// FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE //

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Track and Field Contact: Tom Fenstermaker

Virginia Splits Up for Colonial Relays, Liberty Invitational

Cavalier action starts Friday at 10:40 a.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The Virginia men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams split up for two in-state meets, including the 47th Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Va., and the Liberty Collegiate Invitational in Lynchburg, Va., this weekend (April 6-7). The Cavaliers will be competing in running events at the Colonial Relays and mostly field events at Liberty.

Live results of both meets and live video of the Colonial Relays (subscription based) will be linked through VirginiaSports.com.

Last time out, the Cavaliers competed at the weather-shortened Best Western North Florida Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 30-31.

On the first day, senior Vincenzo Chiariello (Staten Island, N.Y.) won the men’s hammer throw and broke his own school record with a mark of 61.97m (203’ 4”). The senior also won the men’s discus throw with a mark of 48.40m (158’ 9”).

In the shot put circle, freshman Nick Vena (Morristown, N.J.) set the program mark and earned the win. He broke Yemi Ayeni’s 2009 outdoor school record by over three feet and became the first Cavalier to break the 19-meter mark with a distance of 19.07m (62’ 6.75”).

Also on the first day, senior Maureen Laffan (Toms River, N.J.) claimed the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 56.38m (185’ 0”).

On the second day, freshman Vanessa Fabrizio (Denver, Colo.) broke the Virginia freshman record and won the womenÂ’s 800 meters in a time of 2:07.48, the sixth-fastest time in program history overall.

Senior Lance Roller (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) and sophomore Anthony Kostelac (Charlottesville, Va.) went 1-2 in the men's 800 meters in 1:49.17 and 1:49.19, respectively.

Senior Erin Wykoff (St. Jacob, Ill.) won the women's discus throw with a distance of 52.14m (171' 1"). Wykoff's fourth throw was a personal best and ranks fifth in program history.

Next up, the Cavaliers will send a small contingent to the George Mason Invitational in Fairfax, Va., on April 14. Virginia hosts the 2012 ACC Outdoor Championships in Charlottesville on April 19-21.