DMR teams highlight day one of Music City Challenge

The men's and women's distance medley relay teams each recorded the fastest times in the conference this evening

February 10, 2017

BLACKSBURG – The distance medley relay events highlighted the Virginia Tech track and field teams’ efforts on the first day of the Music City Challenge, held Friday evening on Vanderbilt’s campus in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Hokies’ first race of the evening started with the men’s and women’s 200-meter dash. On the women’s side, junior Ama-Selina Tchume tied for ninth with a personal-best time of 24.58. Junior Shanel Burr finished 25th with a season-best time of 25.10 – narrowly missing a career best by a tenth of a second.

Additionally, sophomore Jared Bane continues to improve his mark in the men’s 200, clocking a lifetime-best time of 21.99 for ninth place. Senior Dante Price also completed the race, finishing 24th.

Next up, the men and women participated in the distance medley relays for the first time this season in preparation for the ACC Indoor Championships.

On the women’s side, the quartet of senior Hanna Green, junior Courtney Blanden, sophomore Rachel Pocratsky and freshman Laurie Barton dominated the track, winning the race in 11 minutes, 12.17 seconds – the fastest time in the ACC and the second fastest time in program history. Of note, the DMR school record was set in 2007 with a time of 11:10.84. The Atlanta Track Club team came in second with a time of 11:36.88, followed by another Hokie quartet – senior Tessa Riley, sophomore Shannon Quinn and freshmen Catherine Stone and Sarah Edwards – in third with a time 11:40.14.

UTEP won the men’s DMR with a time of 9:31.13. The Hokie quartet of seniors Patrick Joseph and Drew Piazza, redshirt junior Vincent Ciattei and junior transfer Greg Chiles was not far behind the Miners, finishing in second with a time of 9:31.15 – the fastest time in the ACC and the fourth fastest time in school history. Georgia Tech came in third (9:44.70), while the second Tech team – seniors Daniel Jaskowak and Alexander Merritt, junior Kevin Cianfarini and sophomore Diego Zarate – placed fourth with a time of 9:44.93.

Tech wrapped up the first day of the invitational with the men’s and women’s 5,000-meter race, recording six top-20 finishes in the event. Sophomore Peter Seufer led the Hokie men with a second-place time of 14:17.65. Junior Brent Musselman followed closely behind him, finishing in 14:18.69. Redshirt freshman Jack Joyce came in 11th with a time of 14:38.98, while redshirt junior Daniel Rau placed 14th and clocked a personal-best time of 14:48.77.

Sophomore Jennifer Fleming (17:22.25) and freshman Sara Freix (17:37.57) also raced in the 5,000-meter event on the women’s side, finishing in 14th and 19th, respectively.

The Music City Challenge concludes Saturday, as the Hokies wrap up competition with the men’s and women’s 400-, 800- and 3,000-meter races along with the mile and 4x4 relay. The men also will compete in the 60-meter dash, while the women will participate in the 60-meter hurdles. Live results for tomorrow’s events can be found HERE.

Additionally, a quartet of student-athletes – Eszter Bajnok, Will Kendall, Mackenzie Muldoon and Matthew Baker – will participate at the Liberty Elite Invitational tomorrow, held inside the Liberty Indoor Track Complex in Lynchburg, Virginia. Click HERE for more information, as 11 colleges and universities have entered at least one athlete in the two-day event.

Looking ahead, the Hokies will close their regular season at home with the Virginia Tech Challenge held Feb. 17-18, their fourth and final home meet of the season before the ACC Indoor Championships.

PERSONAL BESTS

200

Ama-Selina Tchume (24.58)

Jared Bane (21.99)

5,000

Daniel Rau (14:48.77)

Sara Freix (17:37.57)

Jennifer Fleming (17:22.25)

Peter Seufer (14:17.65)

Brent Musselman (14:18.69)

Jack Joyce (14:38.98)

For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Track