Hokie ClubSTATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Junior Queen Harrison won her second event in as many days, and the Virginia Tech track and field squad closed out the Penn State National with several strong performances at the Harce Ashenfelter III Indoor Track Facility in State College, Pa., on Saturday.
After winning the 60-meter hurdles last night, Harrison came back on Saturday and sprinted a personal-best and provisionally-qualifying time of 53.67, to capture the women’s 400-meter dash invitational section title. The time ranks as the third-fastest time in the nation coming into this weekend. Junior Asia Washington placed sixth in the event with a time of 54.53.
Freshman Aunye Boone, who won the 300-meter dash at the Virginia Tech Invitational on January 16, took second at the women’s 200-meter dash invitational section with a time of 24.20. Boone was less than a half-second behind the winner Shavon Greaves of Penn State, who owned the fourth-fastest time in the nation in the event coming into the weekend
The women’s pole vaulters enjoyed another strong showing on Saturday in their impressive 2009 campaign. Freshman Abby Schaffer matched her season-best in the invitational section of the pole vault, earning runner-up with a clearance of 12-11.75, while junior Lisa Birnbaum finished in third with a season-best 12-08 vault. In the non-invitational section of the pole vault, sophomore Caitlin Thornley placed second, clearing 12-00.
On the men’s side, freshman Nick Vaughn continued his strong rookie campaign, taking fourth in the invitational section of the 400-meter dash. The Reston, Va., native clocked in at 48.18. Freshman Keith Ricks earned fifth in the 200-meters invitational section, running a time of 21.81.
In the men’s triple jump, freshman Hasheem Halim won the second flight of the competition, and took third overall with a jump of 50-01.75, shattering his season best by over a foot and a half. Halim finished behind 2008 All-American Clarence Smith of Penn State, who held the eighth-best mark in the event coming into the weekend, by less than four inches.
The Hokies return to the Rector Field House next weekend for the Virginia Tech Elite Meet on Feb. 6-7. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the conclusion of both days of the meet.
Women’s Results
400-Meter Dash – 1, Queen Harrison, Virginia Tech, 53.67, 2, Fawn Dorr, Penn State, 53.76, 3, Alexandria Spruiel, North Carolina A&T, 54.21, 4, Shelise Williams, Arkansas, 54.35, 5, Mandela Graves-Fulgham, Connecticut, 54.39, 6, Asia Washington, Virginia Tech, 54.53
200-Meter Dash – 1, Shavon Greaves, Penn State, 23.82, 2, Aunye Boone, Virginia Tech, 24.20
Pole Vault – 1, Kayla Dunn, Cincinnati, 12-00, 2, Caitlin Thornley, Virginia Tech, 12-00
Pole Vault (invitational) – 1, Marissa Dudek, Unattached, 13-03.75, 2, Abby Schaffer, Virginia Tech, 12-11.75, 3, Lisa Birnbaum, Virginia Tech, 12-08
Men’s Results
400-Meter Dash – 1, Darius Law, Charlotte, 47.26, 2, Kevin Bowen, Morgan State, 47.80, 3, Mike Cadau, Penn State, 47.91, 4, Nick Vaughn, Virginia Tech, 48.18
200-Meter Dash – 1, Jose Acevedo, Kentucky, 21.35, 2, Darius Law, Charlotte, 21.47, 3, Reggie Dixon, Hampton, 21.56, 4, Stephen Robinson, Ohio State, 21.73, 5, Keith Ricks, Virginia Tech, 21.81
Triple Jump – 1, Clarence Smith, Penn State, 51-05.50, 2, David McFadgen, North Carolina A&T, 50-07.50, 3, Hasheem Halim, Virginia Tech, 50-01.75