|
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech women’s 4x800 meter relay team and the men’s 4x400 meter relay team each set school records as the Hokie track & field teams wrapped up competition on day two of the Florida Relays at Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Fla., and the Colonial Relays, hosted by William & Mary, at Zable Stadium in Williamsburg, Va.
Running at William & Mary, the women’s 4x800 meter team of freshman Katarina Smiljanec, freshman Amanda Smith, junior All-American Frances Dowd and sophomore Paige Kvartunas finished second in 8:47.76, breaking the previous record of 8:53.95 set in 2004.
After coming close to the school record last weekend at Georgia Tech, the men’s 4x400 meter relay team of junior Jonathan McCants, junior Jeff Artis-Gray, senior Eric Hoepker and senior All-American Keith Ricks got the record Saturday at Florida as they ran 3:09.95 to win section five and break the Tech record of 3:10.48, which had stood since 1999.
Also in Williamsburg, both the men’s 4x800 meter and distance medley relays were victorious. The 4x8 team of junior Ryan Hagen, junior Tihut Degfae, redshirt freshman Grant Pollock and senior All-American Michael Hammond won in 7:32.42, while the DMR team of senior Chris Walizer, redshirt freshman Martin Dally, freshman Kevin DeWillie and senior All-American Will Mulherin crossed the line first in 9:52.46.
In the open races, freshman Brayden Burleigh was runner-up in the men’s 3000 meters (8:24.60). Despite only competing in seven events in the middle and longer distances, Tech's men still finished fourth of 27 teams at the Colonial Relays with 74 points.
At the Florida Relays, Tech freshmen led the way in the throws Saturday with Valentina Muzaric (shot put, invitational section) and Annjulie Vester (hammer throw) earning wins.
Muzaric was victorious in the shot with a season best throw of 55-2.25 (16.82m), good for third all-time at Tech and a national top-10 ranking entering the weekend. Vester won the hammer with a season best mark of 193-9 (59.07m).
Another freshman, Luka Mustafic, placed sixth in the invitational section of the men’s shot put with a season best toss of 57-9.5 (17.61m), which ranks No. 5 in Tech history. Senior All-American Hasheem Halim was the second collegian and placed fifth overall in the men’s triple jump with a season best mark of 51-10 (15.80m).
Freshman Chris Uhle led the men’s pole vaulters with a season best clearance of 16-4.75 (5.00m).
The women’s 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams each posted season best times. The 4x1 team of junior Jameice DeCoster, freshman Ciara Simms, senior Aunye Boone and senior Ogechi Nwaneri ran 45.33, while the 4x4 team of junior Yvonne Amegashie, Boone, DeCoster and junior Natalie Woodford clocked 3:38.86.
The Hokies will send a small contingent to Tennessee’s Sea Ray Relays next weekend as a final tune-up prior to the 2012 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships from April 19-21 at the University of Virginia.
For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).