February 20, 2010
Tech wins three events to close out VT Challenge
Misljenovic provisionally qualifies in the shot put
  • Puerto Rico Classic
  • Trevor Cone ties for fourtn

BLACKSBURG, Va. The Virginia Tech track and field squads won three events and compiled several other stellar performances to close out the Virginia Tech Challenge at the Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va., on Saturday.

Senior Igor Misljenovic continued the excellent meet for the Hokie throwers. The Zagreb, Croatia native tossed a career-best 60-1.75 in the men’s shot put, improving on his provisional mark in the event of 59-09.50, to capture the event title. The effort marked Misljenovic’s first victory in the shot put since winning the event at the Radford Highlander Challenge in 2007. On Friday, senior Matej Muza became the fourth Hokie to provisionally qualify in the men’s weight throw, tossing a 65-06 for second place in the event.

Another first-place finish came in the men’s mile run, as sophomore Michael Hammond ran an impressive personal-best 4:03.80, beating the runner-up finisher by almost two seconds. Hammond, who is provisionally qualified and holds the school record in the 3,000-meters, fell three-tenths of a second short of attaining the NCAA provisional mark in the mile. Sophomore Will Mulherin placed fifth in the event with a time of 4:06.40.

Relay action saw two Hokie squads perform well. In the women’s 4x400-meter relay, Tech lowered their NCAA provisional mark, clocking a time of 3:38.96, to take first in the event. The foursome of senior Queen Harrison, Amegashie, freshman Funmi Alabi and sophomore Aunye Boone formerly owned a season-best time of 3:39.81.

In the women’s distance medley relay the ‘A’ quartet, featuring sophomore Sammy Dow, freshman Natalie Woodford, sophomore Lauren Lemieux and junior Jessica Trapeni timed in at 11:52.82 for third place.

Junior Jared Jodon matched his personal best in the men’s pole vault to finish runner-up. Jodon cleared 17-01 to provisionally qualify and become the third Hokie to achieve the NCAA provisional mark this season in the men’s pole vault. Juniors Hunter Hall and Yavgeniy Olhovsky tied for third with clearances of 17-01, but totaled more misses than Jodon to lose the tiebreaker. Hall and Olhovsky already stand provisionally qualified in the event.

For the second straight day, junior Nick McLaughlin earned a fourth-place finish in a middle distance event. McLaughlin ran a 1:51.39 in the 800-meters for fourth place, after taking fourth in the 600-meters last night. Freshman Tihut Degfae finished fifth in the 800-meters with a time of 1:52.24.

Freshman Yvonne Amegashie notched her best time in the 400-meter dash en route to a fourth-place showing in the event. Amegashie crossed the line in 54.87, lowering her personal best from 55.79.

Tech will next host the ACC Indoor Championships in the Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va., on Feb. 25-27. Results will be available on hokiesports.com.

Men’s Results

800-Meter Run – 1, Felix Kitur, VMI, 1:49.55, 2, Andrew Dawson, Unattached, 1:50.49, 3, Sean-Pat Oswald, Duke, 1:50.90, 4, Nick McLaughlin, Virginia Tech, 1:51.39, 5, Tihut Degfae, Virginia Tech, 1:52.24

Shot Put – 1, Igor Misljenovic, Virginia Tech, 60-01.25, 2, Jason Jones, North Carolina State, 57-04.75, 3, Thomas Sensing, Wake Forest, 53-00.75, 4, Michael Barbas, Duke, 52-08.75, 5, Travis Coleman, Winthrop, 50-06.25

Mile Run – 1, Michael Hammond, Virginia Tech, 4:03.80, 2, Cory Nanni, Duke, 4:05.17, 3, Axel Mostrag, VCU, 4:05.65, 4, Ryan McDermott, Duke, 4:05.68, 5, Will Mulherin, Virginia Tech, 4:06.40

Pole Vault – 1, Jason Wurster, Toronto, 17-07.25, 2, Jared Jodon, Virginia Tech, 17-01, t3, Yaveginy Olhovsky, Virginia Tech, 17-01, t3, Hunter Hall, Virginia Tech 17-01, 5, Brad Holtz, Unattached, 17-01

Women’s Results

400-Meter Dash – 1, Hazel Clark, Unattached, 54.13, 2, Asia Washington, Unattached, 54.25, 3, Tiara Swindell, George Mason, 54.63, 4, Yvonne Amegashie, Virginia Tech, 54.87, 5, Cierra McGee, George Mason, 56.07

Distance Medley Relay – 1, William & Mary, 11:39.61, 2, Georgia State, 11:48.47, 3, Virginia Tech, 11:52.82

4x400-Meter Relay – 1, Virginia Tech, 3:38.96, 2, George Mason, 3:43.06, 3, St. Augustine’s, 3:44.51, 4, Duke, 3:49.23, 5, UNC Wilmington, 3:50.09

For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).

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