Cavaliers Conclude Strong Performance at Rod McCravy Meet
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Jan. 25, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track & field teams concluded its first two-day meet of the season Saturday with the second day of the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet at the Nutter Field House. The meet, which featured two of the top three men’s teams in the nation (No. 2 Florida and No. 3 Oregon) and three of the top six women’s teams (No. 3 Florida, No. 4 Oregon, No. 6 Kentucky), was the top competition in the nation this weekend.
Virginia set three freshman records and had nine all-time top-10 performances at the meet.
“We had a very balanced day with good performances in all the events, and that is encouraging as strive to be a more complete team,” said head coach Bryan Fetzer. “This was one of the most competitive meets in the country and is a good gauge of where we are at to this point. We have a week off from competing to heal both physically and mentally before we cranking it up in the main part of our indoor season.”
Virginia had a strong showing in the women’s 3000m, taking three of the top nine spots. Barbara Strehler (Richmond, Va.) ran a PR of 9:22.85, the third best time in school history. Vicky Fouhy (Buckinghamshire, England) was eighth in 9:33.21 and Sarah Fakler (Phoenix, Ariz.) was ninth, running a Virginia freshman record of 9:37.45.
In the men’s 3000m, Kyle King (Yorktown, Va.) ran a PR of 8:06.64 to finish second. It was the sixth best time in school history. Connor Rog (Fairfield, Conn.) had the ninth-best time in school history, a Virginia freshman record of 8:09.89 to place fifth at the meet.
Jordan Lavender (Nashville, Tenn.) placed third in the women’s 400m in a time of 53.35, the second-fastest indoor 400 in school history, behind her school-record 53.14 set at last year’s ACC Championships. It is the fourth-fastest time in the nation this year.
Ryan Satchell (Central Islip, N.Y) finished second in the men’s triple jump with a PR of 15.62m, the sixth best jump in school history and the eighth best jump of the year nationally.
Women’s 4x400m of Peyton Chaney (Belleville, Ill.), Lavender, Chimere Ezumah (Gardena, Calif.) and Andrea Wright (Chesapeake. Va.) finished fifth in a tough field with a time of 3:40.40, less than half a second off the indoor school record of 3:39.93 set in 1987.
Virginia also had numerous strong performances from other first-year athletes. Christine Bohan (Avon Lake, Ohio) placed ninth in the women’s shot put with a throw of 14.78m, the seventh best throw in school history and the third-best by a freshman. Shannon Malone (Pittsburgh, Pa.) posted the fifth-best Virginia freshman time in the women’s mile with a 4:55.14. In the men’s mile, Virginia first-years finished second and third with Henry Wynne (Westport, Conn.) at 4:08.59 and Mike Marsella (Hope Valley, R.I.) at 4:08.86. Competing in his first collegiate heptathlon, first-year Anthony Dunavant (Franklin, Tenn.) finished third with a score of 4,939 points, a Virginia freshman record and the third best score in school history.
“We are to the point in the process that the focus needs to shift to the little things, the details,” said Fetzer. “We have to do a better job individually on that for us to take the next step.”
The Cavaliers return to action in two weeks at the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet.