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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech track & field team picked up nine top-five finishes, including wins in the women’s mile and the men’s weight throw and 200 meters, on day one of the “Doc” Hale VT Elite Meet at Rector Field House.

Sophomore Sarah Rapp opened up the night for the Hokies as she came across the line in first in the women’s mile at 4:59.44, just over a second ahead of teammate Paige Kvartunas, who was running unattached. Redshirt freshman George Carter followed up the women’s race by taking second for the Hokies in the men’s mile as he finished with a new personal best of 4:09.10, more than eight seconds ahead of his previous best.

Leach Nugent picked up a third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.60 in the finals. The sophomore recorded the fastest time in the prelims at 8.39. In his first competition of the season, junior Darrell Wesh set a new personal record in the prelims of the 60 meters, clocking in at 6.70.

The weight throwing trio of Alexander Ziegler, Tomas Kruzliak and Denis Mahmic finished first, fourth and fifth, respectively, while Florida’s Jeremy Postin and David Triassi took second and third. Ziegler upped his top throw of the season with a heave of 71-7.5 (21.83m) to win his second-straight competition of the season. Kruzliak increased his previous best to 67-4.25 (20.53m) with his final throw of the night, while Mahmic, in his first competition of the season, recorded a throw of 64-3.25 (19.59m).

Despite setting a new personal in the long jump by three-quarters of an inch at 24-9.75 (7.56m), senior Jeff Artis-Gray finished in second behind Florida’s Marquis Dendy who recorded the NCAA’s top mark of the season in the event with a jump of 26-2.75 (7.99m). Heading into the weekend, Artis-Gray’s jump comes in at 11^th nationally this season.

Rounding out the night for the Hokies was a third-place result from senior Yvonne Amegashie in the 400 meter invitational as she finished with a time of 56.02 and fellow senior Jonathan McCants who grabbed the win in the final event of day one, winning the 200 meter open at 21.31.

The Hokies will be back in Rector Field House tomorrow morning for the final day of the meet. Competition will begin at 11 a.m., with the women’s high jump and seeded pole vault. Running events start at 1 p.m., with the women’s distance medley relay.

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