Cavaliers Sweep DMR, Collins Wins Second ACC Title in 5k

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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Redshirt sophomore Ryan Collins won his second-straight ACC Title in the 5000m and the Cavaliers swept the distance medley relay titles Friday evening to lead the Virginia track and field team on the second day of the 2010 ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships at Rector Field House on the campus of Virginia Tech.

A year after Collins became Virginia’s first-ever ACC Champion in the 5000m, he led all competitors across the line with a time of 14:23.81 to earn a second-straight title and become the 18th Cavalier male in program history to win a repeat title in an event at an ACC Championship.

“Winning a conference title means a lot to me,” Collins said. “It’s a real great experience because the whole team is here cheering you on. Throughout the season, you do a lot of competing for yourself. Then you come here and you compete for the team, so you have a lot on the line. When you win, you’re not winning just for yourself; you’re winning for the team.”

In addition, the Cavaliers capped off the evening by winning the women’s DMR for the first time since 1997 and second time in program history. Redshirt sophomore Rosemary Barber kicked off the event running the 1200m in 3:32.53, before handing off to junior Chidi Uche who completed 400m in 55.84. Junior Lyndsay Harper ran the 800m leg in 2:12.00, before redshirt freshman Tasia Potasinksi kicked it home for the Cavaliers, running 4:56.23 in the 1600m. The quartet finished with a combined time of 11:36.59.

Prior to the women’s DMR, Virginia’s men’s team of sophomore All-American Sintayehu Taye, sophomore Kevin Anding, senior Alex Bowman and freshman Robby Andrews combined for a time of 9:47.80 – bringing Virginia it’s first DMR title since 2008, and second ever.

“It feels great to be a part of something so special as an ACC Championship”, Andrews said. “Last year the relay team was third, so it means a lot for them to leave it to me to anchor this relay and to come away with the victory. Everyone ran really well, it was a full team effort, nobody’s individual title.”

Taye led off the relay with a time of 3:01.87 in the 1200m. Anding completed the 400m leg in 47.20, while Bowman ran 1:52.26 in the 800m. Andrews used his kick through the final mile to blow past his conference competitors and lead Virginia to victory with a time of 4:06.57.

In other track events, senior Trey Miller scored for Virginia in the 5000m, claiming fourth with a time of 14:30.62.

In field events, junior Brandon Carter earned the Cavaliers their first point of the meet, finishing eighth in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 23’ 2.75”. The Cavaliers also scored in the high jump, with senior Artie Gennari finishing fifth, clearing 6’ 8.25” and junior Greg Nelson taking sixth with the same height.

In the women’s weight throw, sophomore Erin Wykoff finished eighth with a personal-best throw of 54’ 5.25” – moving her into fifth on Virginia’s all-time records.

After the second day of competition, the men’s race is extremely close with the Cavalier men sitting fourth with 33 points – just two points shy of first. Virginia Tech leads the competition with 35 points, while North Carolina sits second with 34.5 and Florida State is third with 34.

On the women’s side, the Cavaliers are eighth with 11 points. Clemson leads the team score with 53 points, while Florida State is second with 35, narrowly leading third-place Duke with 34 points.

In qualifying rounds throughout today, seven Cavaliers advanced to tomorrow’s finals.

In the 800m, the Cavaliers automatically advanced all three competitors that raced. Andrews won the first heat in 1:50.65, while sophomore All-American Lance Roller won his heat in 1:50.81 and junior Steve Finley finished first in 1:53.54. The trio rank first, second and third, respectively, in the ACC this season.

In the 60m hurdles, junior Adams Abdulrazaaq finished sixth in a time of 8.04, which was good enough to advance to tomorrow’s finals.

In the mile, junior transfer John Minen finished second in his heat to automatically advance to the finals and will be joined by freshman Zach Vrhovac. Minen took fourth overall with a time of 4:06.93, while Vrhovac finished eighth in 4:08.18.

On the women’s side, Potasinski finished fourth overall in 4:53.12 to advance to the finals in the mile.

Tomorrow will mark the final day of competition for this year’s ACC Championships.

ACC Champion
Ryan Collins – 5000m
Sintayehu Taye, Kevin Anding, Alex Bowman, Robby Andrews – Men’s DMR
Rosemary Barber, Chidi Uche, Lyndsay Harper, Tasia Potasinski – Women’s DMR

Cavaliers qualified for tomorrow’s finals
Mile (men) – John Minen, Zach Vrhovac
Mile (women) – Tasia Potasinski
60mH (men) – Adams Abdulrazaaq
800m (men) – Robby Andrews, Steve Finley, Lance Roller