Hokie ClubAUSTIN, Texas – The Virginia Tech distance unit swept the 1,500-meter runs at the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Va., while several Hokie sprinters advanced to Saturday’s finals at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas to highlight the Virginia Tech track and field squad’s Friday action.
At the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Va., the distance runners put together a strong outing led by two veterans. Senior Natalie Sherbak, in her first competition since earning indoor All-America honors in the mile run, won the women’s 1,500-meter run. The Virginia Beach, Va., native clocked a 4:28.32 to capture the title.
Senior Billy Berlin followed up Sherbak’s win with a victory of his own in the men’s 1,500-meter run. The Midlothian, Va., native ran a regional-qualifying time of 3:46.01 to edge Brian Sklodowski of William & Mary by less than two seconds. Tech rounded out the top five, as sophomore Eddie Judge finished third in 3:49.30, sophomore Ryan Witt placed fourth in 3:49.82 and freshman Michael Hammond earned fifth with a time of 3:49.97.
Freshman Will Mulherin continued his strong outdoor campaign, with a solid fourth-place finish in the men’s 5,000-meter run. Mulherin, who won the 3,000-meters at the Richmond Invitational last weekend, earned a 14:27.54 in today’s 5,000-meters. The time qualifies the Yorktown, Va., native for the U.S. Junior Championships.
Meanwhile, at the Texas Relays, junior Kristi Castlin and freshman Leslie Aririguzo both regionally qualified in the 100-meter hurdles. Castlin clocked a 13.38 in a second-place effort to qualify for the finals in the event tomorrow. Aririguzo did not advance to the finals, but earned a regional-qualifying time of 13.92 in a 14th-place showing in the preliminaries of the race.
In men’s sprints action, freshman Keith Ricks added another regional qualifier to Tech’s resume, after running a 10.54 in the men’s 100-meter dash. The Suffolk, Va., native took ninth in the prelims of the university section of the race to punch a ticket to tomorrow’s finals. Freshman Ogechi Nwaneri clocked an 11.69 in the women’s 100-meters for a solid 11th-place showing in a stacked field.
The Hokie women’s 4x400-meter relay squad raced to first place in its heat and placed sixth overall in the prelims of the event. The quartet of junior Queen Harrison, junior Asia Washington, senior Shakirra Pinnock and freshman Aunye Boone ran a regional-mark of 3:37.44. Both Washington and Harrison will compete in the 400-meter hurdles finals tomorrow as well.
Freshman Hasheem Halim leaped a 49-07.75 in the men’s triple jump to close out Tech’s day in Austin. Halim finished seventh in the event, less than two feet off the winner, Ugo Nduaguba of Rice’s effort.
Action in the Texas Relays and the Colonial Relays will wrap up tomorrow. Tech’s events in Austin, Texas begin at 12:15 p.m., with the women’s 400-meter hurdles, while in Williamsburg, Hokie action will start at noon with the men’s 4x800-meter relay. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the meets.
Results
Texas Relays
Women’s
100-meter hurdles (prelims) – 1, Tiffany Ofili, Michigan, 13.19, 2, Kristi Castlin, Virginia Tech, 13.38
4x400-meter relay (prelims) – 1, Texas A&M, 3:34.48, 2, Texas, 3:34.75, 3, TCU, 3:36.66, 4, LSU, 3:37.01, 5, Houston, 3:37.44, 6, Virginia Tech, 3:37.44, 7, Louisiana Tech, 3:38.65, 8, Baylor, 3:38.71, 9, Illinois, 3:38.76
Men’s
100-meter dash (prelims) - 1, Trey Harts, Baylor, 10.37, 2, Jarid Vaughan, UT-Arlington, 10.38, 3, Trevante Rhodes, Texas, 10.42, 4, Deangelo Cherry, Mississippi State, 10.44, 5, Keyth Talley, North Texas, 10.45, 6, Cordero Gray, UT-Arlington, 10.45, 7, Deshawn Waters, CSU-Northridge, 10.50, 8, Gabriel Mvumvure, LSU, 10.51, 9, Keith Ricks, Virginia Tech, 10.54
Triple Jump – 1, Ugo Nduaguba, Rice, 50-11.50, 2, Kendrick Poullard, Mississippi State, 50-08.75, 3, Aven Wright, USC, 50-04.75, 4, Ramon Sparks, Abilene Christian, 50-03.50, 5, Lamar Delaney, Houston, 50-02, 6, Rolando Felizola, CSU Northridge, 49-08.50, 7, Hasheem Halim, Virginia Tech, 49-07.75
Colonial Relays
Women’s
1,500-meter run – 1, Natalie Sherbak, Virginia Tech, 4:28.32
Men’s
1,500-meter run – 1, Billy Berlin, Virginia Tech, 3:46.01, 2, Brian Sklodowski, William & Mary, 3:48.64, 3, Eddie Judge, Virginia Tech, 3:49.30, 4, Ryan Witt, Virginia Tech, 3:49.82, 5, Michael Hammond, Virginia Tech, 3:49.97
5,000-meter run – 1, Ed Moran, Unattached, 14:02.48, 2, Ryan Sheridan, Iona, 14:06.50, 3, Harbert Okuti, Iona, 14:22.27, 4, William Mulherin, Virginia Tech, 14:27.54, 5, Lewis Woodward, William & Mary, 14:33.76