JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On the final day of the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, the Virginia Tech track and field teams locked in five individual qualifiers and a relay team to send 14 student-athletes to the national meet held in Austin, Texas from June 5-8.
Sitting at 14th in the men's shot put with only one throw remaining, Isaiah Rogers threw a life-time best 18.70 meters (61 feet, 4.25 inches) to finish 12th and qualify for the NCAA Championships for the first time of his career.
"Just remarkable," Tech throws coach Andrew Dubs said. "The true definition of a gamer. Isaiah just keeps showing up at the biggest moments when it matters most. After an opening round foul he was able to maintain his composure and connected for a PR in his 2nd round throw. Even still, for him to again step up and remain calm after dropping out of the top 12, to put together another huge PR on his final throw of the competition to take the final qualifying position.
His effort, focus, composure, I could keep going, was just outstanding. To come to this meet and put on an effort and performance the way he did today, is not to be taken lightly.
This is an extremely difficult meet for any athlete, in any event to advance out of, but to do it on your final throw, after being bumped down twice, and connecting on two huge PRs, it's just special."
The 4x100-meter relay team of Joseph Tay, Jacory Patterson, Michael Davenport and Cole Beck clocked a school record time of 39.24 seconds as they punched their tickets to Austin, Texas. The group became just the second 4x100 team to qualify for nationals in the past 18 years as the joined the 2012 relay team of Jeff Artis-Gray, Darrell Wesh, Johnathan McCants and Keith Ricks.
"The guys were just pumped about it," Tech sprints/hurdles coach Tim Vaught said. "For them to come here and run faster than they did at the conference meet, to me is amazing. Every time they run they just keep getting faster and faster. I can still see certain spots where they can get even faster, but I'm just happy that they just made it through"
With her final jump of the day, Eszter Bajnok leaped 13.47 meters (44 feet, 2.5 inches) in the triple jump to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. With qualifying in the triple jump today and the long jump on Thursday, Bajnok became the first jumper in Tech history to qualify for nationals in two events.
"She made me sweat for a minute, but ultimately Eszter took care of business and is on her way to NCAA's in the triple jump," Tech jumps coach Paul Zalewski said. "Her last jump was very good, the second best of her career, so I know we are ready for some good things in Austin. She's the first jumper in school history to be doubling at the national meet, so we are pretty excited about what she can do."
Gallery: (5/25/2019) 2019 TRACK & FIELD REGIONAL DAY THREE
In the first heat of the women's 1,500-meter run, Rachel Pocratsky ran a tactical race to finish third in her heat and punch a ticket to the NCAA Outdoors for the second-straight year. Pocratsky will be joined by Sarah Edwards as she finished second in her heat with a personal best time of 4:16.37 to also punch a ticket to the Lone Star State.
"I'm really excited for Sarah and Rachel to both make it to Austin together in the 1,500," Tech distance coach Eric Johannigmeier said. "They've both worked extremely well together this whole spring and it has really been fun to watch them training and pushing each other in competitions and workouts. They're challenging each other and also being very supportive and helping each other along. It's fitting to see them both qualify."
Peter Seufer was the final Hokie with an opportunity to punch a ticket to Austin and the Lynchburg, Virginia native did not disappoint. Seufer stayed among the top-8 throughout the entire race and did just enough in the end to finish seventh in his heat and earn the final qualifying spot with his time of 14:03.74. This will be his second time to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as he qualified in the same event in 2017.
"Peter ran a really nice race, knew what it was going to take, and went out and took care of business," Johannigmeier said. "Peter's a great competitor, and I'm excited he punched his ticket to compete with the best of the best in Austin in two weeks."
UP Next
The Hokies will compete in the final outdoor meet of the season at Darrell K Royal-Texas Stadium in Austin. The NCAA Outdoor Championships will take place at the University of Texas at Austin from June 5-8. In total, 16 Hokies will be flying across the country for NCAAs to bring the 2019 season to a close.
NCAA Qualifiers
Pole Vault
Deakin Volz
Distance
Sarah Edwards (1,500)
Rachel Pocratsky (1,500)
Bashir Mosavel-Lo (800)
Peter Seufer (5,000)
Fitsum Seyoum (3,000 Steeplechase)
Throws
Pavla Kuklova (Hammer Throw)
Isaiah Rogers (Shot Put)
Sprints
Cole Beck (4x100)
Michael Davenport (4x100)
Miles Green (400 Hurdles)
Jacory Patterson (400, 4x100)
Joseph Tay (4x100)
Jumps
Eszter Bajnok (Long Jump, Triple Jump)
(DAY TWO)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Virginia Tech track and field teams saw four Hokies punch tickets to the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships Friday evening on day two of the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds held at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.
Bashir Mosavel-Lo ran a tactical race in the men's 800-meter run quarterfinals. The Richmond, Virginia native kept up a steady pace and with 200 meters remaining made a move which allowed him to finish third overall with his time of 1 minute, 48.77 seconds to punch a ticket to the Lone Star State for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"Bashir ran a smart race against a very high quality field," Tech distance coach Eric Johannigmeier said. "He is showing the maturity and savvy of a senior as a sophomore, and he is ready to compete with the best of the best two weeks from now in Austin."
Fitsum Seyoum, The ACC champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, picked up where he left off in Charlottesville, Virginia two weeks ago as he ran a personal best time and new school record time of 8:40.86 seconds to finish second in his heat and sixth overall to earn his first trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"Fitsum had a great day," Johannigmeier said. "He knew what he wanted to do and took care of business racing with a lot of confidence. Getting a school record in the process was something he's been thinking about for a while and I'm excited to see how much faster he can run at NCAAs."
Gallery: (5/24/2019) 2019 TRACK & FIELD REGIONAL DAY TWO
After winning his heat yesterday, Jacory Patterson followed it up by doing it again to punch his ticket to Austin, Texas. Patterson finished third overall and reset his own school record with his time of 45.46 seconds.
"Jacory started it off by winning his heat and punching his ticket," Tech sprints/hurdles coach Tim Vaught said. "For him to have the experience of falling at the NCAA Indoor Championships – now he has another chance with the outdoor championships. I'm extremely proud of all of the work that he has put in."
Miles Green, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native, turned in a personal best time of 50.25 seconds to finish second in his heat and fifth overall in the men's 400-meter hurdles to advance to his first ever NCAA Championships.
"A few hours later Miles, (Jacory's) roommate, showed up and executed his race and punched his ticket to nationals," Vaught said."
"I have to be excited that two freshmen came here and did what they had to do to qualify. Both of those guys have put in hard work and have done everything that I have asked them to do. They've taken care of their bodies on and off of the track and now they're reaping the rewards."
UP NEXT
Saturday's action will begin at 2:45 p.m. ET with the men's shot put. FloTrack will once again provide coverage throughout the day.
Remaining Weekend Schedule
Sat. | Regionals | 2:45 p.m. ET | Live Results | Live Stream
(DAY ONE)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On the first day of the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, the Virginia Tech track and field teams saw three Hokies punch tickets to the NCAA Championships and six qualify for the quarterfinals in their respective events at Hodges Stadium on Thursday.
For the second straight year and the third time overall, Deakin Volz leaped high enough to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The senior from Bloomington, Indiana cleared a height of 5.31 meters (17 feet, 5 inches).
Sitting at 14th with only one throw remaining, Pavla Kuklova tossed a mark of 61.72 meters (202 feet, 6 inches) in the hammer throw to finish 11th and become the first Hokie to punch a ticket to Austin, Texas. Emma Thor just missed the cut, as she placed 15th with her mark of 60.69 meters (199 feet, 1 inch).
"Congratulations to Pavla for advancing," Tech throws coach Andrew Dubs said. "It was a very difficult day overall, so to come from behind on her final throw and get one out there to be able to advance, that was a great competitive effort on her part.
"Overall, not the day we were hoping for. I felt coming in we had a good opportunity to potentially advance all 3 women. Unfortunately, it just was not in the cards for us tonight — and that falls on me. I will take a look at everything and make sure that we do better moving forward."
After fouling out in the long jump last year in Tampa, Florida, Eszter Bajnok made sure that it wouldn't happen again, as she leaped 6.14 meters (20 feet, 1.75 inches) to finish sixth and punched herself a ticket to nationals.
"I'm really proud of Eszter getting through to Austin in the long jump," Tech jumps coach Paul Zalewski said. "It was a somewhat rough competition all around, and a lot of people jumped well below their best. But Eszter stayed composed, focused, and took care of business. I was very impressed by that."
Sarah Edwards and Rachel Pocratsky led the way in the middle distance events, with both advancing to Saturday's quarterfinals in the 1,500-meter race. Edwards finished third in her heat with a personal-best time of 4 minutes, 18.54 seconds, while Pocratsky was also third in her heat with her time of 4:19.79.
With a diving effort, Jack Joyce finished fifth in his heat of the men's 1,500 with a time of 3:47.57, and he also qualified for the quarterfinals.
In the men's 800, Bashir Mosavel-Lo finished second in his heat and fourth overall, as he tallied a time of 1:49.60 to advance to Friday's quarterfinals.
Freshman Miles Green, the Hokies' lone hurdler in Jacksonville, started the day for the sprints group, as he won his heat and finished third overall with time of 50.63 in the 400-meter hurdles to automatically qualify for quarterfinals on Friday.
"Miles executed his race," Tech sprints/hurdles coach Tim Vaught said. "He knows the mistakes that he made, but he said he felt good. He made it through the round and felt like he still had another gear. He's excited about tomorrow."
With a great start out of the blocks, freshman Jacory Patterson won his heat in the 400-meter dash, crossing the finish line with a time of 45.78 seconds to qualify for Friday's quarterfinals.
"Jacory had to advance from the outside lane, and it's tough to do it that way, but he's been doing it the whole season," Vaught said. "He definitely did what he had to do."
Freshman Cole Beck just missed advancing to the men's 100 quarterfinals, as he was four-hundredths of a second behind Miami's Raheem Chambers with his time of 10.47.
UP NEXT
Friday's action will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET with the women's discus. FloTrack will once again streaming throughout the day.
Remaining Weekend Schedule
Fri. | Regionals | 12:00 p.m. ET | Live Results | Live Stream
Sat. | Regionals | 2:45 p.m. ET | Live Results | Live Stream
Gallery: (5/23/2019) 2019 OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD REGIONAL