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NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Virginia Tech men’s track & field team moved up another spot to No. 8 nationally, as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its week four indoor poll Tuesday. This is the highest ranking Tech has earned thus far during the 2012 indoor season as the Hokies began the season ranked No. 18. Tech is also the highest ranked Atlantic Coast Conference men’s squad in the week four poll.

At the SPIRE Division I Collegiate Invitational in Geneva, Ohio this past weekend, Ryan Witt led the Tech men as he set the school record and won the 600 meters in 1:19.24. Witt also finished ran a personal best 1:49.79 in the 800 meters, good for the second-best time in school history. The Hokie men also earned runner-up finishes from All-American Ronnie Black (high jump), All-American Hasheem Halim (triple jump) and Jeff Artis-Gray (60 meter hurdles).

The Hokie women were led by Frances Dowd at SPIRE, who set two school records. Dowd won the 600 meters in a time of 1:30.99 on Friday and then finished fourth in the 800 meters on Saturday in 2:07.22. In addition, Victoria von Eynatten won her second straight pole vault competition (13-10, 4.22m) and set the SPIRE facility record. Martina Schultze (pole vault), Kristen Brown (60 meter hurdles), and Ciara Simms (60 meters) also tallied second place finishes.

The Hokies currently have eight men ranked in the top-25 on the NCAA performance list in their respective events. The women have three student-athletes among the top-25, according to the Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS). Currently Tech has two men, All-American throwers Marcel Lomnicky and Alexander Ziegler, who are automatically qualified for the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championship on March 9-10 in Nampa, Idaho. Both men are qualified in the weight throw as Lomnicky currently ranks second in the event and Ziegler third.

The Hokie men remained the top-ranked team in the Southeast Region, while the women are tabbed fourth in the Southeast.

Tech returns home this weekend as it hosts the VT Challenge on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18, at Rector Field House in its final tune-up prior to the ACC Indoor Championship on Feb. 23-25 in Boston, Mass.

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