working when you see how far his athletes have come. I know I will thrive both academically and athletically during my four years at VT."
Maya Pighet chose Tech following a successful career in high school at Olympic, where she won the long jump twice at her conference meet and was a four-year letterwinner. Pighet broke three school records in her prep career, was two-time overall best performer and placed seventh at the Taco Bell Classic.
"I chose Virginia Tech for its great engineering program," Pighet said. "When I stepped foot on campus for the first time, it immediately felt like home and I knew then and there Tech was the perfect place for me. Also, because it's a great Track and field program, too. Tech develops great athletes and I intend on being another great athlete coming out of Tech."
Zanelle Richie, from Thomas Dale, enters her freshman year trying to become the next great hurdler for Tech. Richie broke school records in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, while being named all-state in an individual event (100 hurdles). She also earned all-state twice on the 4x200 relay and was a regional champ in the 300 hurdles.
"I choose Virginia Tech due to the attitude the students have towards academics," Richie said. "My favorite hurdler is Queen Harrison, and her being an alumn from Virginia Tech was a bonus. I also fell in love with the spirit and traditions the school has itself."
MEN
Sam McLendon enters his first year in Blacksburg after being a six-time conference champion and two-time regional champion in high school at South County. He was a two-time state finalist and broke two school records as well.
"I chose Virginia Tech because I felt that it would set me up academically," McLendon said, "and athletically at the collegiate level."
Noah Walker comes to Tech from USC Upstate where he placed third at the ASUN Outdoor Championships in the 400 hurdles, earning first-team all-conference his freshman season. He went on to earn a silver medal in the same event his sophomore season and ran a leg on the 4x400 relay team that took second and the 4x100 relay squad that placed third. Walker is the school record holder in the 400 hurdles.
Before his days with the Spartans, Walker was the region champ in high school in the 110 hurdles twice at Northwestern High School. He was South Carolina's runner-up in the 110 hurdles and earned all-state in the 4x100 and 4x400. Walker guided his team to a state title his sophomore year in 2014 and a runner-up finish the following year in 2015.
"I chose Virginia Tech because after doing research of the school, I found out more about the academics success and track team accomplishments," Walker said. "I also made my decision after taking my campus tour and meeting coach Vaught and his family."
Noah Ramsey won't have to move too far to join the Hokies as the Blacksburg product teamed up with fellow incoming Hokie Cole Beck and turned in an impressive season for the Bruins this past spring. Ramsey earned all-state honors 11 times, including running a leg on the state champion 4x100 relay team. He took sixth at New Balance Indoor Nationals in the 60 as a ninth grader and went on to place third in the 100 his senior season this past spring.
"I chose to run at Virginia Tech because they have such an elite track program," Ramsey said, "where I feel I can best reach my full potential."