Virginia Tech Women Named USA Track & Field's Athletes of the Week
The Virginia Tech women's track and field team has been named USA Track & Field's Athletes of the Week after winning the women's team title at the 2007 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships held on Thursday through Saturday, April 19-21, at the Kehoe Track at Ludwig Field on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

The Hokie women sat in second place heading into the final day of the conference championship meet, but six school records, four individual champions, four other All-ACC performances and a total of 15 point scorers propelled them to a 144.5-113 victory over second-place Miami. The outdoor title followed the team's ACC Indoor Championship victory two months earlier, showing that Virginia Tech's first ACC team title indoors was no fluke.

Dave Cianelli, Virginia Tech Women's Head Coach, remarked on the first ever outdoor title for the Hokie Track & Field squad spurred by six individual titlists:

"It was an awesome team performance. I knew that we could do this, pull together as a group and perform. Our team hung together and were tight-knit. We were able to come out and perform to our ability under difficult circumstances. That shows the character of this team."

Ashley Early won the pole vault on Friday, and Tamara Burns captured the hammer throw on Thursday. In the women's shot put, sophomore Brittany Pryor won with a toss of 55-00 (16.76m, a VT school record), adding 10 points for the Hokies and extending their early lead in the women's events in day three competition. Florida State senior Sara Reed came in second with a throw of 53-00 (16.15m), while Lindsay Neuberger of Wake Forest placed third with a distance of 52-01.00 (15.87m). Pryor's mark of 16.76 meters set the second stadium record of the day as the previous best of 15.08 meters was notched in 2001 by Cleopatra Borel (UMBC).

Virginia Tech claimed two of the top three times in the women's 100-meter dash, giving the Hokies an 11.5 point lead in the final day's competition. Virginia Tech sophomore Patrice Potts posted a winning time of 11.40, setting a new stadium record and breaking her own VT school record. The previous Kehoe mark was set in 2002 by Toni Jefferson of Maryland. Miami sophomore Krista Simkins placed second with a time of 11.60, while Hokie junior Britni Spruill was notched a time of 11.62.

Virginia Tech freshman Kristi Castlin won the women's 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.82 (a VT school record), which would have set a new ACC record had it not been a 2.1 mph wind-aided speed. Georgia Tech pulled in second and third place, respectively, as junior Shantia Moss and senior Fatmata Fofanah posted times of 12.83 and 13.16.

Virginia Tech earned the top two slots of the women's 400-meter hurdles race as junior Sherlenia Green crossed first with a time of 56.66, a VT school record. That time nailed another Kehoe stadium record as the previous best of 59.08 was set in 1996 by Angela Lee of Virginia. Teammate and freshman Queen Harrison placed second with her 56.80 finish, while Virginia senior Erin Crawford was next to cross the line with a time of 57.48.

North Carolina sophomore Brianna Felnagle recorded a 4:22.88 victory in the women's 1500-meter run. The winning time also set another stadium record as the previous mark was set in 1996 by former Tar Heel Karen Godlock. Virginia Tech sophomore Tasmin Fanning placed second with a time of 4:24.90, while Duke freshman Kate Van BusKirk was third with a time of 4:25.78.

Wake Forest senior and 2007 ACC Outdoor women's 10,000m champion Michelle Sikes placed first in the women's 5000 with a time of 16:17.12. Sikes mark set a new stadium record as the previous mark was set last year by Keira Carlstrom of American University (16:26.44). Duke sophomore Maddie McKeever recorded a time of 16:26.84 to place second, while Virginia senior Kara Scanlin was third in 16:33.36.

The Florida State women's 4x400 meter relay team of Keyla Smith, Dana Massiah, Kandia Batchelor and Alycia Williams captured a new league championship meet record with a time of 3:32.11. Miami was next to cross the finish line at 3:32.67, while Virginia Tech posted a third-place finish with a time of 3:36.05. The previous ACC Outdoor record was set in 2001 by Clemson.

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets captured their third consecutive title in the 4x100 meter relay with a time of 44.33, setting a new stadium record. The team was composed of Shantia Moss, Ashley Kidd, Shantrell Moss and Jacqua Williams. Miami finished in second (44.58) and Virginia Tech in third (44.62).

In the women's 200 meters, Miami sophomore Krista Simkins extended the Hurricanes winning streak to three consecutive years with her first-place time of 23.08. Simkins' time also set a new Kehoe stadium record as the previous best was set earlier this year by Jennifer Geter of Bowie State. Georgia Tech senior Ashley Kidd claimed second with a time of 23.08, while Virginia Tech sophomore Patrice Potts came in third with a time of 23.25.

Final Women's Results - 21 Events Scored
1. Virginia Tech 144.5 points
2. Miami 113 points
3. Florida State 101 points
4. Georgia Tech 82 points
5. North Carolina 77 points
6. Virginia 69 points
7. Wake Forest 54 points
8. Clemson 47.5 points
9. Duke 45 points
10. NC State 38 points
11. Maryland 30 points
12. Boston College 18 points

Complete results are available on the ACC Championship Web site