EUGENE, Ore. – Tech track & field opened the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships with several strong performances on the first day of men's competition.
On the track, the Hokies 4x100m relay team of Kahleje "KJ" Tillmon, Torrence Walker, Kennedy Harrison, and Cole Beck punched in a time of 38.99 seconds in the semifinals of the event. The squad took third in their heat and finished 10th, just three thousandths of a second away from clinching a spot in Friday's final. Second Team All-American honors wrap up the record-shattering year for the 4x1, as they record the Hokies' highest finish ever in the men's 4x100m at NCAA Outdoors.
Two more Hokies closed out their seasons well on Wednesday, as Ben Fleming and Ben Nibbelink took on the 3,000m steeplechase. Fleming just missed out on advancing to the final of the event, finish in 13th with his time of 8:37.79 to earn Second Team All-American honors. Nibbelink placed 20th overall out of the second heat, crossing the line in 8:46.25 to pick up Honorable Mention All-American honors.
Opening the day for the Hokies was Khalil Bedoui in the hammer, whose third-round throw of 66.76m (219' 0") saw him finish 17th and earn Honorable Mention All-American honors to cap off an exceptional first year in Blacksburg.
UP NEXT
Tech returns to action tomorrow for the first day of women's competition, with Sara Killinen leading things off in the hammer throw at 6 PM ET. Later in the evening, NCAA Indoor champion Rachel Baxter and NCAA Indoor bronze medalist Julia Fixsen will take on the nation in the pole vault, slated to start at 9 PM ET.
Gallery: (6-8-2022) NCAA Championships Day One