Hokie ClubNCAA Outdoor ChampionshipsLive Results DES MOINES, Iowa - Justin Clickett and Brittany Pryor both earned spots in the final round of their respective shot put events as the Virginia Tech Track & Field program wrapped up its second day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday in Drake Stadium. Natalie Sherbak earned 16th place in the final of 10,000-meter run.
During the meet's first two days, five athletes from the No. 4 Tech women's team have made it through to Friday and Saturday's finals in four events, while the Hokies' No. 40 men's team will have three athletes competing in the final round of three different events.
Clickett is in fifth place in the men's shot put after today's qualifying round. Clickett took fifth place by 3.25" over the sixth-place competitor. The Union City, Pa., native marked a distance of 60'8.5" (18.50m) on his second attempt of the day and will look to improve his standing in the competition during Saturday's final flight at 4 p.m.
Pryor earned a spot in the final flight by placing eighth in the qualifying round of the women's shot put. The Niagara Falls, N.Y., native responded with her best effort of the day, a toss of 53'0.75" (16.17m), that was just 4.25" inches short of the seventh-place finisher. The final flight is scheduled to begin Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
In the team's last event of the day, Sherbak wrapped things up for the Hokies' performance with a 16th-place performance in the 10,000-meter race in a time of 35:26.87.
Senior Sherlenia Green just missed qualifying for the final heat of the 400-meter hurdles by .20 seconds, and had to settle for ninth place in the semifinal heat with a time of 58.17 seconds. Green's pace was just .20 seconds off of her season-best pace.
Tech's 4x400-meter relay of Green, Asia Washington, Shakirra Pinnock and Britni Spruill finished 15thoverall in the semifinals, and third in the fourth heat, with a time of 3:36.45.
Tech originally had a pair of entries in the first round of the women's 100-meter hurdles, but both athletes were unable to compete. Sophomore Kristi Castlin entered the meet ranked third in the country, but was held out of the event and will miss the rest of the meet after re-aggravating a leg strain during a practice session leading up to the race. Classmate Queen Harrison, who was ranked second in the nation this year, withdrew from the meet yesterday after suffering a left hamstring injury in the third leg of the 4x100-meter relay.
The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships continue throughout the day tomorrow with CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) airing live coverage from 8 to 11 p.m. Live stats can be followed at http://www.flashresults.com/2008_Meets/outdoor/DivisionI/. Pryor and Kristen Callan start things off for the Hokies in the women's hammer throw at 4:15 p.m.