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NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Virginia Tech men’s indoor track & field team is ranked No. 18 nationally to start the 2012 season, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Tuesday.

“Our focus is still the ACC Championship Meet. We have some new faces and some freshmen that will have to step up for us to be able to challenge again for the ACC title on the men’s side,” said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Cianelli. “Beyond that, my hope is that we can go and finish in the top-15 of the NCAA Championship. I think that’s a very realistic goal the men.”

Tech, the defending ACC Indoor Champions, finished 15th at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championship and boasts 10 returning All-Americans, eight of which will compete during the 2012 indoor season. At last year’s NCAA Indoor Championship in College Station, Texas, Michael Hammond (mile-7th), Hunter Hall (pole vault-6th) and Alexander Ziegler (weight throw-2nd) all earned first-team All-America status. In addition, Hasheem Halim (triple jump-15th) and Marcel Lomnicky (weight throw-14th) earned second-team All-America honors. Ziegler and Hammond were also ACC Champions in their respective events during the 2011 indoor campaign.

Outdoors in 2011, Ronnie Black (high jump-7th), Joe Davis (pole vault-8th), Denis Mahmic (hammer throw-14th) and Matthias Treff (javelin throw-2nd) earned their first All-America honors. Hall (pole vault-11th), Halim (triple jump-4th), Hammond (1,500m-14th), Lomnicky (hammer throw-2nd), and Ziegler (hammer throw-1st) joined them, thus becoming All-Americans indoors and outdoors in 2011. Will Mulherin earned All-America status during the 2010 outdoor season for the 5,000m and most recently, became an All-American in cross country this fall.

The Hokies open up the 2012 season this weekend as they host the VT Invitational on Friday and Saturday at Rector Field House. Events are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Friday and resume at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

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