Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. - In the final competition before the NCAA Championships, Virginia Tech added Funmi Alabi and Michael Hammond to its list of NCAA automatic qualifiers, bringing the Hokies’ total to four. Will Mulherin and Tihut Degfae also set new school records, competing at Notre Dame’s Alex Wilson Invitational.
Alabi re-set her own school record twice in the 60-meter dash, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the semi-final round at 7.26. Alabi initially set the school record at last weekend’s ACC Championships (7.31), which she broke in today’s prelims (7.29) and again later with her NCAA qualifying semi-final performance. After qualifying for nationals, she chose not to start in the finals.
Stephanie Cario earned a new personal-best in the 5,000 meters, taking second-place in 18:10.14, followed by Mary Catherine Sowder in third at 18:37.22. In the finals of the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Kristen Brown took sixth at 8.44. Her best time of the day was 8.39 in the semi-final round, a new personal-best that ranks fourth all-time at Tech.
Lauren Lemieux earned Tech its first event title of the day, winning the women’s mile with a personal-best 4:56.38 followed closely behind by Courtney Dobbs with her own PR of 4:59.53 in second place and Taylor Crosson, competing unattached, in third at 5:02.07. The men finished in similar fashion, with Ryan Hagen crossing the line first with a career-best 4:06.30 followed by Jason Cusack in second (4:10.03) and Devin Cornwall, competing unattached, in third (4:10.40).
Derrell Wesh advanced to the finals of the 60-meter dash, where he took sixth at 6.88. His best time of the day was 6.84 in the semi-finals, a new personal-best that ties him for third all-time at Tech. Ogechi Nwaneri made it to the finals on the women’s side, where she took third at 7.46. The Hokies took the top two spots in the men’s and women’s 800 meters. Sammy Dow took first at 2:12.10 followed by Frances Dowd at 2:13.67, while Jeff Miller took the men’s race at 1:52.43 followed by Martin Dally in 1:52.75. The Hokies’ school record-holding women’s 1,600-meter relay won Saturday’s competition at 3:39.95.
In the field events, Dorotea Habazin took second in the weight throw with a new career-best toss of 68-3.25 (20.81), which is just shy of the NCAA qualifying mark of 68-10.75 (21.00m) but moves her up to second all-time at Virginia Tech. ACC champion and NCAA qualifier Kelly Phillips placed second in the women’s pole vault (13-7, 4.14m). All-ACC performer Denis Mahmic finished fifth in Saturday’s weight throw, tossing 62-10.75 (19.17m). Hunter Hall and Yavgeniy Olhovsky tied for the top spot in the men’s pole vault at 17-7.75 (5.38m). To wrap up the day, Hasheem Halim took fourth in the triple jump (51-5.75, 15.69m)
The Hokies also sent a handful of distance runners to the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind. On Friday, the distance medley relay squad of Chris Walizer, Jonathan McCants, Tihut Degfae and Hammond ran a team-leading 9:40.95. On Saturday, Mulherin beat his own school record in the 3,000 meters, finishing second in 7:56.58. Degfae set another school record at Notre Dame, placing fifth in the 800 meters at 1:48.90. Hammond wrapped the day up in exciting fashion for Tech, hitting the NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the mile for a new school record at 3:58.41
The Hokies five automatic qualifiers as well as any at-large bids will travel to the NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas next weekend, with events beginning on March 11 with combined events at 11 a.m. ET. Check in at hokiesports.com early next week as the complete championship field will be announced.