Feb. 23, 2008

Complete Results

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Two Patriots placed in the top-10 in the triple jump at the Virginia Tech Challenge, held at Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va. on Feb. 22-23. Senior Ryan McCoy was the runner-up with a mark of 15.64 meters (51 ft. 3.75 in.). He has already qualified provisionally for the NCAA Championships in the event. Freshman Dwight Webley earned an eighth-place finish, leaping 14.85 meters (48 ft. 8.75 in.) to qualify for the IC4A Championships.

Freshman Kevin Wilson topped the IC4A qualifying standard in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.09 seconds. Teammate Mutsa Nyakabau was close behind, crossing the finish line in 49.28 seconds.

In the 800-meter run, sophomore Michael Pachella ran a time of 1:52.13 to finish in fifth place. Johnny Shupping won the race with a time of 1:50.10. Pachella has already qualified for the IC4A Championships in the event.

Senior Brian Hay made the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.07 seconds in the preliminary heats. Hay finished seventh in the finals, clocking in at 8.14 seconds. His fastest time of the season is 7.85 seconds in the event.

The team ran its best time of the season in the 4x400-meter dash, finishing sixth with a time of 3:15.39. Its previous best was 3:18.27 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational.

On the women's side, junior sprinter Murielle Ahoure finished in first place in two individual events and topped the NCAA provisional qualifying standard in the 200-meter dash Ahoure has already reached the NCAA provisional standard in the 60-meter dash this season.

In the 200-meter dash, Ahoure ran her top time of the 2008 indoor season to finish first, blowing away the competition in the event. The next closest competitor, Angelique Smith, crossed the finish line in 23.95 seconds. Ahoure also reached the finals of the 60-meter dash, clocking in at 7.40 seconds to win the race. She ran a time of 7.39 seconds in the preliminary heats to reach the finals.

Sophomore Tiara Swindell ran in the 200-meter dash along with Ahoure, recording a time of 25.09 seconds. The Hampton, Va. native also competed in the 400-meter dash, crossing the finish line in third place with a time of 55.01 seconds. Swindell has already qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 200-, 400- and 500-meter dash.

In the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Asia Odum reached the finals with a time of 8.79 seconds in the preliminary heats. Odum finished eighth in the finals, crossing the finish line in 8.93 seconds. She has already qualified for the ECAC Championships in the event.

Junior Ryann Hendricks earned a pair of top-10 finishes in the jumping events. In the long jump, Hendricks jumped 5.60 meters (18 ft. 4.5 in.) to place ninth. She topped that finish in the triple jump, placing fifth with a mark of 12.24 meters (40 ft. 2 in.). Her top mark of the season in the triple jump was her NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 12.65 meters at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 11.

George Mason's 4x400-meter relay team won the race with a time of 3:42.13. It is the team's second-fastest time of the season. Its top time of the season is 3:41.42 at the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 16.

The George Mason men's and women's track and field teams will host the Mason Last Chance on Sunday, March 2 at the Fieldhouse.