Cavaliers to compete at the Virginia Tech Challenge
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The men’s and women’s track and field teams are back in action this weekend as they travel to Blacksburg for the Virginia Tech Challenge held in the Rector Fieldhouse. The action begins on Friday, February 11th and continues through Saturday. Seven ACC teams will be represented in this weekend’s meet as the ACC Championship picture comes into focus.
The men are led by Kellen Blassingame, Alex Tatu, and Will Christian. Blassingame placed in the 60m, 200m, and 400m dash last week at the Liberty Record Bash. This weekend, he will run the 200m and the 400m dash. Alex Tatu currently has the best mile time in the ACC this season. He will try to improve his time in the mile and also compete in the 3,000m run. Will Christian will also run the mile with Tatu and should earn an ACC top ten time for this season. David Sullivan is at the top of the ACC this season in the pole vault and will look to improve his current mark of 16′ 8.75″. Greg Blair is also among the ACC’s best in pole vault and will look to climb the ACC ladder. McGavock Dunbar has the fourth best time in the 800m dash this season and will also compete in that event this weekend. Reuben Jones will run the 55m dash and the 200m, joining Blassingame. Trumaine Pendleton will compete in the long jump and the triple jump. Isi Azeke will be competing in 4 events: the 55m dash, the 55m hurdles, the 200m dash, and the long jump. Kevin Carson will run in the 55m dash and the 200m dash. Thomas Codevilla will run the 55m hurdles and the high jump, an event in which he is in the ACC top ten this season. Zach Davis will run the 800m dash and will look to break into the ACC’s top ten this season. The Cavalier men’s distance corps will run a large contingent this weekend, as the 3,000m will boast a host of UVa runners, including Andrew Dumm, Jeff Eggleston, Matt Gambale, Walton Kingsbery, Danny Kane, Mike Lyng, Brad Rodgers, Taylor Smith, Justin Villegas, Dave Vitto, Will Williams, and Andy Filachek. As well as running the 3,000m, Soeren Lindner and Ryan Foster will also run the mile. Also running the mile will be Danny Howick, Kevin McHale, and Matt Gutridge while Ryan Neuhart will run the mile and the 1,000m run. Jordan Orr and Mike Hagos will run the 800m. Devin Canaday and Scott Robinson will both compete in the 55m hurdles. David Lewis will compete in the pole vault.
The women are led by the vertical jumpers in Rachel Marks, Meggie Schuelke, and Kathryn Pettine as well as distance veteran Cheryl Carr. Marks, who had a mark of 1.73m in the high jump last week, will compete in the high jump with Schuelke. Aside from the high jump, Marks will also compete in the long jump, triple jump, and the 55m hurdles. Cheryl Carr, who has an ACC indoor top time in the 5,000m run will compete in the 3,000m run this weekend. Joining Carr, will be Laura Hodges and Jen Dolson. Kathryn Pettine is among the ACC’s top ten for pole vault this season. She will compete in that event, along with Alicia LaRoche. This weekend’s meet will also feature Keshia Ashe in the 55m hurdles. Janne’a Bridgeford will run the 55m dash and the 200m dash. Erin Crawford will run two events; the 400m dash and the 200m dash. Tomika Ferguson will compete in the long jump, triple jump, and the 55m dash. Ashley Gore and Tiffany Roberts will compete in the 200m and 400m dash. Janine Holman will look to improve her time as she did last weekend in the 55m hurdles along with Briana Smith and Jackie Bailey. Freshman Tosin Oluwole will compete in the 55m and 200m dash. Katie Tershel will compete in both horizontal jumps. The distance squad will send a host of runners to the starting line in the mile, including Sara Ensrud, Suzanne Ginnow, Shannon Hawrylo, Huma Husain, and Janine Ricci.
The Virginia Tech Invitational will serve as a final tuneup for next weekend’s ACC meet which will be held in Chapel Hill.