Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – After a stellar year for Virginia Tech’s track and field program, there is much to be excited about entering the 2018 indoor and outdoor seasons.
The program earned three ACC titles, set numerous school records and returns the majority of the student-athletes who accomplished the impressive feat.
Assistant coach Andrew Dubs, who oversees the throws group, sat down with Virginia Tech’s HokieVision and answered questions for the upcoming season. To watch the video of the interview in its entirety, click here.
The returners for the group on the men’s side are Marek Barta, Collin McKenny, Matija Muhar and Matthew Reinhart. Barta earned silver in the discus at the 2017 ACC Outdoor Championships and then went on to garner All-America honors in Eugene, while Muhar picked up gold at ACCs in the discus in 2016. The group has combined for five All-ACC honors.
On the women’s side, the student-athletes coming back to Blacksburg are Pavla Kuklova, Emma Thor and Kajsa Wennberg. Kuklova placed second at the 2017 ACC Outdoor Championships, while Thor earned bronze. The duo took All-America honors at the NCAAs later in the season. The unit has combined for three All-ACC honors.
The throws group welcomes one newcomer in Lindsay Herra, a graduate transfer from Iowa.
Q: How would you say the transition has gone for you from Iowa to Virginia Tech?
DUBS: ““It’s been good and interesting, but it has been good. It was a big transition and a big change. It’s a different group with some different event groups being covered a little more than previously. But I’m loving it, it’s great. It’s a great group to work with and the student-athletes have been fantastic. I think there has been a lot of learning and growing on both ends, their part and my part, which is to be expected in the first year in the coaching system, especially with such an individual event. So, there has been a lot of learning going on. We will continue to learn, but it has all been positive so far.”
Q: What was your first impression of the throws group when you arrived to Blacksburg?
DUBS: “I mean the throws group here at Virginia Tech is no secret – the history that is here and the success the group had last year and before. Coming into it I was excited because of the talent that’s here and the opportunities I would have to work with each of the student-athletes. It has just been fantastic and has lived up to the expectations that I thought it would be. I think we are setting up really well so far from what they have done last year to what I think we can do this year.”
Q: What are some of the goals for the group this upcoming season?
DUBS: “I think I keep those tight between myself and them, but there are several returners who went to the national championships last year and got All-America honors. So, obviously the expectation for those student-athletes is to get back and try to finish higher than they did last year. But we have some other student-athletes on the team as well who have a lot of potential. We have had a lot of conversation about what some of their goals are individually, and they have set a high bar. I think the work they have put in so far has shown that they are going to achieve those goals.
“But going back to where it all starts, the No. 1 goal is to win the ACC championship for both indoor and outdoor. We’ve got a team great, a young team. Last year we won three of the four championships, so it is going to be hard to top but we are looking forward to it. The goal this upcoming season will be to win all four. It certainly won’t be easy, this is a fantastic conference and there are some other schools bringing back some great athletes, but the No. 1 goal remains to win the title for both the men and women.”