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March 19, 2006

The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams opened up the 2006 outdoor season with strong performances, including four titles. In addition, two student-athletes, Yemi Ayeni (discus and shot put) and Alexa Manning (shot put), both moved into the top-10 all-time at Virginia in their respective events as they both won individual titles. The women’s distance squad took six of the top seven places in the 3000m, led by Kara Scanlin’s individual title. Amy Bilmanis also won the discus and was the top collegiate finisher in the hammer throw, just behind UVa assistant coach Carrie Lane, who took the individual title. Bilmanis’ discus throw qualified her for the East Regional meet.

Ayeni had a monster weekend, winning the discus with a throw of 167′ 8″, which ranks sixth all-time at Virginia. He also finished sixth in the shot put with a 49′ 10″, which ties him for ninth all-time in Cavalier history. Bilmanis won the discus with her 142′ 1″ and was second to Coach Carrie Lane in the hammer, being edged 171′ 3″ to 156′ 5″. Teammates Alexa Manning (147′ 0″) and Mallory Denniston (138′ 1″) finished fourth and seventh, respectively, in the hammer. Manning won the shot put with her 44′ 11″, a throw that places her ninth all-time in school history and is also a personal best mark. Sarah Convery also took home runner-up honors, tossing a 125′ 3″ in the javelin.

Scanlin led a pack of Cavaliers, taking the 3000m title with her 9:54.29. Katie Read finished third and led a pack of Hoos that were separated by 18 seconds, taking third through seventh. Laura Hodges (10:11.51,5th) and Jen Dolson (10:13.70, 6th) both set personal-best times in the race. Andrew Dumm was the top finisher for the men, taking home the runner-up position with his 8:23.08, a personal-best time. Michael Hagos finished in the top seven in both the 800m (1:54.18, 7th) and 1500m (3:58.70, 5th).

The hurdlers also finished in the top seven, led by Lauren Echko’s third-place finish in the 100 hurdles with her 14.46, a mark that ranks her 11th all-time in school history in the opening race of her collegiate career. Intermediate hurdlers Jackie Bailey (5th) and Keshia Ashe (7th) also finished in the top-eight for Virginia. Ashley Gore ran the open quarter in 55.49, taking fourth. Talia Wise ran below 12 (11.99) for the first time in her career in the 100m dash and ranks just outside the top-10 in Cavaliers history in her first season.

The jumpers had strong meets for the Cavaliers, as David Lewis and Jeff McClurg went 3-5 in the pole vault while Kathryn Pettine and Alicia LaRoche finished 4-8 on the women’s side. Rachel Marks took fourth in the long jump and Katie Tershel took fifth in the triple jump.

WOMEN: 100m: Talia Wise, 11.99; Janne’a Bridgeford, 12.19; Tiffany Roberts, 12.33; 200m: Gore, 24.86; Bridgeford, 24.87; Wise, 24.87; Roberts, 25.46; 400m: Gore, 55.49p, 4th; 800m: Eryn Correa, 2:20.55; 1500m: Correa, 4:53.80; 3000m: Kara Scanlin, 9:54.29, 1st; Katie Read, 10:06.66, 3rd; Lauretta Dezubay, 10:10.10, 4th; Laura Hodges, 10:11.51, 5th; Jen Dolson, 10:13.70, 6th; Shannon Hawrylo, 10:24.48, 7th; 100 Hurdles: Lauren Echko, 14.46, 3rd; Jackie Bailey, 14.89; Keshia Ashe, 15.00; Janine Holman, 15.60; Rachel Marks, 16.32; 400 IH: Bailey, 1:03.55, 5th; Ashe, 1:04.08p, 7th; HJ: Meggie Schuelke, 1.65m (5′ 5″); Marks, 1.60m (5′ 3″); PV: Kathryn Pettine, 3.50m (11′ 5.75″), 4th; Alicia LaRoche, 2.90m (9′ 6.25″), 8th; LJ: Marks, 5.65m (18′ 6.50″), 4th; Katie Tershel, 5.22m (17′ 1.50″); TJ: Tershel, 11.95m (39′ 2.5″), 5th; Marks, 10.83m, (35′ 6.50″); SP: Alexa Manning, 13.69m (44′ 11″), 1st; Amy Bilmanis, 11.56m (37′ 11.25″); Disc: Bilmanis, 43.30m (142′ 1″), 1st; Hammer: Carrie Lane, 52.20m (171′ 3″), 1st; Bilmanis, 47.69m (156′ 5″), 2nd; Manning, 44.81m (147′ 0″), 4th; Mallory Denniston, 42.08m (138′ 1″), 7th; Jav: Sarah Convery, 38.17m (125′ 3″), 2nd; 4x100m relay: 46.60, 2nd;

MEN: 100m: Reuben Jones, 10.80; Isi Azeke, 10.90; Tyler Hendry, 10.90; Kevin Carson, 11.15; 200m: Kellen Blassingame, 21.73; Jones, 21.89; Carson, 22.68; Hendry, 23.24; 800m: Michael Hagos, 1:54.18, 7th; Alec Lorenzoni, 1:57. 68; Danny Howick, 1:59.51; 1500m: Hagos, 3:58.70, 5th; Howick, 4:03.28; Lorenzoni, 4:13.82; 3000m: Andrew Dumm, 8:23.08, 2nd; Taylor Smith, 8:38.70, 7th; Sam Fletcher, 8:49.65; 110 Hurdles: Azeke, 14.69; David Lewis, 16.02; 400 IH: Stephen Hiltner, 58.24; PV: David Lewis, 4.45m (14′ 7.25″), 3rd; Jeff McClurg, 4.30m (14′ 1.25″), 5th; LJ: Shadion Buckley, 6.59m (21′ 7.50″); Robert Assibey, 6.37m (20′ 10.75″); TJ: Assibey, 13.65m (44′ 9.50″), 8th; Buckley, 13.53m (44′ 4.75″); Hammer: Rob Rankin, 40.07m, (131′ 5″); SP: Yemi Ayeni, 15.19m (49′ 10″), 6th; Rankin, 13.78m (45′ 2.5″); Disc: Ayeni, 51.10m (167′ 8″), 1st; 4x100m Relay: 41.91, 4th;

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