Track and field adds ten to 2026 roster

EMMA LINDNER

 

Emma Lindner joins the Virginia Tech track & field and cross country programs from Bavaria, Germany.

Lindner, a distance athlete, specializes in the 800m and the 1500m, with personal-bests of 2:09.29 and 4:23.23.  

Emma is also a multi-time German National Team member, representing Germany in multiple international events.

She is the daughter of Maria and Thomas Lindner and has one sister, Jule, who also signed with Virginia Tech track & field.  Emma plans to majoring in a sport-related field.

JULE LINDNER

 

Jule Lindner joins the Virginia Tech track & field and cross country programs from Bavaria, Germany.

Lindner, a distance athlete, specializes in the 1500m, the 2000m and the steeplechase, with personal-bests of 4:24, 6:30 and 10:09.  

Jule is also a multi-time German National Team member, representing Germany in multiple international events.

She is the daughter of Maria and Thomas Lindner and has one sister, Emma, who also signed with Virginia Tech track & field.  Jule plans to majoring in a sport and exercise-related field.

FAITH KIPMAIYO

 

Faith Kipmaiyo joins the Virginia Tech track & field and cross country programs from Eldoret, Kenya.

Kipmaiyo, a distance athlete, specializes in cross country events, the 1500m and the 3000m, with personal-bests in the 1500m of 4:35 and in the 3000m of 9:35.

She is the daughter of Joseph Kipkemoi and Lucy Jeptoo Ronoh and has three siblings, Alex, Emmanuel and Evans.

LINUS CHEPKOCHEI

 

Linus Chepkochei joins the Virginia Tech track & field and cross country programs from Eldoret, Kenya.

Chepkochei, a distance athlete, specializes in cross country events, the 3000m and the 5000m, with personal-bests in the 3000m of 8:21 and in the 5000m of 14:07.

He is the son of Robert Keitany and Rose Kimutai and has five siblings, Faith, Purity, Humphrey, Marion and Virginia.  Linus intends to major in speech, communication and rhetoric.

SAM IDIENS

 

Sam Idiens joins the Virginia Tech track & field and cross country programs from Christchurch, New Zealand.

Idiens, a distance runner, competed collegiately for Charleston (W.V.) from the fall of 2023 through the spring of 2025.  In 2025, Idiens finished third overall at the NCAA DII Indoor Championships in the 800m, collecting All-American honors.  He also captured the individual title in the 800m at the Mountain East Championships, while leading the DMR to the title as well.  At the 2024 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, Idiens collected All-American honors for a third-place national finish in the 800m after capturing the individual title at the Mountain East Outdoor Championships. During the 2024 indoor season, he collected silver at the Mountain East Indoor Championships with his 4:14.63 in the mile and the gold as a member of the DMR.

He owns personal-bests of 1:48.29 in the 800m, 3:48.15 in the 1500m, 4:04.35 in the mile and 8:22.65 in the 3,000m.

During the 2024 cross country season, Idiens elevated his 2023 Mountain East Conference finish of seventh with a second-place finish, posting an 8k result of 25:00.6.  He holds personal-bests of 18:21.2 in the 6k, 24:28.5 in the 8k and 30:23.8 in the 10k.

He is the son of Sue and Michael Idiens and has two siblings, Henry and Charlotte.  Sam intends to major in sports media and communications.

YEKINI BOWEN

 

Yekini Bowen joins the Virginia Tech track & field program from Westmoreland, Jamaica.

Bowen, a throws athlete, specializes in shot put and discus, with event wins in hammer throw and weighted throw as well.  Personal-bests for Yekini include:

Shot put: 17.31m (56'9.5")

Discus: 59.93m (196'7")

Hammer: 47.85m (157'0")

Weighted: 17.87m (58'7.5")

Yekini is a four-time NJCAA All-American, with finishes of second overall in discus and fifth overall in shot put at the NJCAA DI Outdoor Championship.

DENZS SIMMONDS

 

Denzs Simmonds joins the Virginia Tech track & field program from Kingston, Jamaica.

Simmonds, a throws athlete, specializes in shot put and discus, with personal-bests of 17.92m (58'9.5") in shot put and 52.19m (171'3") in discus.

Denzs is a five-time NJCAA All-American, with two of the honors coming in the 2024 seasons and three in the 2023 seasons.

Denzs is the son of Jennifer Stewart and has one sibling, Jermaine.  He plans to major in general studies.

LILLY VER BEEK

 

Lilly Ver Beek joins the Virginia Tech track & field program from Midlothian, Virginia.

Following the 2024 indoor season, Ver Beek secured the title of 2024 New Balance Indoor Long Jump National Champion.  She broke 10 school records for James River High School and was named the Chesterfield County Schools Athlete of the Year.  In 2023, she was the Adidas Outdoor Long Jump National Champion.

Ver Beek is a three-time long jump VHSL state champion and a one-time 100m dash VHSL state champion.  Her personal-bests are 20'0.25" in the long jump, 11.96 in the 100m and 24.63 in the 200m.

Lilly is the daughter of Kendra and Jonathan Ver Beek and has two siblings, Jake and Charlie.  She intends to major in biological sciences at Virginia Tech.

NATHANIEL CURTISS

 

Nathaniel Curtiss joins the Virginia Tech track & field program from Tuscon, Arizona.

Curtiss, jumps specialist, has personal-bests of 2.16m (7'1") in the high jump and 7.23m (23'8.75") in the long jump.

At the conclusion of the 2024 seasons, Nathaniel was named the 2024 ACCAC Region Athlete of the Year following a gold finish in the high jump at the ACCAC Championships with a result of 2.04m (6'8.25").  Nathaniel also took home a third-place finish at the NJCAA DI Outdoor Championship and a second place finish at the NJCAA DI Indoor Championship, both in the high jump.  

Nathaniel is the son of Rachelle Harris and Nathaniel Curtis and has one sibling, Fabean.  He intends to major in economics. His favorite homecooked meal is chicken and dumplings and he would be good on the game show America Ninja Warrior.

REECE RIZZO

 

Reece Rizzo joins the Virginia Tech track & field program from New Port Richey, Fla.

Rizzo, a jumps specialist, owns personal-bests of 2.03m in the high jump and 6.90m in the long jump.

A 2025 New Balance Indoor All-American, Rizzo was also the FHSAA State runer-up, as well as the regional and district champion in the high jump.  He was tabbed the 2025 Pasco County Field Event Athlete of the Year for his versatility.

Reece is the son of Bree and Pio Rizzo, and has two siblings, Ben and Charlie.  Both Bree (track & field) and Pio (soccer) competed in collegiate athletics at the Division I level.  Rizzo intends to major in human development and he loves the beach.