Jan. 27, 2007

A number of Virginia track and field athletes took home first-place finishes at the Patriot Games in Fairfax, Va. today (Jan 27), including both the women's 4x400m and the men's 4x800m squads. Amy Bilmanis had a personal-best toss of 14.68m in the weight throw to take the gold in that event, while Erin Crawford was a double champion, taking home top honors in the 60m hurdles as well as the open quarter. Jeff McClurg won the pole vault title while Tomika Ferguson took home runner-up honors in both the long jump and the triple jump.

Crawford and first-year Ayla Smith went 1-4 in both the 60m hurdles and the open quarter as the All-American Crawford edged Jasmine Major of Richmond in a photo finish in the short hurdles. Her time of 8.85 moved her into the top-five in school history. The Cavaliers took home a pair of second-place finishes in the middle distances as Jen Hovland was the runner-up in the 800m (2:18.16) while Sara Casscells was the runner-up in the 1000m (2:55.84). Casscells led a 2-3-4 finish as Susan Brooks ran .05 behind her with 2:55.89 and Huma Husain ran in fourth with a 2:57.81. Emily Harrison led a 2-3 finish in the 3K, running 9:52.26 while Stephanie Garcia ran just behind with her 10:07.47. Ferguson's runner-up finishes were complimented by Katie Tershel, who took third in the triple jump (11.65m) and fifth in the long jump (5.52m).

Alex Tatu led a 2-4-6 finish in the 1000m, running a 2:28.68 to take runner-up honors, just ahead of Jordan Orr (2:29.77) and Michael Hagos (2:32.67). Reuben Jones took the podium in both the 60m and 200m, finishing as the runner-up in the 60m (6.95) and taking third in the 200m (22.70). Virginia also claimed three top-eight finishers in the 800m as Alex Bowman took fifth in 1:58.65. Buckley also had two top-eight finishes in both horizontal jumps, as he was the runner-up in the triple (13.71m) and took seventh in the long jump (6.63m).

Full results:

WOMEN: 60m: Tiffany Roberts, 7.93, Galyn Iloka, 8.03; 400m: Crawford, 55.82, 1st; Smith, 58.06, 4th; 800m: Hovland, 2:18.16, 2nd; Suzanne Ginnow, 2:24.21; Bianca Debartolo, 2:38.03; 1000m: Casscells, 2:55.84, 2nd; Susan Brooks, 2:55.89, 3rd; Huma Husain, 2:57.81, 4th; Mile: Janine Ricci, 4:54.08, 4th; Lauretta Dezubay, 5:21.67; Erin Klein, 5:26.99; 3000m: Harrison, 9:52.26, 2nd; Garcia, 10:07.47, 3rd; Jen Dolson, 10:23.12; 60mH: Crawford, 8.85, 1st; Lauren Echko, 8.90p; Smith, 8.91, 4th; HJ: DeBartolo, 1.55m, 7th-t; PV: Katie Darraugh, 3.20m, 4th-t; LJ: Ferguson, 5.68m, 2nd; Tershel, 5.52m, 5th; TJ: Ferguson, 12.28m, 2nd; Tershel, 11.65m, 3rd; WT: Bilmanis, 14.68, 1st, PR; 4x400m: 3:50.13, 1st; DMR: 12:32.31, 2nd

MEN: 60m: Jones, 6.95, 2nd; Cedric Pearman, 7.18; Eddy Nicolas, 7.78; 200m: Jones, 22.70, 3rd; Brian Lee, 23.04; 400m: Lee, 51.00, 5th; Nicolas, 51.94, 6th; LeAndre Sherrill, 52.90; 800m: Bowman, 1:58.65, 5th; Danny Howick, 1:58.76, 6th; Brian Dixon, 2:01.12, 8th; 1000m: Tatu, 2nd; Orr, 2:29.77; Hagos, 2:32.67, 6th ; Mile: Fletcher, 4:16.60, 4th; Graham Tribble, 4:28.38; 3000m: Andrew Dumm, 8:27.05, 5th; Alec Lorenzoni, 8:54.94; HJ: Arthur Gennari, 1.96m, 2nd; PV: McClurg, 4.55m, 1st; LJ: Buckley, 6.63m, 7th; David Lewis, 6.25m, 8th; TJ: Buckley, 13.71m, 2nd; WT: Kyle Galle, 13.26m, 4th; SP: Lewis, 11.02m, 5th; 4x400m: 3:25.88, 2nd; 4x800m: 8:54.94, 1st; DMR: 10:35.07, 3rd