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Ayeni and Tribble win events at VT Challenge
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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Senior Yemi Ayeni (Kendall Park, N.J.) improved upon his already school record to win the shot put, while junior Graham Tribble (Columbia, S.C.) won the 3000m to lead the Virginia track and field team at the Virginia Tech Hokie Challenge on Saturday in Rector Field House.
On just his second throw of the season, Ayeni hit a personal-best mark of 61’ 8.25” to become the second Cavalier this season to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships, while junior Eric Pickle (Knoxville, Tenn.) hit a personal-best mark in the event, throwing 53’ 9” on his initial toss. The mark was good enough to take fourth at the meet and move him into eighth on Virginia’s all-time records chart.
Tribble, racing in his first event this season, won the 3000m in a personal-best time of 8:30.25.
Sophomore Assiatu Williams (Alexandria, Va.) cleared a personal-best height of 5’ 7” in the high jump to work her way into Virginia’s all-time record books. Her mark was third best at the meet and is tied for the 10th-best jump in program history.
In addition, freshman Maureen Laffan (Toms River, N.J.) competed in her first collegiate shot put competition and finished fifth with a throw of 44’ 9.75”, which ranks eighth in UVa’s all-time records.
Freshman Meagan Gillespie (Brooklyn, N.Y.), sophomore Andrew Revelle (Clarksville, Md.) and senior Rainer Fiala (Rye, N.Y.) each improved their times in their respective events. Gillespie ran a 57.87 in the 400m, while Revelle finished fourth in the mile in 4:15.40 and Fiala crossed the line in the 200m in 22.21. Revelle’s time is currently the top in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season.
The Cavaliers also had a pair of PRs in the 800m, with senior Alex Bowman (Richmond, Va.) taking fourth in 1:55.27 and freshman Steve Franks (Lansdale, Pa.) finishing the race in 1:56.44.
Virginia will take next weekend off before heading to State College, Pa., to compete in the Penn State National Invitational on Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31.