SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Heading into the final day of the ACC Indoor Championships in fifth place with 25.5 points, the Virginia Tech women's track and field team exploded for 80 points on the final day of competition at Notre Dame's Loftus Sports Center to claim its first indoor title since 2008.
"This is our first indoor title with the women since 2008," Tech Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Dave Cianelli said. "We came in and knew we had a shot to do it, but obviously, you have to put it together. We have a lot of people here that, it's their first time at a conference meet, and I thought they really came though well. We're still a fairly young team. We have some outstanding seniors that provide some of that leadership and have been through some of conference wars over the past few years, and I think that helped a lot.
"Being as balanced as possible has helped in meets like this, so you're not relying on one event area or just a couple of individuals. If you spread it out, then you have a better chance to hit some good things and that helps in this type of meet."
The Tech women's track and field team finished with 105.5 points, easily besting second-place Miami, which finished with 73 points. The Tech women's program now has won six ACC championships under Dave Cianelli, Tech's director of track and field and cross country, since the school joined the league for the 2004-05 season.
The women's team was led by gold medal performances by Rachel Baxter, Sarah Edwards, Caitlan Tate and the women's 4x400-meter relay team.
Baxter won the pole vault for the second straight year with a top vault of 4.45 meters (14 feet, 7.25 inches). It marked the ninth time that a Hokie had won the individual pole vault title since Tech joined the ACC, but just the second time that one has won it in back-to-back seasons.
"Rachel did a fantastic job of competing today," pole vault coach Bob Phillips said. "Every time she needed to respond, she did. She is a really deserving champion."
The distance group, led by Edwards, dominated the field Saturday. The senior was able to hold off a late push by Florida State's Maudie Skyring to defend her 2019 title in the mile with her time of 4 minutes, 37.11 seconds, edging Skyring (4:37.26). Fellow senior Lauren Berman ran a personal-best time of 4:38.77 to finish in third. In the 800-meter race, Lindsey Butler (2:07.77) came in fifth, Grace Boone (2:09.28) placed sixth, and Hannah Ballowe (2:13.46) finished seventh. A day after winning the 5,000, Sara Freix placed eighth in the 3,000 with her time of 9:25.62.
"I think overall both the men and the women had just a great level of toughness, competitiveness and resiliency," distance coach Eric Johannigmeier said. "Being able to fight through stuff even when things aren't perfect or when things were thrown at them differently than they expected. They all fought tough and I couldn't be prouder."
The ACC Indoor Championships were a coming-out party for Tate. The Atlanta native shaved six-tenths of a second off her previous personal best to win the 400-meter dash with a time of 52.42 seconds. She would then go on to turn in a personal-best time of 23.38 in the 200 to take second. She also ran the opening leg of the 4x400-meter relay team consisting of herself, Kennedy Dennis, Nykah Smith, and Arlicia Bush that won gold with a time of 3:38.21. Bush also competed in the 400, where she finished third with a personal-best time of 53.40, while Dennis finished seventh in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.49.
"It was an amazing day," sprints coach Tim Vaught said. "Taking Caitlan from a 60- and 100-meter runner and moving her to the 200 and 400; as a coach you see things and say they can do it, but for her to do it in one year, you can't explain it.
Heading into the year, I had everyone write down their goals for the season. She wrote that she wanted to break records, and that's what she did. I'm excited to see what she's going to do at nationals."
"Arlicia is a senior and she showed it," coach Vaught said. "She wanted to leave her mark and she did that. She set a personal best in the prelims, a personal best in the finals and then ran the anchor leg of the champion 4x400 relay team. To me, she's having an outstanding senior year."
Essence Henderson was the lone member of the women's throws group, but the Lafayette, Indiana native used a personal-best throw of 16.66 meters (54 feet, 8 inches) on her first attempt in the shot put to finish second.
On the men's side, Tech amassed 109 points to come in second behind winner Florida State, which had 140 points. Peter Seufer, who was the ACC's track Most Valuable Performer, became the first Hokie to win back-to-back titles in the 3,000, as he crossed the finish line in a time of 7.59.09 just a day after winning the men's 5,000. Seufer was joined on the podium by Antonio Lopez Segura, who finished third with a time of 8:06.43.
In the 800, Bashir Mosavel-Lo won a silver medal with his time of 1:50.15, while Jack Joyce finished fifth with a time of 1:50.93, and Thierry Siewe Yanga came in eighth with a time of 1:51.83. The Hokies also saw impressive performances by Diego Zarate and Ben Fleming in the mile. Zarate (4:02.87) came in fourth, while Fleming (4:03.40) placed sixth.
In the sprints group, Jacory Patterson became the first runner to win back-to-back titles in the 400 in program history, as turned in the new No. 2 time in the country at 45.66. Cole Beck also had an outstanding day, as he placed fourth in the 60-meter dash with his time 6.68 and fourth in the 200 with a personal-best time of 21.16.
"Jacory is something else," coach Vaught said. "I tell people all the time that I'll be at practice and he runs a certain time, and I'll change my watch because I think it's broken. He's just that type of athlete.
To me, that was the easiest 45 seconds I've ever seen in my life, and I've seen a lot. He told me after the prelims that he thought he ran a high 46. I knew after that, that he was going to come back and run a personal best in the finals. He's just a gamer."
"Cole is a warrior," coach Vaught said. "He's someone that I want by my side. I think he was held in the blocks a little too long, but he capitalized with his time 6.68 to score higher than we projected going in.
Going 21.16 indoor was great to see. He missed a lot of training due his injury and we were just hoping to get him back healthy and ready to compete. He does a great job outside of the track to keep his body right, so it was easier to get him back to where we needed him to be."
The 4x400 team of Patrick Forrest, Tyreke Sapp, Miles Green and Patterson broke their own school record with a time of 3:07.79 to finish third.
Chauncey Chambers finished eighth in the triple jump with a mark of 15.60 meters (51 feet, 2.25) to give the Hokies needed points in the event.
For the throws group, Tyson Jones came in fifth in the shot put with his mark of 17.57 meters (56 feet, 0.25 inches), while Bryan Hudson used a personal-best toss of 17.08 meters (56 feet, 0.25 inches) to come in eighth.
COMMONWEALTH CLASH
Each year, Virginia Tech and Virginia engage in the Commonwealth Clash sponsored by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of both universities. Building on a tradition started in 1895, the Commonwealth Clash is a head-to-head points-based competition within the 22 varsity sports in which Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia compete against each other. To learn more about Virginia529 and the competition go to the following link (www.thecommonwealthclash.com). The team results from the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships count as Clash points and the Hokies secured both points by virture of finishing ahead of the Cavaliers on both the men's and women's sides. Virginia currently holds the overall lead with a score of 6.5-5.5.
UP NEXT
Select members of both teams now gear up for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held March 13-14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(DAY TWO)
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Championship performances by Sara Freix and Peter Seufer headlined the second day of the ACC Indoor Championships for the Virginia Tech track and field teams, as the distance duo claimed gold medals in the 5,000-meter race Saturday at the Loftus Sports Center.
A year after finishing second in the 5,000 at the ACC Indoor Championships, Seufer, a senior from Lynchburg, Virginia, would not be denied a second time, as he won the event with a time of 13 minutes, 58.28 seconds.
Seufer paced a Tech men's team that saw Fitsum Seyoum, Harrison Rice, John Manilli, Jacob Rice and Joseph Badalamenti also earn points.
Seyoum placed fifth in the 5,000 with his time of 14:05.84, and Manilli posted a career-high 4,661 points in the heptathlon to finish seventh.
Sophomore Harrison Rice finished third in the pole vault with a personal-best leap of 5.28 meters (17 feet, 3.75 inches). Jacob Rice's clearance of 4.98 meters (16 feet, 4 inches) was good enough to claim fifth, while Badalamenti placed eighth with a top vault of 4.88 meters (16 feet, 0 inches).
"With Joel redshirting We really needed the underclassmen to step up and they certainly did that", pole vault coach Bob Phillips said. "I'm really proud of how they competed. For all three of them to score and for Harrison to set a personal best to grab the bronze medal was a fantastic effort."
With the combination of those six, the Tech men's team ended the day in third place with 40 points. Florida State leads all teams with 46 points, followed by Virginia at 45.
Freix led the way for Tech on the women's side, as the senior won her first ACC indoor title by crossing the finish line in the 5,000 with a time of 16:13.69.
Rosie Cicmanec recorded a new personal-best mark of 1.70 meters (5 feet, 7 inches) to finish seventh in the women's high jump.
The Tech women finished the day in fifth with 25.5 points, and they trail Louisville (34.5 points), Duke (34 points), N.C. State (26 points) and Notre Dame (26 points).
In other action Friday:
Men's 60
Cole Beck advanced to the 60-meter dash finals, coming in third in his heat and sixth overall with his time of 6.68 seconds.
Women's 60
Kennedy Dennis qualified for the 60-meter dash finals by running a season-best time of 7.38 to finish third in her heat and eighth overall.
Men's 200
Beck used a time of 21.29 to finish first in his heat and fifth overall to qualify for the 200 finals.
Women's 200
Caitlan Tate won her heat and finished fifth overall with a time of 23.86 to qualify for Saturday's 200 finals.
Men's 400
Jacory Patterson used a great start to finish first overall and cruise to the 400 finals with a time of 45.94.
Women's 400
Tate and Arlicia Bush both qualified for the Saturday's finals in the 400. Tate won her heat and finished third overall with a time of 53.39, while Bush also won her heat, placing fourth with a new personal-best time of 53.48.
Men's 800
Bashir Mosavel-Lo, Thierry Siewe Yanga and Jack Joyce each qualified for the Saturday's finals in the 800. Mosavel-Lo won heat one with a season-best time of 1:49.63, while the times of Siewe Yanga (1:51.05) and Joyce (1:51.10) were also good enough to advance.
Women's 800
The trio of Lindsey Butler (2:07.81), Grace Boone (2:08.32) and Hannah Ballowe (2:09.42) advanced to the 800 finals, finishing fourth, fifth and seventh, respectively.
Men's Mile
Ben Fleming (4:03.24) posted the third overall time to advance to the finals, and Diego Zarate (4:09.47) won his heat to also advance.
Women's Mile
Lauren Berman (4:44.78) and Sarah Edwards (4:44.98) both won their heats, coming in first and second, respectively.
UP NEXT
The Hokies return to action Saturday for the final day of the ACC Indoor Championships at Loftus Sports Center, starting at 11 a.m., with the men's shot put.
(DAY ONE)
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Two silver medals in the distance medley relay and several personal bests in the multi-events and weight throw highlighted day one of the ACC Indoor Championships for the Virginia Tech track and field teams at the Loftus Sports Center.
To close the evening, the distance medley relay team earned a silver medal and eight points for the women's team, with Grace Boone, Arlicia Bush, Ellie Brush and Sarah Edwards running 11:08.41 for the fourth-fastest time in school history.
On the men's side, the distance medley relay team of Jack Joyce, Patrick Atwell, Thierry Siewe Yanga and Bashir Mosavel-Lo also put together an incredible race, as the group's time of 9:46.28 was almost a full two seconds faster than third-place North Carolina State.
THROWS
Competing in his first ACC Indoor Championships, Alexios Prodanas rerecorded a personal-best mark of 20.07 meters to finish fourth overall in the weight throw and pick up five points for the men's team.
Pavla Kuklova earned two points for the women's team as the Opava, Czech Republic native used a toss of 18.45 meters (60 feet, 6.5 inches) to finish seventh in the women's weight throw
MULTI EVENTS
Competing in the pentathlon for the first time as a Hokie, Ellie Vest garnered second-team All-ACC honors as she placed fifth overall with a personal record of 3,680 points. Vest started the day by posting a time of 9.55 seconds in 60-meter hurdles. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native would go on to set marks of 1.67 meters (5 feet, 5.75 inches) in the high jump, 11.17 meters (36 feet, 7.75 inches) in the shot put and 5.17 meters (16 feet, 11.5 inches) in the long jump. Vest closed out the day by winning the 800 meters with her time of 2:17.92.
"I was really proud of the effort by Ellie Vest today," jumps and multi-events coach Paul Zalewski said. "She was competing in her first ever collegiate championship meet and did a great job of keeping her composure and staying competitive. She had personal bests in her first 3 events and a fifth-place finish in the Pentathlon after not competing for three years; just amazing."
On the men's side of the multi-events, John Manilli and Jaelyn Demory competed in the first four events of heptathlon. Recording a time of 7.12 in the 60-meter dash, Manilli would set marks of 6.76 meters (22 feet, 2.25 inches) in the long jump, 11.31 meters (37 feet, 1.25 inches) in the shot put and 1.72 meters (5 feet, 7.75 inches) in the high jump to finish the day in sixth with 2,722 points.
Demory turned in marks of 5.62 meters (18 feet, 5.25 inches) in the long jump, 13.46 meters (44 feet, 2 inches) in the shot put and 1.57 meters (5 feet, 1.75 inches) in the high jump and a time of 7.04 in the 60-meter dash to end his day in eighth with 2,510 points.
"The guys in the heptathlon put in a great effort today," Paul Zalewski said. "After getting banged up early, Jaelyn had a huge PR in the shot put, and John is sitting in sixth place after the first day with three lifetime bests already. There's more work to do tomorrow, but John's off to a great start and is in position to make a push on day two."
UP NEXT
The Hokies return to action Friday for day two of the ACC Indoor Championships at Loftus Sports Center, starting at 11 a.m., with the heptathlon's 60-meter hurdles. The ACC Network Extra will live stream the day, starting at 2 p.m. with preliminary round of the 60-meter dash and concluding with the 5,000 meters finals
PERSONAL BESTS
Men's Weight Throw
Alexios Prodanas (20.07 meters; 65 feet, 10.25 inches)
Men's Shot Put
Jaelyn Demory (13.46 meters; 44 feet, 2 inches)
John Manilli (11.31 meters; 37 feet, 1.25 inches)
Women's Shot Put
Ellie Vest (11.17 meters; 36 feet, 7.75 inches)
Women's High Jump
Ellie Vest (1.67 meters; 5 feet, 5.75 inches)
Women's Long Jump
Ellie Vest (5.17 meters; 16 feet, 11.5 inches)
Women's 60 Hurdles
Ellie Vest (9.55)
Women's 800 Meters
Ellie Vest (2:17.92)Gallery: (2/29/2020) 2020 ACC IND. TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP