// FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE //

March 3, 2012

Track and Field Contact: Tom Fenstermaker

 

Williams, Vena Break School Records at VT Final Qualifier

Vena wins shot put, Williams finishes first in 200 meters

 

BLACKSBURG, Va.—Junior Danielle Williams (Alexandria, Va.) and freshman Nick Vena (Morristown, N.J.) broke school records as the Virginia men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams finished competition Saturday (March 3) at the VT Final Qualifier in Blacksburg, Va., and the Alex Wilson Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind.

 

“Overall, with all the transition the team has been through, this indoor season has been productive and rewarding for most,” director of track and field/cross country Bryan Fetzer said. “A couple athletes still have some unfinished business at the national meet, but the rest can use this weekend as a spring board into the outdoor season.”

 

Vena won the men’s shot put with a mark of 18.92m (62’1”), besting his own school record of 18.84m (61’9.75”), set at the ACC Championships on Feb. 25. All six of Vena’s throws went past the 18-meter mark.

 

“What I talk about with all of our athletes is having the consistency to be able to throw long on every attempt,” throws coach Ross Richardson said. “Nick has been getting better with that every week.”

 

In the womenÂ’s 200 meters, Williams broke Kelly MillerÂ’s school record of 24.17, set in 1999, by two-tenths of a second (23.97). Freshman Jordan Lavender (Nashville, Tenn.) finished fourth in a time of 24.25, the third-fastest time in UVa history. Lavender also placed third in the 400 meters in a time of 54.69, the fifth-best mark in school history.

 

“We’ve been working on some technical changes with Danielle,” Fetzer said. “She’s made the adjustments and is learning to run a better race. It’s exciting to see the results she produced so far.”

 

Junior Pearl Bickersteth (Dumfries, Va.) finished second in the women’s high jump, hitting a mark of 1.77m (5’9.75”), while freshman Moira Cronin (Andover, Mass.) was fourth at a height of 1.67m (5’5.75”).

 

In the menÂ’s 400 meters, freshman Payton Hazzard (Huntington, N.Y.) placed second in 48.47, while sophomore Ozzie Bryan (Philadelphia, Pa.) was fifth in 49.06. Freshman Jake Brown (Fredericksburg, Va.) crossed the line fourth in the menÂ’s 800 meters in a time of 1:55.21.

 

Junior Austin Von Ohlsen (Ridgefield, Conn.) finished fourth in the menÂ’s 200 meters in a time of 22.24, while Bryan was seventh in 22.41.

 

In the women’s long jump, sophomore Edy Ndem (Roanoke, Va.) placed fifth with a leap of 5.74m (18’10”), while senior Anna Corrigan (Burke, Va.) crossed the line sixth in the women’s mile in a time of 4:55.03.

 

In the men’s triple jump, freshman Ryan Satchell (Central Islip, N.Y.) finished fourth with a personal-best mark of 15.02m (49’3.5”), while classmate Britni Strates (Orlando, Fla.) placed eighth in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 12.32m (40’5”), the eighth-best mark in school history.

 

At the Alex Wilson Invitational, junior Lance Roller (Cortlandt, Manor, N.Y.) placed 13th in the menÂ’s 800 meters in a season-best time of 1:49.89.

 

Sophomore Taylor Gilland (Chapel Hill, N.C.) placed 10th in the menÂ’s mile in 4:04.06, the eighth-fastest mark in school history, while Vanessa Fabrizio (Denver, Colo.) crossed the line 14th in the womenÂ’s 800 in 2:09.80.

 

The Cavaliers will wait for the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championship field to be announced on Monday (March 5). Seniors Marcus Robinson (Richmond, Va.) and Morgane Gay (Bethesda, Md.) have automatically qualified in the menÂ’s triple jump and womenÂ’s mile, respectively. The national meet will be held in Nampa, Idaho on March 9-10.