Hokies set to compete at two meets

Tech vaulters will participate at the Penn State National Invitational, while a contingent of Hokie sprinters compete at the Bob Pollock Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina

January 26, 2017

BLACKSBURG – Following two successful weekends at home, the Virginia Tech track and field teams will split and compete at two different meets Friday and Saturday.

PSU National Live Results| PSU National Meet Schedule

Bob Pollock Live Results | Bob Pollock Meet Schedule | Bob Pollock Heat Sheet

A quartet of vaulters – Deakin Volz, James Steck, Brad Johnson and Olivia Privitera – will participate at the Penn State National Invitational held inside the Multi-Sport Facility and Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track in State College, Pennsylvania.

Volz, the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Men’s Field Performer of the Week, will lead the Hokies this weekend, as he currently owns the third-best mark in the nation at 5.51 meters (18 feet, 1 inch). The sophomore’s vault also stands as an indoor personal best and as the fifth-best indoor vault in Tech history.

Overall, 28 schools are scheduled to compete, with Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh representing the ACC. Stanford also will be in attendance, with both the men’s (No. 13) and women’s (No. 23) squad ranked inside the top 25 nationally, according to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) poll. The Hokies check in at No. 16 on the men’s side.

Additionally, a contingent of Tech hurdlers and sprinters will travel down south to the Bob Pollock Invitational held in Clemson, South Carolina. The meet will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, with running events taking place at 3 p.m.

Eleven schools are scheduled to participate overall. Four of the programs visiting Clemson this weekend, including Tech, are ranked in the nation’s top 25. Alabama headlines the field, as the men’s team ranks No. 7 nationally. Other schools scheduled to be represented include host Clemson, Duke, Florida State, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Troy, Central Florida, North Carolina A&T and JC Smith.

Of note, the Hokies recorded four first-place finishes last weekend at the Hokie Invitational. The winners included Volz (pole vault), Daniel Jaskowak (mile) and Alexander Merritt (400m) on the men’s side and Rachel Pocratsky (1,000m) on the women’s side.

Looking ahead, the Hokies return to Blacksburg next weekend, as the squad plays host to the Virginia Tech “Doc Hale” Elite Meet in Rector Fieldhouse Feb. 3-4.

Penn State National Invitational - Men

Deakin Volz

James Steck

Brad Johnson

Penn State National Invitational - Women

Olivia Privitera

Bob Pollock Invitational - Men

Aaron Simpson (60m hurdles)

Greg Chiles (400m and 4x4 relay)

Matthew Baker (400m and 4x4 relay)

Michael Davenport (60m hurdles, 200m and 4x4 relay)

Dante Price (60m hurdles, 200m and 4x4 relay)

Jared Bane (200m)

Bob Pollock Invitational - Women

Shanel Burr (60m hurdles and 200m)

Jada Gundran (60m hurdles, 400m and 4x4 relay)

Ama-Selina Tchume (200m and 4x4 relay)

Courtney Blanden (200m and 4x4 relay)

Arlicia Bush (400m and 4x4 relay)

Nora McKiver – unattached (60m hurdles and 200m)

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