Hokie ClubSALEM, Va. – Senior All-American Michael Hammond broke the four-minute barrier in the one mile run and set the school record with a time of 3:58.91 as the Virginia Tech distance crew competed at the Roanoke Twilight Qualifier at the C. Homer Bast Track/Alumni Field Complex on the campus of Roanoke College Thursday night.
Hammond, who also holds the school record in the indoor mile at 3:58.41, won the event in another Tech record time as he went sub-4 in the mile for the first time outdoors. On April 29, Hammond also set the school record in the 1500 meters (3:39.22).
Ryan Witt, who recently wrapped up his Tech career this indoor season, also broke the 4-minute barrier at 3:59.91 competing unattached and senior All-American Will Mulherin beat his previous school record as crossed the line in 4:00.52. Mulherin’s previous outdoor mile school record of 4:00.93 was set at the 2010 Penn Relays. In addition, senior Chris Walizer turned in a solid 4:05.24 to place fourth and junior steeplechaser Jason Cusack ran 4:11.04.
Although the mile is not an NCAA Championship event outdoors, Hammond’s and Mulherin’s times rank first and second in the NCAA for the 2012 outdoor season.
In the men’s 10000 meters, redshirt sophomore Leoule Degfae was runner-up as he moved into sixth all-time at Tech and into the top-48 of the NCAA East Region with a personal best time of 29:46.10. Freshman Brayden Burleigh was third in 30:00.72, good for 10th in Tech history.
Redshirt freshman Kevin Dowd set a personal best 3:47.00 en route to winning the men’s 1500 meters, while classmate Martin Dally was second in the 800 meters in a PR of 1:51.56.
Three Hokie women earned individuals victories, including freshman Amanda Smith in the 800 meters (2:10.33), redshirt junior Sammy Dow in the 1500 meters (4:25.34) and sophomore Stephanie Cario in the 10000 meters (38:41.62).
The men’s distance 4x400 meter ‘A’ relay of Dally, junior Ryan Hagen, freshman Kevin DeWillie and Hammond were victorious in 3:23.73.
The Hokies have three additional last chance meets scheduled this weekend as the throwers and pole vaulters head to Clemson’s Tiger Qualifier on Friday and Saturday. Then on Sunday, the sprinters and jumpers travel to NC A&T’s Aggie Classic, while the distance group will compete at NC State’s Wolfpack Last Chance.
This weekend's meets serve as a last chance for student-athletes to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary Meet, which will take place May 24-26 at North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. The top-48 declared student-athletes and top-24 relays in each region per event qualify for the NCAA Preliminary Meet. The top-12 athletes from each region (East and West) then advance to the NCAA Championship at Drake in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9.