East Carolina University
Virginia Tech Invitational
Track Youth Excels At Virginia Tech
January 15, 2011 | Track & Field
Jan. 15, 2011
Complete Results in PDF Format 
BLACKSBURG, Va. - A pair of newcomers led the way for the East Carolina track and field program at the Virginia Tech Invitational as Tyshonda Hawkins and Jordan Neil set school records in the 300-meter dash and 3000-meter run, respectively. With his time, Neil also won the event title.
Hawkins posted a 38.95 in the 300, good for third-place, while Neil ran an 8:26.37 in the 3000.
"I am excited about this team both on the men's and women's side," head coach Curt Kraft said. "If we continue to work hard, stay focused and do the things we need to do, I believe this could be the best season we have ever had and the best showing at the conference championships."
"It's still early and there are a lot of events, so you always have the good, bad and the ugly. However, any time you set two school records and have numerous athletes in the top eight against such a strong field, you have that feather in your cap. Florida State, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia were all at this meet so we really did as well as I expected."
Hawkins also showed well in the 200, finishing fifth with a time of 24.54. In the 300, Tiffany Harris was sixth - clocking in at 39.60. Brittany Copeland won the 1000, turning in a 2:57.77 while Amanda Lapp captured fourth in the same event at 2:59.45.
In the relays, the distance medley tandem of Lapp, Copeland, Brooke and Brittany Kott grabbed the event title, finishing in 11:59.06 ahead of the team from Virginia. The 4x400 relay squad also produced a solid result, taking fifth with a time of 3:49.81.
Sophomore All-American performer Tynita Butts stayed consistent in the season's second meet, winning both the high and long jump titles with marks of 1.78 and 6.01 meters. In the weight throw, both Kim Kanala and Dana Keister were in the top eight as Kanala captured fifth (16.54 meters) and Keister fell just behind in sixth (15.44 meters).
On the men's side, Austin Lewis was fourth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.85 before finishing fifth in the 200 at 22.04. He also turned in a second-place finish in the long jump, recording a mark of 7.04 meters. Adding to the Pirates' event title collection was Lawrence Campbell in the 500 as he crossed the line in 1:04.22. In the 60-meter hurdles, Mario Briscoe finished sixth with a time of 8.11 after qualifying in 8.15.
Like their female counterparts, the distance medley team of Antonio Palmer, Jakub Trzasalski, Zach Montijo and Campbell took first in the event - clocking in at 10:37.13. Defending C-USA high jump champion Drew Kanz O'Shea took second in the event with a mark of 2.05 meters.
Dennis Aliotta and Kenneth Rowland both were top-eight finishers in the shot put at second and sixth, producing 17.05 and 16.17 marks, respectively. A trio of ECU field athletes also took fourth (Montrell Morrow), seventh (Aliotta) and eighth (Varela) in the weight throw with marks of 17.10, 16.33 and 15.88 meters.
The Pirates continue their indoor season Feb. 5, traveling to Penn State for the Sykes-Sabock Cup at the Ashenfelter Indoor Track.
