BLACKSBURG – Eight members of the Virginia Tech men's track and field squad earned recognition on the inaugural VaSID All-State Men's Outdoor Track and Field Team. The Hokies placed seven athletes on the first team with an additional second team honor.
Tech represented a wide array of disciplines on the all-state teams, with at least one member from each event group gaining recognition. ACC Champion Cole Beck earned first team honors as one of three sprinters in the state following his breakthrough season. Beck won the first men's 100m ACC title in Virginia Tech history and qualified to both the NCAA Championships and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Diego Alejandro Zarate closes out his Hokies career with recognition on the all-state team, having finished seventh in the 1500m at the NCAA Championships to earn first team All-American status. Zarate additionally earned the bronze medal in the event at the ACC Championships and set two new school record at 1500m this season.
Repeat ACC Champion Fitsum Seyoum earned the all-state first team nod as well, having ran a championship record in the 3000m steeplechase at the conference meet this season. His time of 8:31.23 stood as a school record in addition to an ACC Championships record and at the time was the fastest steeplechase in the NCAA. Seyoum went on to break his own school record with a time of 8:28.72 to finish 10th in the heats at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Chauncey Chambers claimed a spot as well having posted incredible leaps throughout the season. Setting a new personal record and claiming the fourth best spot on the Hokies' all-time list with a triple jump of 52' 5.5" (15.99m), Chambers advanced to the NCAA Championships where he finished 21st. Chambers additionally claimed fifth place at the ACC Championships and competed among the nation's best at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Hammer throw specialist Alexios Prodanas caps a sensational year with first team All-State honors. The senior from Kilkis, Greece dominated the ACC this year and won the conference title handily, before finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships to earn a nod to the All-American first team. His throw of 233' 2" (71.08m) at the national championships set a lifetime best and lifted him into fourth in the Virginia Tech record book.
Sean Murphy picks up first team All-State as well having smashed the Virginia Tech school record in the decathlon. His point total of 7,112 at the Virginia Challenge in mid-April marked the first time a Hokie had broken the 7,000-point barrier. Illness brought Murphy's outdoor season to an early conclusion, as he was unable to compete at postseason meets.
The Hokies claimed first team honors in the 4x400m relay as well. A rotating 4x400m relay squad this season earns the nod after claiming the Hokies' first men's 4x400m ACC title with the second-fastest time in school history at 3:06.46. At the NCAA Championships, the 4x400m relay finished 19th for an honorable mention All-America nod.
Ben Fleming rounded out the Hokies on the All-State squads, taking home second team honors for his performances this season. At the ACC Championships, Fleming set a lifetime best in the 3000m steeplechase of 8:37.80 for fifth place and second team All-ACC, running under the previous school record time.
First-Team All-State
Sprints - Trequan Barnes, NSU
Sprints - Cole Beck, VT
Sprints - Diamantae Griffin, Liberty
Middle Distance - Wes Porter, UVA
Middle Distance - Diego Zarate, VT
Distance - Derek Johnson, UVA
Distance - Felix Kandie, Liberty
Distance - Fitsum Seyoum, VT
Hurdles - Jovaine Atkinson, Liberty
Hurdles - Ian Davis, VCU
4x100m Relay - Norfolk State
4x400m Relay - Virginia Tech
Jumps - Chauncey Chambers, VT
Jumps - Brenton Foster, UVA
Jumps - Owayne Owens, UVA
Jumps - Sam Young, UVA
Throws - Jacob Lemmon, UVA
Throws - Kyle Mitchell, Liberty
Throws - Alexios Prodanas, VT
Throws - Claudio Romero, UVA
Multi - Sean Murphy, VT
Second-Team All-State
Sprints - Theo Chambers, W&M
Sprints - Brandon Outlaw, UVA
Sprints - Jordin Poindexter, VMI
Middle Distance - Ally Kipchirchir, Liberty
Middle Distance - Conor Murphy, UVA
Distance - Ryan Drew, Liberty
Distance - Ben Fleming, VT
Distance - Gavin Jenkins, VMI
Hurdles - Felix Lawrence, Liberty
Hurdles - Emmanuel Waller, VCU
4x100m Relay - VCU
4x400m Relay - VMI
Jumps - Quinten Clay, Liberty
Jumps - Jeremy Davis, Liberty
Jumps - Michael Fairbanks, W&M
Jumps - Harrison Shotwell, GMU
Throws - Jose Ballivian, Liberty
Throws - KJ Cook, W&M
Throws - Ethan Dabbs, UVA
Throws - Jaylen Simmons, GMU
Throws - Jaekob Vollbrecht, VCU
Multi - Camren Wynder-Hill, NSU
Track Athlete of the Year - Derek Johnson, Virginia
Field Athlete of the Year - Claudio Romero, Virginia
Track co-Rookie of the Year - Micah Harris, George Mason
Track co-Rookie of the Year - Felix Lawrence, Liberty
Track co-Rookie of the Year - Wes Porter, Virginia
Field Rookie of the Year - Claudio Romero, Virginia
Coach of the Year - Lance Bingham, Liberty