Willis Sets Virginia Record at Navy Invitational II
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams concluded the Navy Invitational II at the Wesley A. Brown Field House on Saturday (Feb. 1) with junior Jordan Willis (Williamsburg, Va.) setting a school record in the 200m dash.
Willis ran a time of 21.42 in the 200m dash to top a school record set by Gerald Howard in 1995. His time placed him first in the event by half a second.
Two Cavaliers recorded facility records during the day’s events. Freshman Jada Seaman (Pikesville, Md.) set a facility record in the 60m dash, running a time of 7.46. The time ranks seventh all-time in UVA history. Senior Brenton Foster (Townsville, Australia) tied the facility record in the high jump, clearing a height of 2.21m (7’3″) to tie both the school record and his best jump in a UVA uniform. Foster’s height ranks ninth in the NCAA.
Additionally, the Cavaliers had 10 athletes finish first in an event during the meet. Junior Brittany Jones (Bloomfield, Conn.) recorded a career-best mark in the shot put reaching 16.27m (53’4.5″). Her performance ranks third in UVA history and 17th in the NCAA this season.
Graduate student Haley Yost (New Tripoli, Pa.) topped the women’s mile with a time of 4:51.49, while senior AJ Ernst (Marblehead, Mass.) won the men’s mile with a time of 4:03.16.
Senior Andrenette Knight (Morant Bay, Jamaica) won the 400m dash, running a time of 55.56 as sophomore Alix Still (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) topped the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.87.
Sophomores Ayende Watson (Baltimore, Md.) and Zoe Rice (Ashburn, Va.) captured wins in the men’s and women’s long jump. Watson reached a mark of 7.23m (23’8.75″). Rice recorded a jump of 5.63m (18’5.75″).
In the distance events, redshirt junior Olivia Sargent (Yardley, Pa.) recorded a time of 9:53.59 in the 3000m run as freshman Justin Diehl (Saint Leonard, Md.) won the 5000m with a time of 15:10.02.
Junior Gabrielle Hayes (Woodbridge, Va.) finished first in the high jump with a height of 1.65m (5’5″).
Virginia also won two relay events with the women’s 4x400m relay team of junior Halle Hazzard (Commack, N.Y.), senior Alexis Woodley (Chesapeake, Va.), Seaman and Knight running a time of 3:45.62. The men’s distance medley relay team of freshman Jacob Hunter (Leesburg, Va.), freshman Cole Ginghina (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.), freshman Ali Ibrahim (Glen Allen, Va.) and sophomore Colton Bogucki (Purcellville, Va.) recorded a time of 10:06.74.
“It was a very positive day for Virginia track and field,” director of track & field and cross country/associate athletics director of administration Vin Lananna said. “We came to the Naval Academy with a large group and the intent of practicing our approach to the ACC Indoor Championships. As a result, we won 15 events today. Our women’s team was highlighted by Brittany Jones in the shot put and Jada Seaman in the 60m dash. Brittany threw a lifetime best and increased her current lead on the rest of the ACC. Jada continues to show that she is a force to be reckoned with on both the long jump runway and in the sprints. On the men’s side, Brenton Foster competed very well in the high jump and put himself in the conversation for the NCAA Championships. Our men’s milers and horizontal jumpers also represented the Hoos well and produced several lifetime bests. AJ Ernst, Randy Neish and Rohann Asfaw all ran lifetime bests and achieved ACC qualifying marks. Owayne Owens and Ayende Watson were aggressive on the long jump runway, both surpassing the ACC qualifying standard and jumping season bests. With the ACC Championships are less than a month away, we are looking forward to recovering from this weekend and getting back to work.”