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March 8, 2007
The University of Virginia men’s and women’s track programs will both have an entry in the 2007 national championships that will be contested at the Randal Tyson Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas. Tomika Ferguson, who holds the school record in the triple jump and earned All-America honors in 2006, returns to the NCAA meet. The men’s distance medley relay will also compete after setting the school record at the Alex Wilson Invitational on March 2nd.
Ferguson, whose leap of 13.53m (44′ 4.75″) at the Virginia Tech Last Chance meet in Blacksburg, obliterated her own school record and made her the No. 2 jumper entering the NCAA meet.
“I’m very proud of the way Tomika has come through this season,” said Virginia head coach Randy Bungard. “She didn’t start the season the way that she wanted, but she is right where she wants to be entering the NCAA meet. She has come a long way in her career, and this is a testament to her work ethic.”
The men’s DMR blew past their own record, anchored by a 4:00.9 split in the mile from All-ACC performer Kevin McHale. Alex Tatu, Jordan Orr, and Kevin McHale all have NCAA experience and those three along with first-year Brian Lee have formed a powerful quartet that ranks seventh in the nation.
“The men have done a phenomenal job to return to the NCAA meet,” said Bungard. “They also started slowly, but they have come on strong at the end.”
The men’s DMR will race at 9:35 on Friday night (March 9) while Ferguson will compete on Saturday (March 10) at 5:30.
“We don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary right now,” said Bungard. “These five athletes earned their right to be here and they are capable of competing with the nation’s best. If they do what they did to get here, all five will earn All-American honors.”