Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech track and field squad captured titles in the men’s and women’s 3,000-meters, as well as the men’s weight throw on Friday, to kick off the VT Elite Meet at the Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va.
In his collegiate debut, sophomore Marcel Lomnicky shined, tossing a 68-02.25 in the men’s weight throw to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships and capture the event crown. Lomnicky, who joined the squad in January, was recruited as a hammer thrower, but impressed in his first collegiate weight throw competition. Junior Matej Muza also provisionally qualified in the weight throw with a launch of 65-06.25 to finish runner-up.
Junior Devin Cornwall earned the Hokies’ second victory of the day, with a first-place finish in the 3,000-meters. The Culpeper, Va., native stayed with Ryley Miller of Georgia, and with two laps to go took the lead and extended it, clocking 8:11.95. Freshman Will Mulherin and junior Paul LaPenna placed fourth and fifth in the race, respectively. Mulherin crossed the line in 8:17.00, while LaPenna earned a time of 8:18.27.
On the women’s side, senior Natalie Sherbak improved on her already provisionally-qualified time in the 3,000-meters, with a personal-best time of 9:18.02 to top the field in the race. Sherbak previously held a season-best time of 9:37.97, achieved on December 4, 2008 at the Appalachian Invitational.
Sophomore Dorotea Habazin started the meet off for the Hokies with a provisional-qualifying toss of 61-07 in the women’s weight throw. The career-best mark earned the Zagreb, Croatia native second place in the event. The effort marked the first time Habazin has qualified for the national meet indoors, after qualifying in 2008 for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw.
Making their 2009 track and field debuts, sophomore Ryan Witt and senior Billy Berlin finished second and third, respectively in the men’s 800-meter run. Witt clocked in at 1:52.23, while Berlin crossed the line in 1:52.30. On the women’s side, junior Asia Washington, competing in her fifth different event this season, placed third with a time of 2:11.75 in the 800-meters.
In sprints action, two freshmen performed well in the 60-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles. Newcomer Ogechi Nwaneri earned third place in the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.54, only three-hundredths of a second from runner-up finisher Jenae Anderson of Georgia Tech. Freshman Leslie Aririguzo took fourth place in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 8.53.
VT Elite Meet action continues tomorrow at 11 a.m., with the men’s high jump and the women’s pole vault, where freshman Abby Schaffer, sophomore Kelly Phillips, junior Lisa Birnbaum and sophomore Caitlin Thornley will compete. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the meet.
Women’s Results
Weight Throw – 1, Lawanda Henry, North Carolina State, 61-09, 2, Dorotea Habazin, Virginia Tech, 61-07
800-meter run – 1, Heidi Dahl, East Tennessee State, 2:07.21, 2, Angelina Blackmon, Unattached, 2:08.79, 3, Asia Washington, Virginia Tech, 2:11.75
60-meter dash – 1, Murielle Ahoure, Miami, 7.21, 2, Jenae Anderson, Georgia Tech, 7.54, 3, Ogechi Nwaneri, Virginia Tech, 7.54
60-meter hurdles – 1, Ti’Erra Brown, Miami, 8.29, 2, Patricia Mamona, Clemson, 8.41, 3, Michaylin Golladay, Clemson, 8.46, 4, Leslie Aririguzo, Virginia Tech, 8.53
3,000-meter run – 1, Natalie Sherbak, Virginia Tech, 9:18.02
Men’s Results
800-meter run – 1, Tim Harris, Unattached, 1:51.77, 2, Ryan Witt, Virginia Tech, 1:52.23, 3, Billy Berlin, Virginia Tech, 1:52.30
Weight Throw – 1, Marcel Lomnicky, Virginia Tech, 68-02.25, 2, Matej Muza, Virginia Tech, 65-06.25
3,000-meter run – 1, Devin Cornwall, Virginia Tech, 8:11.95, 2, Ryley Miller, Georgia, 8:15.70, 3, Robert Moldovan, North Carolina State, 8:16.93, 4, Will Mulherin, Virginia Tech, 8:17.00, 5, Paul LaPenna, Virginia Tech, 8:18.27