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NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Virginia Tech men’s track & field team jumped four spots to No. 9 nationally, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Tuesday. It marks the first time this indoor season that the Hokie men have entered the top-10 in the national poll.

At the VT Elite Meet this past weekend, All-Americans Marcel Lomnicky (75-7.5, 23.05m) and Alexander Ziegler (75-7.25, 23.04m) posted the top-2 marks in the NCAA for the weight throw to lead the Hokies. Lomnicky, who was competing for the first time this season, was named the men’s outstanding performer of the meet and became the second Hokie to automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships, joining Ziegler, who already qualified in the weight throw at the Hokie Invitational two weeks ago.

In addition, newcomer Victoria von Eynatten set the school record in the women’s pole vault (14-2.5, 4.33m) in her first competition as a Hokie, while Jeff Artis-Gray (60 meter hurdles, 7.81 seconds) and Keith Ricks (60 meters, 6.61 seconds) also set school records. It was he second time this season that Ricks has reset his own record in the 60.

The Hokies currently have eight men in nine events ranked in the top-25 of the NCAA. The women have three student-athletes among the top-25, according to the Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS). The Hokie men are the top-ranked team in the Southeast Region, while the women are fourth in the Southeast.

Tech hits the road for the first time in 2012 this weekend, Feb. 10-11, as it travels to the SPIRE Division I Collegiate Invitational in Geneva, Ohio.

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