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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Senior All-American Marcel Lomnicky and junior All-American Alexander Ziegler posted the top two throws in the NCAA this year, entering the weekend for the weight throw, while senior Keith Ricks (60 meters) and junior Jeff Artis-Gray (60 meter hurdles) each set school records as the Virginia Tech men’s and women’s indoor track & field squads competed on day one of the fifth annual Virginia Tech Elite Meet at Rector Field House Friday evening.

Lomnicky and Ziegler dominated the event as both men threw over six feet further than the closest competitor in the 19-man field. After Ziegler threw an NCAA-leading mark of 75 feet, seven and one-quarter inches (23.04m) on his second throw, Lomnicky saved his best for last, throwing 75-7.5 (23.05m), just one centimeter past Ziegler, which gave him the NCAA lead and meet record.

In his first competition of the season, Lomnicky set a PR by nearly six feet and hit the NCAA automatic standard. Only former Hokie throwing great and national champion Spyridon Jullien (77-10.25, 23.73m) has thrown further at Tech in the weight throw. In addition, Ziegler improved his personal best by over one and a half feet and junior All-American Denis Mahmic was sixth at 64-9.75 (19.75m).

Ricks reset his own school record in the 60 meter dash for the second time this year, running a time of 6.61 seconds, good for second place overall and just off the NCAA automatic qualifying standard of 6.60. Artis-Gray set the school record in the men’s 60 meter hurdles in 7.81, bettering Chris Stokes’ 1999 record by one-hundreth of a second. He also finished second in men’s long jump with a season-best jump of 24-5.5 (7.45m).

Senior Ogechi Nwaneri had a personal best time of 7.36 to finish second in the women’s 60 meters, while freshman Ciara Simms recorded a double PR with a 7.43 in the prelims and a 7.42 in the finals, good for fifth place. Simms’ finals time put her in a tie for fourth all-time at Tech.

Sophomore Kristen Brown was second in the women’s 60 meter hurdles (8.45) and freshman Leah Nugent set a double PR of 8.59 in the prelims and then ran an 8.51 in the finals to go to fifth all-time at Tech.

In the women’s mile, sophomore Paige Kvartunas set a personal best and moved to sixth all-time at Tech with a second place finish of 4:51.22. Freshman Sarah Rapp (fifth, 4:56.16) and sophomore Alex Watt (seventh, 4:59.92) also set personal bests. Junior Ryan Hagen was runner-up in the men’s mile as he set a PR and moved into fourth all-time at Tech with a time of 4:04.18. Junior Jared Berman (seventh, 4:07.44) and freshman Brayden Burleigh (eighth, 4:07.79) also had PRs.

In the women’s 200 meter open section, sophomore Zakiya Tyson won the event as she set a personal-best running the fourth fastest time in Tech history of 24.00. Junior Jameice DeCoster was fifth in 24.82.

Sophomore Frances Dowd (2:08.63) and freshman Amanda Smith (2:10.27) both had PRs and finished second and third overall, respectively, in the women’s 800 meters. Dowd’s time ranks second on the Hokies’ all-time list, while Smith moved into fourth. Redshirt senior Ryan Witt was second in the men's 800 meters in 1:51.63.

Sophomore Madalyn Nuckols placed fourth in the women’s 3,000 meters in a time of 10:02.68 and sophomore Scott Campbell hit a PR in the long jump with a jump of 22-7.25 (6.89m) and placed sixth. In the women’s 400m invitational section, senior Aunye Boone was fourth (54.76), junior Yvonne Amegashie was fifth (56.19), and junior Natalie Woodford eighth (57.22).

Redshirt sophomore Leigh Allin won the unseeded section of the women’s pole vault with a personal best clearance of 12-5.5 (3.80m), while redshirt freshman Lyndsey Saunders was fifth (11-1.75, 3.40m).

Competing unattached, senior All-American Will Mulherin won the men’s 3000 meters in 8:21.58.

NC State’s Ryan Hill set the meet and facility record in the men’s mile in 3:58.33. Competing unattached, Lyndsay Harper posted the meet record in the women’s 800 meters with a time of 2:06.98.

Tech returns to action tomorrow for day two of the VT Elite Meet. Field events start at 11 a.m. with the women’s high jump and women’s seeded pole vault. Running events start at 1 p.m. with the women’s distance medley relay.

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