BLACKSBURG, Va. - Friday action at Rector Field House was highlighted by two ACC titles for Virginia Tech, as well as five other Hokies earning All-ACC honors. Through six events, the men are in first place with 52 points, while the women have competed in seven events and currently sit in third place with 28.5 points. The women’s team leader is currently Clemson with 54 points.
The men’s weight throw podium was all Virginia Tech, as Hokies swept the top three spots in the event, led by Alexander Ziegler (70-4.5, 21.45m) earning his second-consecutive ACC title in the weight throw. 2009 ACC Champion Marcel Lomnicky took second at 69-0 (21.03m) followed by Denis Mahmic in third (65-4, 19.91m). These three accounted for 24 of the men’s team’s 52 points on Friday. Tech has now won five men’s weight throw titles in seven years, including the past three straight.
“We saw an opportunity to sweep, that’s what we wanted to do,” said Tech throws coach Greg Jack. “These guys are veterans on our team, and Denis came up big with a new PR to complete the sweep. Today probably solidified Marcel nationally, and we’ll be counting on our throwers a lot to earn our team the highest finish possible at nationals. These guys know how to take care of business when they need to.”
Tech’s other NCAA qualifier, Kelly Phillips, earned her second ACC championship in the pole vault, winning at 13-11.25 (4.25m). Phillips’ last title came in 2008, and over the past two seasons she has battled injuries to return to full form this season, qualifying for the national meet and setting a new school record.
“She was really rock-steady today,” said Tech pole vault coach, Kelly’s father, Bob Phillips. “She cleared all her bars on her first attempt until she won it and she was using the biggest pole she’s ever vaulted with. It’s a dream come true to see her career culminate like this after battling injuries the past few years. It’s a real blessing.”
Ronnie Black earned the bronze in the men’s high jump at 6-10.75 (2.10m) for 5.5 team points, tying with NC State’s Kris Kornegay-Gober. Stauss tied for seventh in the high jump (6-8.75, 2.05m) adding 1.5 more points to the Hokies’ total. Dorotea Habazin earned the silver medal in the women’s weight throw, tossing 64-8.5 (19.72m) to earn the women’s team their first points of the day. Jeff Artis-Gray earned the Hokies third bronze medal of the day in the long jump, leaping a personal-best 24-9 (7.54m), while Hasheem Halim added more points, placing seventh (23-7.5, 7.20m). The women’s distance medley relay squad took third place (11:17.72) adding five more points to the women’s total, while the men’s DMR also took third in 9:44.88.
Jessica Trapeni and Paige Kvartunas qualified for Saturday’s finals in the women’s mile, placing fifth (4:51.89) and eighth (4:55.01) in today’s qualifying round, respectively. On the men’s side, ACC leader Michael Hammond (5th, 4:08.49) and Chris Walizer (8th, 4:09.00) also move on to Saturday’s finals, as they took the top two spots in the final heat. Artis-Gray took third overall in the men’s 60-meter hurdle qualifier (7.94) while Ebenezer Amegashie took sixth (7.98), which advances them both to Saturday’s finals.
In the women’s 400-meter dash, the Hokies advanced two to Saturday’s finals, as Aunye Boone and Asia Washington took third (54.48) and eighth (55.33). Funmi Alabi finished with the fastest qualifying time in Friday’s 60-meter dash sections, winning overall in 7.31 to move on to Saturday’s finals along with Ogechi Nwaneri, who took seventh (7.43). Alabi and Nwaneri will also compete in Saturday’s finals in the 200-meter dash, with Nwaneri taking fifth (24.00) followed by Alabi in sixth (24.05).
Nick McLaughlin and Ryan Witt finished back-to-back in the men’s 800 meters, with McLaughlin leading in third (1:50.67) followed by Witt in fourth (1:51.33), which moves them to Saturday’s finals. Courtney Dobbs will move on to Saturday’s finals in the 5,000 meters after placing sixth in Friday’s qualifiers at 16:46.63.
Rene Stauss and Scott Campbell finished up the men’s heptathlon Friday, with Stauss finishing fourth (5,282 points) and Campbell seventh (4,603), earning the Hokie men seven team points.
The final day of competition begins Saturday with the remaining field events and the final sections of the running events. Field events begin at 11 a.m. with the women’s shot put and running events start at noon with the women’s mile final.
Men’s Team Standings Through Friday
1. Virginia Tech (52)
2. Florida State (33)
3. NC State (30.5)
4. Maryland (27)
5. Duke (25)
6. Virginia (24)
7. Clemson (19)
8. North Carolina (17.5)
9. Wake Forest (9)
10. Georgia Tech (8)
11. Miami (3)
12. Boston College (2)
Women’s Team Standings Through Friday
1. Clemson (54)
2. North Carolina (36)
3. Virginia Tech (28.5)
4. Maryland (25)
5. Florida State (22.5)
6. Duke (22)
7. Virginia (21)
8. Miami (17)
9. NC State (17)
10. Georgia Tech (12)
11. Wake Forest (10)
12. Boston College (8)