Meet: Virginia Tech Invitational
Location: Blacksburg, Va.
Full Results
 
The Short Story: Junior Lauryn Taylor ran a school-record time of 7.40 seconds to win the 60-meter dash while graduate student Symone Foster claimed the 60-meter hurdles school record with a runner-up performance of 8.40 seconds to highlight a successful weekend at Virginia Tech for the Black and Gold women.
 
SPRINTS

• Taylor's time of 7.40 seconds edged out the previous school record of 7.42 set by Ram great and current director of operations Kiara Porter back in 2015
• On the second day of competition, Taylor notched another victory in the 200-meter dash, with a personal record time of 24.20. Freeman also PR'd in the event, running 25.42 to place ninth
• Junior Simone Pierre (third/39.57), junior Karah Moore (fifth/39.85), and freshman Jaylin Pete (seventh/40.33) all ran personal best times in the 300-meter dash
• Taylor now leads the Atlantic 10 in both the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Nationally, she is tied for 21^st in the 60-meter dash and 20^th in the 200-meter dash

 
HURDLES

• With her 8.40 performance, Foster unseated teammate Lauryn Freeman for the best 60-meter hurdle time in VCU history. Freeman previously ran a 8.44 at last season's Atlantic 10 Championships.
• Freeman also qualified for the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.59 seconds, good for fifth in prelims
• Foster sits atop the Atlantic 10 leaderboard and is tied for 28^th nationally in the 60-meter hurdles

 
DISTANCE

• Redshirt freshman Lauren Tunnell ran under three minutes in the 1000-meter run for the first time ever, clocking in at 2:57.88 for sixth place. Freshman Ava Miller also PR'd in the event, crossing the finish line in 3:05.87

 
JUMPS

• Sophomore Nayome Shipp came out victorious in the high jump with a season-best effort of 1.70 meters (5'-7"), which is the best in the Atlantic 10 so far this season. Senior Dasia Mayo also stood out, clearing the bar at 1.60 meters (5'-3") for fourth place
• Freshman Kaitlyn Baker cleared a personal best height of 3.20 meters (10'-6"), placing 14^th.
• Senior Raquel Hawkins (sixth/11.65m) and sophomore Sydney Carr (eighth/11.49m) both qualified for the finals in the triple jump
• Junior Taylor James jumped a personal best 5.28 meters (17'-9") while freshman Selkis Elong advanced to the final, placing eighth overall with a jump of 5.58 meters (18'-3.75")

 

THROWS

• Sophomore Guðrún Hallgrímsdóttir led the charge in the weight throw, taking fourth place with a personal best mark of 18.73 meters (61'-5.5"). With that throw, Hallgrímsdóttir leads the Atlantic 10 in the event
• Sophomore Eryn Byrd made the finals of the shot put, placing ninth with a throw of 13.96 meters (45'-9.25")
• Redshirt freshman Like Matalatala enjoyed a double PR day, getting her best ever throws in the shot put (12.16m/39'-10.75") and weight throw (12.98m/42'-7")

UP NEXT
 
The track & field team takes to the road again on Jan. 19-21 for the Brant Tolsma Invitational in Lynchburg, Va., hosted by Liberty University. The competition begins at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19.