CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and COLUMBIA, S.C. – After an impressive Friday with strong results across the board for the Hokies, Tech track & field wrapped up a great weekend of competition with even more personal bests and record book updates.
In South Carolina at the UofSC Open, Rachel Baxter continued her dominance in 2022 with yet another win, placing first in the women's pole vault invite with a best clearance of 4.53m (14' 10.25"). The vault marks an outdoor career best for Baxter and moves her into No. 8 in the world this year. Julia Fixsen also produced a strong series, finishing as the third collegian in the competition with a best clearance of 4.33m (14' 2.5").
All-American triple jumper Chauncey Chambers made his first appearance of the outdoor season at the Virginia Challenge, leaping an outdoor career best of 16.02m (52' 6.75"). Chambers took second in the event and his season opener moves him into No. 9 in the NCAA and No. 2 in the ACC.
In the invitational sections of the 800m several Hokies recorded strong times as Saturday wound down. Hannah Ballowe stopped the clock in 2:05.88 for a new career best outdoors. The Mechanicsville native now holds the No. 4 time in the ACC this season and moves into No. 8 all time at Virginia Tech. On the men's side, Seb Anthony ran the two laps in 1:49.06 for a season's best result, now ranked No. 9 in the ACC.
Also excelling at the Virginia Challenge was EJ Bell, who recorded a season's best in the high jump, going up and over 2.07m (6' 9.5") to finish fifth in the invitational section of the event. In the women's triple jump Hailey Huston Myles leaped 12.67m (41' 7") for a new outdoor season's best, improving No. 4 mark in Virginia Tech history.
Next up for the Hokies will be a weekend of competition scattered around the nation. Tech eyes four separate meets next weekend, with the UNF Invitational and Torrin Lawrence Memorial scheduled for April 29-30 in Jacksonville, Fla. and Athens, Ga. In Tucson, Ariz. the Desert Heat Classic will run on Saturday, April 30, while the Virginia Grand Prix is set for Sunday, May 1 in Charlottesville.