Virginia Closes Out Regular Season with High Performance Meet

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams concluded the regular season on Sunday (April 28) at Lannigan Field with the Virginia High Performance where Maggie Hock added her name to the record books as Jacob Lemmon and Justin Rogers solidified themselves as some of Virginia’s best.

Hock, Lemmon and Rogers Top-10

• Maggie Hock recorded a new outdoor personal-best in a Virginia uniform in the women’s 800m crossing the line in 2:05.40 to finish third and become sixth all-time in Virginia history.
• Jacob Lemmon finished runner-up in the men’s discus with a new personal-best. On his fourth throw of the competition, Lemmon launched one out 60.50m/198-6 and remains ranked fifth all-time in Virginia history.
• Justin Rogers cleared a new personal-best 5.17m/16-11.50 in the men’s pole vault to finish second, first among collegiate athletes and move up to fourth all-time in Virginia history. Rogers cleared the first three bars on his first attempt at each height before knocking the bar down at 5.27m/17-3.75. Tyler Lynch and Sebastian Phillips also had solid outings in the men’s pole vault clearing a season-best for Lynch (4.77m/15-7.75) and personal-best for Phillips (4.47m/14-8).

Cavalier Distance Continues to Impress

• Jack Eliason and Jacob Hunter recorded top-10 finishes in the men’s 1500m. Eliason crossed the line in sixth place clocking 3:44.62 ahead of Hunter in eighth place with a season-best time of 3:45.49.
• The men’s 1500m also saw four personal bests for the Cavaliers with Justin Wachtel (3:47.44), Scott Sikorski (3:49.22), Billy Atkinson (3:50.38) and Aiden Cox (4:04.07).
• The men’s 1500m invitational section saw a facility record by Cooper Teare of the USA. Teare ran 3:32.16 to shatter Henry Waynne of Virginia’s record of 3:38.05 from 2016. Teare also achieved the Olympic Trials A Standard in the event.
• Gillian Bushee led the way for the Cavaliers in the women’s 1500m crossing the line in a new personal-best 4:26.05 to round out the top-ten finishers. Bushee was followed by Luci Ilnicki-Lambert with a season-best 4:29.72 and Katie Dorsey with a personal-best 4:30.63.
• In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, Elizabeth Bader ran a huge personal-best for the win. Bader ran a solo second half of the race crossing the line in 10:40.59.

Showing Speed in the Sprints

• Peter Djan and Sophia Akpan dominated the men’s 110m hurdles and women’s 100m hurdle races. Djan crossed the line in first place clocking 14.27 (+2.4) while Akpan recorded a new personal-best with her time of 14.19.
• Virginia went 1-2-3 in the women’s 400m hurdles led by Emily Alexandru in a season-best 59.23. Brooke’Lyn Drakeford and Sophia Akpan rounded out the top three in 1:01.97 and 1:02.06 respectively.
• The Cavaliers took the top spots in the women’s 100m dash with Sarah Akpan, Kayla Bonnick and Ariel Fletcher. Akpan recorded a new personal-best of 11.51 to grab the win. Not far behind was Bonnick in a season-best 11.70 and Fletcher in 11.79.
• The men’s 100m dash saw two season bests from Peter Djan (10.50, +2.4) and Jay Pendarvis (10.75, +2.4) finishing in second and third place respectively.
• Jaden Lyons and Angel Parenchuk secured the top spot in both the men’s and women’s 400m dash. Lyons crossed the line in 48.09 while Parenchuck cruised to the win in 55.32.
• The freshman duo of Marlee Morgan and Lola Kolawole recorded new personal-bests in the women’s 200m dash. Morgan crossed the line in 24.97 for second place just ahead of Kolawole’s 25.17 in third.
• In the men’s 200m, Jay Pendarvis clocked a season-best 21.48 to secure the victory just ahead of his teammate Evans White IV in second with his time of 21.60.

Strong Performances in the Field

• Janae Profit won the women’s discus with a season best throw of 51.79m/169-11. After fouling two throws, Profit entered the ring to throw the winning mark on her sixth and final attempt of the competition.
• Heldi Valikaj won the men’s long jump with his mark of 7.36m/24-1.75. Valikaj opened the competition leaping out 7.33m/24-0.75 twice before achieving the winning mark on his sixth and final attempt.
• Siobhan Loughney and Abigail Meckes lead things off for the Cavaliers throwing a new personal best marks in the women’s javelin. Loughney launched one out 41.60m/136-6 just ahead of Meckes’ mark of 39.76m/130-5.

From Track and Field Director Vin Lananna
“The 2024 high performance meet lived up to its name with our performances in the throwing events and jumping events.  The highlight of the meet was Cooper Teare in the 1500 as he achieved the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games in Paris.  He shattered the facility record.  The meets at UVA this spring exceeded all expectations.”

Up Next:
The Cavaliers turn their attention to the ACC Track & Field Championships in Atlanta, Ga. Thursday (May 9) through Saturday (May 11).