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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech track & field team earned four victories Saturday as the Hokies wrapped up competition Saturday at the 118th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, while also competing at the nearby Radford Highlander Invitational and Cal’s Brutus Hamilton Invitational in Berkeley, Calif. Redshirt sophomore Leoule Degfae won the mile at Cal Berkeley, while senior Kieran Lee (800 meters), freshman Sarah Rapp (1500 meters) and redshirt senior All-American Hunter Hall (pole vault) all won for Tech at Radford.
At Penn, the men’s 4x100 meter relay of junior Jeff Artis-Gray, sophomore Darrell Wesh, junior Jonathan McCants, and senior All-American Keith Ricks finished fifth in the college final in 40.80. The women’s 4x400 meter relay of junior Yvonne Amegashie, junior Jameice DeCoster, freshman Leah Nugent and senior Aunye Boone placed sixth in the college final with a time of 3:40.10.
In the field events, junior All-American Ronnie Black was 10th in the men’s high jump championship with a season best clearance of 6-11.5 (2.12m).
In California, Degfae led the Hokies as he won the Don Bowden mile with a time of 4:05.17. Junior Sammy Dow was runner-up in the Louise Romo 800 meters with a personal best time of 2:08.52. That time moves Dow into fourth all-time in Tech history in the 800 meters.
Junior Ryan Hagen and redshirt senior Eddie Judge finished seventh and eighth in the Lon Spurrier 800 meters, clocking the same time of 1:52.67. For Judge, the time was a personal best. In the 400 meters, Tech took seventh in both the men’s and women’s events behind redshirt freshman Martin Dally (49.27) and freshman Amanda Smith (57.40).
At Radford, the Hokies received wins from Lee in the men’s 800 meters (1:54.37), Rapp in the women’s 1500 meters (4:35.02) and Hall in the men’s pole vault (16-6.75, 5.05m).
Senior Mike Miller was second in the men’s pole vault, also at 16-6.75 (5.05m), and freshman Chris Uhle finished fourth (15-1, 4.60m). Both Hall and Miller tied the facility record at Cupp Stadium in the event, which was held by Hall.
Freshman Brayden Burleigh finished runner-up in the men’s 1500 meters in a personal best 3:50.94, while Lee was fourth in 3:55.81. Burleigh was also fifth in the 800 meters (1:55.22). Freshman Katarina Smiljanec finished third in the women’s 800 (2:17.82) and 1500 meters (4:44.84), while junior Erika Weidman was fifth in the 800 meters (2:18.81).
Members of the Hokie distance crew will compete tomorrow at Standford’s Payton Jordan Invitational, which is regarded as one of the top distance meets in the country.
For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).