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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Heading into this weekend’s ACC Championships at the halfway point of the outdoor season, the Virginia Tech men’s track and field team has climbed to their highest national ranking so far this season. They sit 14th in the latest USTFCCCA national rankings, released Tuesday. The Hokies moved up two spots from their 16th-place ranking in the week two poll. Tech has been ranked in every poll so far this season. The Hokies are only one of two ACC teams to crack the top 25 all season, only behind Florida State who has occupied the No. 4 spot in every poll this season.

As many teams, including Tech, competed with partial squads last weekend preparing for their respective conference meets, the Hokies got a good boost in the national rankings thanks to a new PR by Hunter Hall in the pole vault at the Sea Ray Relays. The senior from Fort Wayne, Ind., bested the field at 17-8.5 (5.40m), which currently puts him fourth in the nation and first in both the East Region and the ACC. In total, the Hokies have six athletes ranked in the top 20 nationally, four of which are ranked fourth or higher in their event, including national leader Marcel Lomnicky in the men’s hammer throw (240-8, 73.37m).

The Hokies begin competition at the 2011 Outdoor ACC Championships on Thursday, April 21 in Durham, N.C.

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