Cavaliers Start Competition Packed Weekend with Six Program Top 10 Marks

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field program opened competition at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, Mass., Darius Dixon Invitational in Lynchburg, Va., Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson S.C., and the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. on Friday (Feb. 13) and turned in impressive performances including four program top 10 marks by Keyandre Davis, Tyler Edson, Ariel Fletcher and Nate Mountain.

 

Boston, Mass.

• Tyler Edson won the men's 800-meter invite section crossing the line in 1:46.48. His time is No. 2 all-time in program history and No. 10 in the NCAA this season.
• In the men's mile invite, Nathan Mountain moved up to No. 3 all-time clocking a new personal best of 3:54.88 and finished 15^th overall. Mountain bettered his previous best of 3:58.16 from this meet two years ago. 
• Also, under the four-minute barrier in the men's mile invite was Will Daley with his time of 3:59.19. Daley's time ranks No. 10 all-time in program history and was good for 28^th place overall. 
• Billy Atkinson also recorded a personal best in the men's mile invite crossing the line in 4:00.91.
• Finishing in 10th place, Justin Wachtel crossed the finish line in 7:50.20 for 3000-meters for a new personal best time. Wachtel's time ranks No. 3 all-time in program history. 
• In the men's 800-meter open section, Kayden Lightner ran his way to a new personal best of 1:51.45 to finish 14^th overall. 

 

Lynchburg, Va. 

• Ariel Fletcher moved up to No. 8 all-time in the women's 400-meter dash clocking a new indoor personal best of 54.85 to finish in fourth place.
• Also recording a personal best was Brooke'Lyn Drakeford with her time of 54.99 which was good for sixth place.
• Kaela Swift recorded personal bests in the women's 60-meter dash prelim and semifinal to qualify through to Saturday's final. In the prelim, Swift crossed the line in 7.62 before lowering her time to 7.53 in the semifinal. 
• Virginia went four-for-four in the women's 60-meter dash prelim sending Sarah Akpan (7.67q, 18th), Ma'Khi Falkquay (7.65q, 15th), Grace Smith (7.70q, 22nd) and Swift to the next round.
• In the women's 60-meter hurdles, Sophia Akpan and Cassie Callis qualified to the semifinal crossing the line in 8.85q (23rd) and 8.79q (19th) respectively.
• After advancing in the 60-meter dash, Grace Smith recorded a fourth-place finish in the women's long jump with her third-round jump of 6.01m/19-8.75.
• Jumping out to a new personal best, Caleb Holman finished fourth in the field in the men's long jump with his third round mark of 7.34m/24-01.
• Anders Felts ran his way to a new personal best in the men's 400-meters crossing the line in 49.58.
• In the men's 800-meters invite, Myles Plummer notched a season-best 1:51.87 to finish nineth overall.
• Caleb Holman jumped to a new personal best of 7.34m/24-01 in the men's long jump to finish in fourth place. 
• In the women's pole vault, Samantha Romano cleared a season-best 4.05m/13-3.50 to finish in fourth place. 
• Also in the women's pole vault, Hannah Byrd-Leitner and Madison Townsend cleared 3.90m/12-9.50 to finish fourth and fifth respectively. 

 

Clemson, S.C.

• Ava Rice ran her way into the semifinal in the women's 60-meter hurdles clocking 8.43 to qualify on time.
• Also in the women's 60-meter hurdles prelim, Maya Rollins crossed the line in 8.54 to finish 28^th overall.
• In the semifinal, Rice lowered her time of the day, crossing the line in 8.50 to finish 23rd.
• In the men's 60m-meter hurdles prelim, Peter Djan clocked 7.95 to finish 26^th in the field. 
• Djan also competed in the men's 60-meter dash where he finished 32^nd in 6.85. 

 

Fayetteville, Ark.

• Keyandre Davids moved up to No. 2 all-time in program history in the men's weight throw with a new personal best mark of 23.04m/75-7.25. His mark currently ranks No. 6 in the NCAA this season. 
• Not far behind Davis was Jeremiah Nubbe in fourth place with his fifth-round mark of 22.88m/75-0.75.
• Also competing for the Cavaliers were Cale Ayers and Nikolaos Polychroniou. Ayers threw for 21.12m/69-3.50 for 14^th while Polychroniou finished 15^th with his mark of 21.08m/69-2.

 

The Virginia men's and women's track and field teams will continue on the second day of competition at the Davis Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, Mass. with the women's competition as well as the Darius Dixon Invitational in Lynchburg, Va. on Saturday, Feb. 14.