Tech concludes Bob Pollock Invite with two top-10 finishes

The sprinters recorded five personal-best performances throughout the two-day event

January 28, 2017

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech sprinters concluded the Bob Pollock Invitational with two top-10 finishes in the 200-meter dash Saturday afternoon at the Clemson Indoor Track and Field Complex in Clemson, South Carolina.

On the men’s side, freshman Michael Davenport placed fourth, while junior Courtney Blanden paced the Hokie women in sixth.

“Overall, we had a good weekend,” said sprints, hurdles and relays coach Tim Vaught. “We had five total personal-best performances, so we are definitely progressing in the right direction and preparing for the ACC Championships. The motivation from the athletes is there, and it keeps getting higher and higher every weekend. There were good performances across the board.”

Blanden started the day off the Hokies, earning Tech’s first top-10 mark of the afternoon. The Weddington, North Carolina, native ran a personal best of 24.28 seconds, knocking off .45 seconds from her previous mark set at the Virginia Tech Challenge last season.

Of note, juniors Ama-Selina Tchume and Shanel Burr placed 16th and 26th, respectively.

In the men’s 200, Davenport followed in Blanden’s footsteps and ran a personal-best time of 21.50 seconds for fourth place. Of note, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, native ran the 200-meter dash for the first time in Hokie uniform.

Senior Dante Price and sophomore Jared Bane placed 16th and 17th, respectively, with Bane breaking his previous personal-best mark set at the Hokie Invitational last weekend with a time of 22.07 seconds in today’s race.

The Hokies return to Blacksburg next weekend, as the squad plays host to the Virginia Tech “Doc Hale” Elite Meet at Rector Field House on Feb. 3-4. Tech’s distance runners also will compete at the Camel City Invitational in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

PERSONAL BESTS

200

Michael Davenport (21.50 seconds)

Jared Bane (22.07 seconds)

Courtney Blanden (24.28 seconds)

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