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BLACKSBURG, Va. - Virginia Tech Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Dave Cianelli announced the addition of three pole vaulters to the Hokie roster. Jared Allison, Brad Johnson and Grace Giampietro will enroll next month and begin competition in the spring.

Jared Allison
Seven Valleys, Pa. | Dallastown High School

Allison was the 2012 Pennsylvania state indoor champion and outdoor silver medalist. With a personal best of 16’3” he was a national level competitor in high school finishing ninth at the New Balance Indoor National Championships. He will study marketing management at Virginia Tech.

“Jared is an outstanding athlete who is just starting to excel in the event,” said pole vault coach Bob Phillips. “His fundamentals are very sound which will make our job here at Virginia Tech easier. There is work that needs to be done, but he has the potential to be one of the best vaulters this program has ever seen.”

Brad Johnson
Virginia Beach, Va. | Kellam High School

Johnson was the 2012 Virginia state indoor champion and outdoor silver medalist. Brad has a personal best of 15’6” and graduated with honors and an advanced diploma from Kellam High School. Brad will major in engineering at Virginia Tech.

“Brad also comes to Virginia Tech with excellent fundamentals,” Phillips said. “He has a very good understanding of the event and as he continues to mature athletically and technically, I fully expect him to be a national level competitor. He clearly has that ability.”

Grace Giampietro
Phoenixville, Pa. | Villa Maria Academy

Giampietro finished fourth at the Pennsylvania State Championships with a personal best jump. She has also competed in the hurdles, high jump and triple jump. She was a member of the Latin Honors Society and will study human development at Virginia Tech with the education option to be certified to teach.

“Grace also has extremely good fundamentals so this is perhaps the best recruiting class we have ever had in terms of technical prowess,” Phillips said. “Grace is a good all-around athlete who competed in the pole vault, hurdles, high jump, and triple jump in high school and also benefits from a background in gymnastics. She’s not far from contributing at the conference level and will have the opportunity to focus on the pole vault here at Tech. She has been a consistent performer and has improved steadily so I’m excited about working with her.”

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