Five Cavaliers Pick Up Top-Five Finishes on First Day of Raleigh Relays

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Virginia track and field team kicked off competition for the 2011 outdoor season Friday at the Raleigh Relays. Five Cavaliers – senior Greg Nelson, junior Erin Wykoff, sophomores Pearl Bickersteth and Emily Vannoy, and freshman Thomas Devita – earned top-five finishes in their competition on the first day of the meet.

In the men’s high jump, Nelson won his section by tying a career-best mark of 6′ 10.75″. His mark stands tied for third on Virginia’s all-time program records.

Devita also competed in that section, finishing third with a final mark of 6′ 6.75″.

On the women’s side, Bickersteth was fourth in the high jump, clearing 5′ 7″, while Vannoy finished third in the shot put, throwing 47′ 5.25″.

Wykoff wrapped up the day with a runner-up finish in the discus – heaving 157′ 8″.

On the track, senior Kristina Chapman led the way with a 10th-place finish in the 400m hurdles. Chapman finished with a time of 1:02.03, while junior Meagan Gillespie crossed in 1:02.09 to take 12th place.

The Cavaliers will return to action tomorrow, competing in Richmond at the Fred Hardy Invitational and in Raleigh at the Raleigh Relays.