Men's Distance Medley Relay Breaks Championship Meet Record
Story Links
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Virginia men’s distance medley team put together one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s best-ever performances to break the ACC Championship Meet Record and win the indoor title in day two of the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at the Eddie Smith Field House on the University of North Carolina campus. The women’s side is currently in third place with 32 points, while the men are tied for fourth with 25.
The distance medley relay of seniors Alex Tatu, Jordan Orr, sophomore Brian Lee and junior Andrew Jesien narrowly edged the Florida State squad for the top spot, finishing the relay in 9:46.59, breaking FSU’s record of 9:50.41 set last year. The men also saw two solid performances in the 5,000-meter run, led by Ryan Foster who took second, finishing the race in a personal-best time of 14:29.00, while sophomore Andy Biladeau finished fourth in 14:31.89.
David Lewis rounded out the scoring for the men’s side, putting in a strong two-day performance in the heptathlon. The senior finished seventh with 5,139 points, but set personal-bests in the 55-meter hurdles and the 100-meter dash. He finished sixth in the hurdles in a time of 8.05 and second in the 100-meters, just a hair short of first, crossing the line with North Carolina’s Mateo Sossah, both in a time of 2:44.07.
The men’s side also had six people qualify for tomorrow’s finals. Senior Reuben Jones leads the pack as he qualified in two events. His season-best time of 6.83 in the 60-meter dash placed him seventh in the prelims, while his sixth place finish of 21.99 was enough to qualify him for the 200-meter dash finals.
Bonner also qualified for the finals in the 200-meter dash, finishing the long sprint in 21.95.
The 800-meter run will be another big event for Virginia’s men tomorrow, as two Cavaliers finished in the top-eight to move on to the finals. Senior Jordan Orr finished second in 1:53.98, while Tatu took seventh.
Jesien and freshman Adam Abdulrazaaq round out the Cavaliers moving on to the finals on the men’s side. Jesien qualified in the mile run, finishing third in 4:17.07, while Abdulrazaaq put in a seventh place finish in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.07.
Personal-bests for the men’s side included freshman Greg Nelson finishing the 60-meter hurdles in 8.67, sophomore Rainer Fiala running the 400-meters in 50.42 and freshman Brandon Carter crossing the 60-meter dash line in 7.01.
The 5,000-meter run was a big event for the women, as it saw four Cavaliers’ place in the top-eight, and two in the top three. Seniors Emily Harrison and Kara Scanlin led the way, finishing second and third, respectively. Harrison finished in a personal-best time of 16:27.39 and Scanlin was right there with her, finishing in 16:27.61, both NCAA Provisional qualifying times. Junior Katie Read finished sixth, but was .58 of a second off from the qualifying mark as she finished with a personal-record time of 16:45.58. The qualifying mark is 16:45. Garcia rounded out the scorers in the event, taking eighth with her best time of 16:59.82.
Sophomore Kathleen Darraugh and freshman Rashawnda James also scored for the Cavalier women. Darraugh jumped a personal-best 12’1.5” (3.90m) to take second in the pole vault, while James finished with a seventh place leap of 18’7” (5.66m) in the long jump finals.
Personal-bests for the women included freshman Kisha Garrick’s 60-meter dash performance of 7.86 and senior Janne’a Bridgeford’s best finish of 24.59 in the 200-meter dash, placing her sixth and into tomorrow’s finals.
Bridgeford also placed fourth in the 60-meter dash to qualify for tomorrow’s finals, in 7.58. Juniors Talia Wise and Sara Casscells will join Bridgeford in the finals. Wise used a fifth place finish in the 400-meter dash in 56.05 to move on, while Casscells had a 10th place season-best performance of 5:00.12 in the mile.
Florida State is currently leading the men’s side with 35 points, while Virginia Tech heads the women’s competition, with 42 points. The championships will conclude tomorrow. The final event is scheduled for 3:15 p.m., with an awards ceremony following the conclusion of the men’s 4×400 meter relay.
WOMEN:
60m: Janne’a Bridgeford (4th 7.58Q), Kisha Garrick (7.86); 60mHH: Ayla Smith (8.73); 200m: Janne’a Bridgeford (6th 24.59q), Talia Wise (24.70), Galyn Iloka (24.92), Kisha Garrick (25.71); 400m: Talia Wise (5th 56.05q), Ayla Smith (57.82), Galyn Iloka (58.03), Kristina Chapman (59.29); 800m: Huma Husain (2:12.23), Lyndsay Harper (2:15.09), Jennifer Hovland (2:17.05), Morgan Bolen (2:19.64), Ariane Sloan (2:21.54); Mile: Sara Casscells (10th 5:00.12q), Susan Brooks (5:02.78), Suzanne Ginnow (5:04.07), Janine Ricci (5:10.71); 5,000m: Emily Harrison (2nd 16:27.39P), Kara Scanlin (3rd 16:27.61P), Katie Read (6th 16:45.58), Stephanie Garcia (8th 16:59.82), Diana Burk (17:18.21); Distance Medley: Virginia (11:42.80).
LJ: Rashawnda James (7th 18’7”/5.66m), Katie Tershel (17’4.75”/5.30m), Galyn Iloka (16’9.25”/5.11m); PV: Kathleen Darraugh (12’1.5/3.90m); HJ: Assiatu Williams (5’4.5”/1.64m), Katie Trizna (5’2.5”/1.59m), Anna Grant (NH).
MEN:
60m: Reuben Jones (7th 6.83q), Brandon Carter (7.01); 60mHH: Adams Abdulrazaaq (7th 8.07q), Greg Nelson (8.67); 200m: Conlon Bonner (4th 21.95q), Reuben Jones (21.99q), Rainer Fiala (22.40); 400m: Meikle Paschal (49.71), Brian Lee (50.28), Rainer Fiala (50.42), Adams Abdulrazaaq (50.66); 800m: Jordan Orr (2nd 1:53.98Q), Alex Tatu (7th 1:54.20q), Andrew Lobb (1:57.95), Alex Bowman (1:59.08), Michael Hagos (2:00.78); Mile: Andrew Jesien (3rd 4:17.07Q), Michael Hagos (4:15.89), Kevin Tschirhart (4:15.99), Alex Bowman (4:18.06), Stephen Finley (4:26.41); 5,000m: Ryan Foster (2nd 14:29.00), Andy Biladeau (5th 14:31.89), Trey Miller (15:03.15), Taylor Smith (DNF); Heptathlon: David Lewis (5139), Distance Medley: Virginia (1st – 9:46.59).
LJ: Conlon Bonner (22’6.25”/6.86m), Marcus Robinson (21’9.50”/6.64m), Brandon Carter (20’1”/6.12m).