Ticket Market Place
Sports Radio Network | 
Travel Center & Info
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech track and field programs racked up four region awards, the United States Track and Field Coaches Association announced on Friday, after tremendous performances at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Greensboro, N.C., on May 27-29.
Senior Queen Harrison led the way, earning her second Southeast Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year Award on the year. The Richmond, Va., native clocked a 12.69 to win the women’s 100-meter hurdles and recorded the second-best time in the 400-meter hurdles’ field to advance to the national finals in both events. During the indoor season, the USTFCCCA named Harrison the indoor Women’s Southeast Region Track Athlete of the Year, after winning the ACC 60-meter hurdle and 400-meter titles at the conference indoor meet. She later captured the Tech women squad’s first track and field national championship at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Reigning men’s hammer throw national champion sophomore Marcel Lomnicky garnered Southeast Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Lomnicky tossed the fourth-best mark in the event in the qualifying round at the prelims and owns the best throw in the nation, a school-record mark of 245-06, heading in the national finals of the event.
Tech Associate Head Track and Field and throws coach Greg Jack was tabbed as the men’s assistant coach of the year for the southeast region. Jack helped the Hokies qualify four throwers on the men’s side to the finals in their respective events. Along with Lomnicky, freshman Alexander Ziegler and senior Matej Muza qualified in the men’s hammer throw. Ziegler threw a career-best mark of 234-01 to tally the best throw in the qualifying round, and Muza finished 10th with a throw of 205-03. Senior Igor Misljenovic advanced in the men’s shot put with a personal-best launch of 60-04, placing fourth. Jack also guided junior Dorotea Habazin to a first-place showing in the qualifying round of the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 211-11, as the Zagreb, Croatia native advanced to the national finals. Jack earned the indoor Southeast Region Men’s Assistant Track and Field Coach earlier this year as well.
In his first year at the helm of the Tech’s sprints, hurdles and jumps units, Charles Foster collected Southeast Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Under Foster, Harrison, senior Kristi Castlin and the 4x100-meter relay squad all advanced to the national finals. Castlin is set to run in the 100-meter hurdles and the 4x100-meter relay, and freshman Funmi Alabi, sophomore Aunye Boone and sophomore Ogechi Nwaneri will join Castlin in the 4x100-meter relay.
The NCAA National Finals will take place on June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore. In all, 13 Hokies, six men and seven women, will make the trip. Results will be available on hokiesports.com. To view a full list of all region award winners check http://www.ustfccca.org/featured/ustfccca-region-award-winners-for-division-i-outdoor-track-field-announced.
For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).
