Cavaliers to Compete at Niswonger Invitational

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Jan. 19, 2006

The Virginia Track and Field teams will compete to the Niswonger Foundation Invitational at East Tennessee State in Johnson City, TN this weekend. The team competed solidly at the Virginia Tech Invitational last weekend, sweeping both men’s and women’s 4x800m relay titles, and also with key individual performances. Now their eyes look forward to this weekend’s meet, and at more titles and more personal best times.

Leading the men is fourth-year Isi Azeke, who is ranked 5th in the ACC in the 60 meter hurdles and 4th in the long jump. This past weekend he broke into the top-five all-time at Virginia with his 60 meter hurdles time. Also competing in the long jump are senior Devin Canaday and sophomore Robert Assibey, both of whom also rank top-ten in the ACC after attaining personal records last weekend. School record holder David Sullivan looks to seize a title. Sullivan is not only ranked third in the ACC in the pole vault but also top-ten in the high jump. Also contending for the Cavaliers are freshman Tyler Hendry in the 60 meter dash, sophomore Reuben Jones in both the 60 meter dash and the 200 meter dash, James Erickson in the mile run, and Shadion Buckley in the triple jump, and both Robert Rankin and Yemi Ayeni in the shot put, all who hold top-ten rankings in the conference.

The women are led by first year Talia Wise and third year Tomika Ferguson, who each are ranked second in the ACC in their respective events. Currently, Wise is ranked second in the ACC in the 60 meter dash, and also ranks top-ten in the 200 meter dash. In the 60 meter dash, she broke into the top-five all-time at Virginia. Likewise, Ferguson is second in the triple jump and top-ten in the 60 meter dash. Ranked 4th in the conference in the shot put is junior Billie Jo Grant, who also added her name to the list of top-five all-time Cavalier performers in the indoor shot put. Virginia fourth-year Rachel Marks, who currently ranks in the top-five all time at Virginia in the high jump, ranks in the top ten in the high jump in the ACC.

Competition opens up on Friday morning and continues through Saturday afternoon.