JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Senior Essence Henderson is headed to Austin, Texas for the NCAA Outdoor Championships representing the Hokies as a two-time national qualifier in the 2023 outdoor season.
"Fantastic effort and performance from Essence this week," said associate head coach Andrew Dubs. "Stay calm in shot after the first two rounds, to then be able to have a big throw on her final attempt to move into a qualifying position shows off her poise and determination in a pressure situation."
Henderson entered the final day of the East Regionals having already qualified for nationals in the women's shot put finishing ninth with a distance of 54' 9.5 (16.70m) on day two.
"Very difficult conditions in the discus with the shifting winds," said coach Dubs. "When you have winds that are never steady and constantly changing directions, that can really throw off timing and flight. Essence did an outstanding job of keeping her focus on executing her technique and throw."
In the discus, she finished seventh throwing 178' 7" (54.45m) on her first attempt of the day.
Cierra Pyles needed only one attempt to advance to her first career NCAA outdoor championships in the triple jump. Pyles jumped a season-best distance of 44' 2" (13.46m) finishing seventh.
On the track, Lindsey Butler has earned an automatic spot into the outdoor championships in 800m finishing second in her heat with a time of 2:03.87.
Butler qualified for the quarterfinals finishing first in her heat in the first round of prelims with a time of 2:04.83. Teammate Star Price placed 22nd overall in the 800m quarterfinals 2:08.78.
Barbora Malikova ends her season finishing 14th in the 400m quarterfinals with a time of 53.41.
Up Next
Virginia Tech will send 11 athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas on June 7 – 10.
Saturday Results
Field Results
Discus
7. Essence Henderson - 178' 7" ( 54.45m) *advance to Nationals
Triple Jump
7. Cierra Pyles – 44'2" (13.46) *advance to Nationals *season-best
Track Results
400m
14. Barbora Malikova - 53.41
800m
3. Lindsey Butler - 2:03.87 (second in her heat) *advance to Nationals
22. Star Price - 2:08.78
Advancing to Nationals
Cole Beck – 100m
Lindsey Butler – 800m
Julia Fixsen – Pole Vault
Journey Gurley – Pole Vault
Essence Henderson – Shot Put, Discus
Hayley Horvath – Pole Vault
Antonio Lopez Segura – 5000m
Nick Plant – 800m
Cierra Pyles – Triple Jump
Barbora Stejfova – Hammer Throw
Kenna Stimmel – Pole Vault
Gallery: (5-27-2023) 2023 T&F NCAA EAST REGION WOMEN'S DAY 2
