Hoke Invitational Results

Day One Results

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Opening up the last season of his career as a Hokie, Alexander Ziegler started it off with a bang by taking over the top spot in the NCAA standings in the weight throw with a mark of 70-9.25 (21.57m). On the night, Virginia Tech came away with three top finishes and 13 top-five results on the opening day of the Hokie Invitational at Rector Field House.

Behind Zielger in second place was freshman Tomas Kruzliak, who in his first collegiate competition recorded the 7^th best mark in the NCAA this season at 65-4 (19.91m). The freshman’s heave also moved him up to seventh on the Tech all-time list in the weight throw.

While the weight throw was going on, Tech dominated the men’s 3000m by finishing 2-3-5-6-7-8-9 as Will Mulherin paced the Hokie group with a time of 8:05.92. Thomas Curtin was right behind him in third at 8:07.83, while Ryan Hagen rounded out the top five at 8:12.82. Along with Mulherin, Sarah Rapp also finished second in the women’s side of the 3000m at 9:47.60.

In the men’s 1000m, Tech took the top spot behind Tihut Degfae as he set a new personal best, clocking a time of 2:45.95. Running unattached just behind him was Kevin DeWillie who also set a new career best at 2:2:25.03.

Lyndsey Saunders earned Tech’s third first-place finish of the night as she won the women’s unseeded pole vault at 11-7.75 (3.55m). Elizabeth Powell finished tied for second 11-1.75 (3.40m) with freshman Grace Giampietro who was competing unattached.

The Hokies finished second in the both men’s and women’s 60m hurdles finals as Jeff Artis-Gray, for the second-straight week, was barely edged out at the finish, coming seventh thousandths of a second behind Keith Nkrumah of Norfolk State. After breaking her personal best of 8.49 by two hundredths of a second in the prelims, Leah Nugent broke it again in the finals, clocking a time of 8.35.

Following the hurdles, Tadashi Pinder placed fourth in the 60m at 6.84. The freshman’s time is currently tied for fourth all-time at Tech. In the women’s 60m dash, Ciara Simms, for the second-consecutive week, posted the top time of the night at 7.41 while running unattached.

The Hokies will be back in Rector Field House tomorrow at 11 a.m. for day two of the Hokie Invitational.

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