Tech sprinters' finish strong at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier

The Hokies earned six top-five finishes on the day and clocked two personal-best marks

May 3, 2017

The Virginia Tech track and field teams earned six top-five finishes at Liberty’s Twilight Qualifier Wednesday evening held at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Shanel Burr started the day off strong for the Hokies, placing third in the 100-meter hurdle prelims to advance to the finals. Burr then moved up one spot in the final, clocking in at 13.99 for a second-place finish. Nora McKiver and Jada Gundran also competed in the 400-meter hurdles, placing second and fourth, respectively. Of note, McKiver was the top collegiate runner in her respective event.

On the men’s side, Jared Bane led the Hokies with his 21.39-finish in the 200-meter sprint, earning a career-best mark as well as a top-five finish in the event.

Jack Strollo also earned a personal best in the 400-meter dash, crossing the line in 48.83 seconds for seventh place.

Additionally, Aaron Simpson and Austin Kolko both earned a top-five finish in the men’s 110- and 400-meter hurdle events, respectively. Simpson advanced to the finals in his respective event, placing third overall with a time of 15.13 seconds, while Kolko clocked a time of 54.03 seconds.

Tech will conclude its regular season Thursday afternoon, as the Hokies play host to the Hokie Twilight meet at the Johnson-Miller Track Complex on the university’s campus. The running events will kick off at 3 p.m., while Tech’s pole vaulters set to compete at 3:30 p.m.

Looking ahead, the Hokies will prep for the 2017 ACC Outdoor Championships set for May 12-14 on Georgia Tech’s campus in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fans can follow all the action during each meet of the 2017 outdoor season by following the squad on Twitter and Instagram.

PERSONAL BESTS

200 meters

Jared Bane (21.39)

400 meters

Jack Strollo (48.83)

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