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Jan. 22, 2004
The Cavaliers continue the 2004 Indoor Track and Field season with a trip to Blacksburg, Va. for the Virginia Tech Invitational. With the impending entry of the Hokies to the ACC, the Cavaliers are ready to introduce them to the conference track and field scene with a host of veterans and exuberant and well-tested first-years.
Among the first years who has already had an impact on conference track and field is Meggie Schuelke, who leads the team with a 5’9″ in the high jump, which earned her first place honors at the Patriot Games. Her leap, which makes her the #4 performer all-time at Virginia, ranks fourth in the conference this season. She is joined on the high jump apron by Rachel Marks, who also ranks in the top-10 in the conference in the same event. Lauren Taggart and Alicia LaRoche, both of whom have scored for the Cavaliers this season in the pole vault, will compete in this event as well to round out the Cavalier vertical jumpers.
A pair of horizontal jump veterans also ranks among the conference leaders. The versatile Caroline Harvey ranks fourth in the long jump with an 18′ 10.5″ and Tamika Fergasun is in the top-10 in the triple jump with her 38′ 3.75″. Harvey will long jump at Virginia Tech as well as compete in the short sprints, while Fergasun will run the short hurdles in addition to her triple jumping duties. The vaunted Cavalier distance corps will compete in the distance medley and all four legs will be run by first-years, including Angie Saterstad, who will anchor the relay, running the 1600m leg. Saterstad had an outstanding frosh campaign in cross country, scoring in every meet for the Cavaliers as a true first-year. Saterstad, Janine Ricci, and Huma Husain will all compete in the mile as well as the DMR, with Ricci running the 1200m leg and Husain running the 800m leg. The 400m leg will be run by first-year Whitney Marsh, who will also long jump as well as run the 200/400 double. Kelly Behan, Cheryl Carr, and Laura Hodges will run the longer 3K for the Cavaliers.
On the men’s side the versatile David Sullivan ranks in the top-10 in the conference in both vertical jumps with a 6′ 6″ in the high jump and a 15′ 7″ in the pole vault. Sullivan will compete in both events at Virginia Tech as well as the long jump and the 60-meter hurdles. Teammate Mike Riso also ranks in the conference in the high jump with a 6’8″, which he notched with a bronze-medal performance at the Lid Lifter meet in December. Walker Anderson, who leads the Cavaliers in all the weight events, also ranks in the conference with his shot put mark from his runner-up finish at the Lid Lifter meet. He will compete in both the weight throw as well as the shot put. Kellen Blassingame and Gemayel Hazard provide the Cavaliers with depth in the sprints and hurdles with both men ranking in the conference. Blassingame will race in the 400m, in which he sits in the top-10 in the ACC, as well as the 200m and the 500m. He will be joined in the short sprints by Isi Azeke, Shadion Buckley, Kevin Carson, Chase Holt, Damon Hoyle, Erik Schulman and Jason Young. Buckley, a first year, leads the Cavaliers in the 60 while Azeke leads the team in the 200. Hazard leads the Cavaliers in the 60 hurdles with Azeke and Devin Canaday close behind. All three will run in the short hurdles along with Thomas Codevilla, Stephen Hiltner, and Herb Reid as well as David Sullivan.
ACC Champion McGavock Dunbar will run his specialty, the 800m, as well as the 1000m race. Joining him in the 1K race will be Amr Kouchouk as well as Ryan Neuhart and Alex Tatu, both of whom ran at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships in November. Teammates James Atchinson, Andrew Dumm, Brad Rodgers, Grady Sullivan, Justin Villegas, and Ben Yost will handle the long-distance duties this weekend as they compete in the 3000m run.
With the ACC Conference meet just a month away, the Cavaliers are looking to sharpen their skills and build on an impressive first part of the indoor season as the veterans look to help the newcomers mature quickly in the top track and field conference in the nation.