BLACKSBURG, Va. – Dorotea Habazin became the second Hokie this weekend to win an NCAA title, winning the women’s hammer throw with a toss of 223-7 (68.15m). This is now the second year in a row that Tech has taken home two NCAA titles at the outdoor meet.
Habazin’s win gives the women’s team their first 10 points of the meet, putting them in 17th place, while Ronnie Black’s All-American performance Friday in the high jump brings the men’s total to 28, placing them in second heading into the final day of competition, tied with Florida and only a point behind Florida State.
Habazin’s victory, like Alexander Ziegler’s yesterday, was a close one, as second-place Jeneva McCall from Southern Illinois threw very close to Habazin’s best mark on her final attempt, falling only four inches shy. Habazin earned All-America honors in the hammer throw the last two seasons, finishing second last year, making this victory a stellar finish to the senior’s career at Virginia Tech. The Zagreb, Croatia native is now the fifth individual, the second woman, to earn an NCAA title at Virginia Tech. This brings Tech’s all-time total to ten titles, with half of them coming in the hammer throw. She is a four-time ACC Champion, three times in the hammer throw, and holds the school and all-time ACC record in the hammer throw at 224-3 (68.36m).
“It’s a great day to be a Hokie,” said Tech throws coach Greg Jack, who has coached all four of Tech’s NCAA hammer throw champions. “Dorotea set a goal this year to be a national champion. Mission accomplished!”
Ronnie Black was Tech’s only other competitor Friday, making it past the first three heights, but faltering at 7-1.5 (2.17m) finishing tied for seventh. This gives Black first team All-America accolades, the first such national honor for any men’s high jumper in Tech history.
The NCAA Championships conclude tomorrow with four Hokies competing on the final day. Samira Burkhardt kicks things off in the women’s shot put at noon ET, followed shortly after by Hasheem Halim and David Wilson in the men’s triple jump at 12:05 p.m. On the track, Will Mulherin will compete in the men’s 5,000 meters at 2:21 p.m.
For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).