Virginia's track and field teams opened the 2010 season at the Virginia Tech Invitational in Rector Field House on Friday evening. Junior Catherine White claimed the individual meet title in the mile, crossing the line in 4:50.48 - good for 10th on Virginia's all-time top-10 list. Junior Emil Heineking and freshman Emily Vannoy kept things rolling, as Heineking claimed the 5000m title, clocking in with a time of 14:29.99, while Vannoy won the shot put with 49’ 7.25" in her debut as a Cavalier – a mark that ranks fourth on Virginia’s all-time program records. Despite playing host, Virginia Tech did not win any events.
White claimed the individual meet title in the mile, crossing the line in 4:50.48 - good for 10th on Virginia's all-time top-10 list, while freshman Luke Noble made his Cavalier debut in the men's mile, finishing third in 4:23.12.
Junior Adams Abdulrazaaq ran a personal-best time of 7.95 in the 60m hurdles to finish third and inch his way closer to Jarrett Hagwood's school record of 7.93. On the women's side, junior Chidi Uche had an impressive season-opening performance, as well, clocking in with the program's fifth-fastest 60m hurdles time of 8.70 to advance to the finals, where she finished seventh overall with a time of 8.72.
In the women's 500m, sophomore Meagan Gillespie used a time of 1:14.87 to finish fifth, while sophomore Jenni Weatherly took eighth in 1:16.39. On the men's side, junior Meikle Paschal narrowly edged teammate sophomore Kevin Anding, finishing fifth in 1:04.34. Anding took sixth with a personal-best time of 1:04.45.
In field events, junior Marcus Robinson took third in the triple jump, leaping a personal-best 49' 5.5, while freshman Whitney Rose jumped 40' 6.25" in her debut as a Cavalier. Her mark was good for fifth and ranks eighth on UVa's all-time program records.
In the hammer throw, sophomore Erin Wykoff improved upon her mark, tossing 50' 2" to finish fifth and improve her rank to eighth on Virginia's all-time records.
Freshman Matthew Armentrout wrapped up competition for Virginia on the first day of the invitational, clearing 14' 9" to finish fifth in the pole vault.
Sophomore Maureen Laffan also climbed up the program’s shot put charts, throwing a personal-best 47’ 8.5" to finish third at the meet and rank sixth in the record books.
Sophomore Robbie Eckardt joined Heineking in the 5000m and finished third with a time of 15:27.95. In the 3000m, junior Andrew Mearns finished fifth with a time of 8:34.94.
Virginia’s distance medley relay team of sophomore Rosemary Barber, senior Jen Hovland, sophomore Tasia Potasinski and senior Ariane Sloan finished runner-up to Arkansas, completing the relay in a time of 12:03.50.
In other field events, senior Katie Darraugh finished third in the pole vault, clearing 11’ 7.75", while junior Greg Nelson finished fourth in the high jump with a mark of 6’ 8.75". Junior Arthur Gennari also competed in the high jump, clearing 6’ 6.75" to finish sixth.
Virginia will return to Blacksburg, Va., next weekend to compete in the Hokie Invitational. Events will take place on Friday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 23.