Cavaliers Start Outdoor Season Strong at Virginia Opener
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field program kick started the outdoor season at Lannigan Field with the 2025 Virginia Opener on Saturday (March 22) as the Cavalier women won 16 of 18 events while the men won nine events.
Hoos in the Hurdles
- Maya Rollins continues her stellar freshman campaign, winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 13.57 (+2.9). Elizabeth Imoh rounded out the top three finishers, crossing the line in 14.31 (+1.6) for third place.
- In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Cavaliers recorded a 1-2-3 finish with Peter Djan (14.23, +1.1), Jeremiah Wilson (14.27, +1.1) and Henry Sullivan (14.41, +1.6).
- The Cavaliers went 1-2-3 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles led by senior Emily Alexandru (1:00.27). Just behind her was Brooke’Lyn Drakeford (1:01.33) in second and Elizabeth Imoh (1:02.88) in third place.
- In the men’s 400-meter hurdles, Gage Gose and Max Russo rounded out the top three finishers, clocking 52.19 and 53.92, respectively.
Virginia Throwers Remain Poised in Competition
- Estel Valeanu dominated the field, winning both the women’s discus and shot put competitions. On her second appearance in the ring, Valeanu launched one out 53.56m/175-9 to get the win in the discus throw while in the shot put it took her fifth-round throw of 15.84m/51-11.75 to put her atop the leaderboard.
- Valeanu’s mark in the discus ranks sixth all-time in program history while her mark in the shot put is seventh all-time.
- Keyandre Davis won the men’s hammer throw with his first-round mark of 62.72m/205-9. Davis’s mark is good for No.7 in Virginia history.
- In his collegiate debut, freshman Mark Cyr finished runner-up in the men’s hammer throw, throwing for 56.45m/185-2. His mark ranks fourth among freshmen in program history.
- Abigail Meckes and Josephine Genereux threw new personal-best marks in the women’s javelin throw to kick start the competition. On her fifth-round throw, Meckes launched one out 41.15m/135-0 to finish in third place. Just behind her was Genereux with her second attempt mark of 37.97m/124-7 to finish fourth.
Sprinting to Success
- After helping the men’s distance medley relay win the NCAA indoor title, Alex Sherman flew to victory in the men’s 200-meter dash on his home track with a new personal-best time of 21.03. With a -0.3 wind reading, his time ranks fifth all-time in program history.
- Finishing runner-up in the men’s 200-meter dash, Evans White IV recorded a new personal best of 21.11 (-0.3) to move up to No.6 all-time in Virginia history.
- Virginia swept the men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relays as the women got the baton around the track in 46.85 while the men’s team combined efforts to clock 41.51.
- Ariel Fletcher and Kaela Swift went 1-2 in the women’s 400-meter dash, running 55.34 and 57.12 respectively.
- Completing the event sweep, Evans White IV won the men’s 400-meter dash in 47.77, followed closely by James Ford in third place clocking 50.16.
- The women’s 100-meter dash was all Virginia as the team rounded out the top six finishers, including Sarah Akpan (11.63, +2.6), Lola Kolawole (12.03, +2.6), Laila Simpson (12.03, +1.3), Marlee Morgan (12.06, +1.3)), Maya Rollins (12.09, +2.6) and Aryana Boostani (12.18, +2.6).
- The Virginia women dominated the women’s 200-meter dash as Sarah Akpan secured the victory in 23.64 (+1.6). Right behind her were Ariel Fletcher (24.28, +1.6), Lola Kolawole (24.64, +1.6), Kaela Swift (24.65, +0.2), Maya Rollins (24.66, +1.6) and Aryana Boostani (24.69, +0.2) in second through sixth place.
- After winning the 110-meter hurdles, Peter Djan finished runner-up in the men’s 100m dash in a wind-aided 10.48 (+4.2).
- To conclude the running events, the Virginia men’s and women’s ‘A’ teams ran their way to victory in the 4×400-meter relay. The women’s quartet clocked 3:45.45 while the men’s foursome got the baton around the track in 3:15.80.
Cavaliers Go the Distance
- Luci Ilnicki-Lambert and Amelia Maughan finished first and third in the women’s 1500-meters, clocking 4:33.26 and 4:36.44 respectively.
- Scott Sikorski (8:14.80) and Katie Dorsey (9:55.58) swept the men’s and women’s 3000-meters.
- Graduate student Annie Jackson ran 2:09.47 for 800-meters to get the win and led her freshman teammates Ella Woehlcke (2:11.21), Tatum Olesen (2:12.29) and Stella Kermes (2:12.41) to finish second through fourth.
From the Field
- Women’s pole vaulters Trina Barcarola and Samantha Romano endured the gusty winds at Lannigan Field to finish first and third in the field. Barcarola cleared 4.08m/13-4.50 for the victory while Romano settled for third place clearing 3.98m/13-0.75.
- Justin Rogers won the men’s pole vault competition clearing 4.77m/15-7.75.
- Isaiah Hewton and Libby White swept the men’s and women’s triple jump competitions. Hewton leapt out 14.55m/47-9 (+3.3) on his third attempt while White jumped 11.93m/39-1.75 (+1.4) on her second trip down the runway.
- In the women’s long jump competition, Lauren Yeboah-Kodie secured the victory with her mark of 5.84m/19-2.
From Director of Track & Field Vin Lananna:
“We have asked our men and women to compete for the win rather than performance marks. It was ‘mission accomplished’ at this first meet.”
Up Next
The Cavaliers are set to travel to Raleigh, N.C. to compete at the 2025 Raleigh Relays hosted by NC State Thursday (March 27) through Saturday (March 29) before returning home to host the Virginia Grand Prix Friday (April 4) and Saturday (April 5).
The Cavaliers are set to travel to Raleigh, N.C. to compete at the 2025 Raleigh Relays hosted by NC State Thursday (March 27) through Saturday (March 29) before returning home to host the Virginia Grand Prix Friday (April 4) and Saturday (April 5).