Hokie ClubBOSTON, Mass., ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., & CLEMSON, S.C. - The Virginia Tech track & field team split up for Valentine's Day weekend and spent Friday and Saturday competing in the BU Valentine Invitational, the Don Kirby Elite Invitational and the Tiger Paw Invitational. The Hokies collected a total of two national records, one program record, 11 all-time top-10 performances, one event win, 18 ACC qualifying marks and 14 personal records.
BU Valentine Invitational
George Couttie led the Hokies in Boston with his 7:40.18 3,000m performance. The result landed Couttie the program record by over nine seconds, 11th in the NCAA this season (all divisions), and 19th all-time in the NCAA. This is his second program record in as many weeks, as he siezed the mile record just last weekend. Couttie finished seventh overall in the 3,000m with a field of 243 at the BU Valentine Invite.
Ryan Fowkes boasted a 7:59.25 3,000m result at the invite, a mark that lands him No. 10 overall in the all-time top-10 performers list for Virginia Tech. His No. 10 slot is his record book debut since joining the program this past fall.
Lila Waters secured an all-time top performance for Tech with her 9:16.23 career-best in the 3,000m, landing No. 7 in the event. The mark becomes her first indoor top-10 performance.
Mary Kate McGranahan captured her first indoor all-time top-10 mark, landing the No. 9 slot for the 5,000m with her indoor collegiate personal-record of 16:52.46.
Men's Results
3,000m - (7) George Couttie, 7:40.18*'
3,000m - Ryan Fowkes, 7:59.25*'
3,000m - Declan Rymer, 8:06.72
Women's Results
3,000m - Lila Waters, 9:16.23*'
5,000m - Mary Kate McGranahan, 16:52.46*
Don Kirby Elite Invitational
At the Don Kirby Elite Invitational, four Hokies competed in two events, with Nate Paris and Caleb Stephens recording the most notable results. Both just off their career-best marks, Paris and Stephens finished seventh and eighth in the long jump, an event that contained a field of 49. The 7.31m mark for Stephens is a season-best.
Madison McConico was the lone Hokie to participate in the triple jump, where she boasted a 12.60m result, which elevates her standing in the all-time top-10 performers list for Virginia Tech to No. 6 from No. 7. The 12.60m jump now places her sixth in the ACC this season.
Men's Results
Long Jump - (7) Nate Paris, 7.45m'
Long Jump - (8) Caleb Stephens, 7.31m'
Long Jump - Stuart Pirtle, 6.67m
Women's Results
Triple Jump - Madison McConico, 12.60m*'
Tiger Paw Invitational
Caitlyn Bobb, the 400m Bermuda national record holder, elevated her national record time of 53.50 with her 53.06 this weekend. The 53.06 400m moves Bobb to No. 4 all-time for Virginia Tech in the event, and becomes her third event where she's in the top five all-time for VT.
Ali Diaby ran a stellar 20.86 in the 200m, joining the sub-21 club and shifting from No. 7 all-time for Virginia Tech to No. 4, just .16 behind Judson Lincoln IV. The 20.86 mark lands Diaby second in the ACC this season and 33rd in the NCAA.
In the women's weight throw, Sara Killinen captured the event win, a career-best mark of 22.76m and renewed her Finland national record in the event. Killinen has collected two event wins and has finished as the top collegiate performer in all three of her outings this season. Barbora Stejfova boasted a showstopping 21.44m toss, which elevated her from No. 6 to No. 4 all-time for Tech.
The women's 4x400m relay posted a season-best 3:40.46, just one second off of cracking the all-time top-10 performers list for Tech. The men's 4x400m relay blasted a 3:05.27, a performance good for the No. 2 slot all-time for Virginia Tech. Members of the relay were Kahleje "KJ" Tillmon, Ali Diaby, Tomas Kersulis and Sam Herenton.
Men's Track Results
60mH
Evan Taylor, 8.64
60m
Calvin Meyer, 6.94
400m
Judson Lincoln IV, 46.11'
Tomas Kersulis, 47.03'
Sam Herenton, 47.42'
Maximus James, 48.06*
200m
Judson Lincoln IV, 20.70'
Ali Diaby, 20.86*'
Sam Herenton, 21.20*'
Kahleje Tillmon, 21.21'
Calvin Meyer, 21.94
Tomas Kersulis, 22.03
Maximus James, 22.17*
Evan Taylor, 22.28
4x400m
3:05.27
Women's Track Results
60m
Janiya Johnson, 7.60
Logan Daley, 7.85
Teri Pridgen, 7.99
400m
Caitlyn Bobb, 53.06*'
Farah Nasir, 55.17*
Micayla Collins, 55.70
Krystalann Bechard, 56.71
200m
Caitlyn Bobb, 24.09
Micayla Collins, 24.59
Farah Nasir, 25.01
Logan Daley, 25.19
Teri Pridgen, 25.20*
Krystalann Bechard, 25.47
4x400m
3:40.46
Field Results
Weight Throw
(1) Sara Killinen, 22.76m*'
(4) Barbora Stejfova, 21.44m*'
Women's Pole Vault
Kelsey Lovercheck, 3.65m
Men's Pole Vault
Jacob Rice, 4.88m'
UP NEXT
The Hokies return home to Rector Field House for the indoor regular season conclusion at the Virginia Tech Challenge from Feb. 21-22. A portion of the distance event group will head to Boston for the Terrier DMR Challenge the same weekend.