LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Virginia Tech men's track and field team wrapped up competition at the NCAA East First Round on Friday, May 24 in Lexington, Ky.
Judson Lincoln IV shattered the 400m all-time conference record finishing first in heat two of the quarterfinals with a time of 44.55. Lincoln qualified for the quarterfinals running 45.15 in the prelims on Wednesday. The previous outdoor record of 44.59 was set in 1994 by Georgia Tech's Derek Mills. Virginia Tech's Jacory Patterson holds the indoor conference record at 45.38 set in 2021.
Sophomore Nick Plant is heading back to the outdoor championships earning an automatic qualifying spot in the 800m quarterfinals finishing third in his heat with a time of 1:46.39.
Kennedy Harrison, KJ Tillmon, Plant, and Lincoln made history on Friday becoming the first Tech 4x400m relay team to advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships since joining the ACC in 2005. The men's team finished third in the relay with a time of 3:02.54. Lincoln took the team from fifth to third in the final leg of the race recording a 43.45 split, fastest split time of the day.
EJ Bell and Brandon Burke tied for seventh in high jump clearing the bar at a height of 7' 1.25" (2.17m) on their second attempt. Bell and Burke jumped clean through 7' 0.25" (2.14m).
Freshman Chidozie Kalu jumped his way into ninth place with a second-round mark of 51' 9.75" (15.79m) in the triple jump. Kalu entered the meet ranked 12th in the NCAA East Region.
Originally scheduled for Thursday, the women's pole vault squad handled the weather delay with ease advancing two athletes to the NCAA Championships. Freshman Chiara Sistermann placed tied for sixth clearing a personal-best height of 14' 1.25" (4.30m). Senior Journey Gurley finished tied for ninth clearing 13' 9.25" (4.20m). Tech won the women's outdoor pole vault national title in 2023 with Julia Fixsen clearing 14' 7.25" (4.45m) in Austin, Texas.
NCAA East First Round
Lexington, Ky.
Friday, May 24
400m Quarterfinals
2. Judson Lincoln IV – 44.55 Q *ACC All-Time Record, *advance to NCAA Championship
800m Quarterfinals
8. Nick Plant – 1:46.39 Q *advance to NCAA Championship
4x400m Quarterfinals
7. – Kennedy Harrison, KJ Tillmon, Nick Plant, Judson Lincoln IV - 3:02.54 Q *advance to NCAA Championship
4x100m Relay Quarterfinals
16. KJ Tillmon, Judson Lincoln IV, Kennedy Harrison, Amir Green – 39.87
3000m Steeple Quarterfinals
32. Declan Rymer – 9:10.32
High Jump
T7. EJ Bell – 2.17m (7' 1.25") *advance to NCAA Championship
T7. Brandon Burke – 2.17m (7' 1.25") *advance to NCAA Championship
T28. Aidan Clark – 2.09m (6' 10.25")
Triple Jump
9. Chidozie Kalu – 15.79m (51' 9.75") *advance to NCAA Championship
Women's Pole Vault
T6. Chiara Sistermann – 4.30m (14' 1.25") PR *advance to NCAA Championship
T9. Journey Gurley – 4.20m (13' 9.25) *advance to NCAA Championship
T28. Kennedy Drish – 3.95m (12' 11.5")
T37. Erin Kelleher – 3.80m (12' 5.5")
Gallery: (5-24-2024) T&F: NCAA East Preliminary Rounds Day 3
