Rachel Pocratsky won two event titles and Eszter Bajnok, Marek Barta and Vincent Ciattei earned one apiece in their respective events, leading Virginia Tech track and field to a second-place finish on the women’s side and a third-place finish on the men’s side at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Cobb Stadium on Miami’s campus.
The women ended up with 111 points, including 40 combined from Bajnok and Pocratsky, and the men finished with 105.5. Miami’s women won with 117 points and Florida State (116) and Syracuse (108) placed first and second in the team standings on the men’s side.
“We knew going into this meet that we would have to have a close-to-perfect meet to pull it off,” director of track and field and cross-country Dave Cianelli said. “We had a great meet, but not a perfect meet – and that was the difference.
“The kids competed tremendously with unbelievable effort. But at the same time, I don’t want them to be satisfied with a top-three finish because this program is used to winning titles. And I want them to continue to strive and do that and not be satisfied with a second-place finish or third-place finish. But don’t get me wrong, in our conference with 15 strong teams, it’s good.
“There were so many great performances up and down the line, we really came out and competed. That’s what we needed to do and that’s what we are about. I told them that after the meet, we competed but we just came up a little short. Again, I’m super proud of them, especially for the seniors who have meant so much to this program.”
Pocratsky led the way for the distance group, winning the middle-distance events. In the 1,500 meters, the junior ran the fastest time in the country and broke the school record with a time of 4 minutes, 10.03 seconds. A few hours later, she won the 800 in a season-best time of 2:03.36. Laurie Barton took fourth in 2:05.34 in the 800 and Katie Kennedy placed fifth in the 1,500 with a season-best time of 4:20.65.DISA
The men saw success in the middle-distance events, too, as Ciattei won the third gold medal of his career, placing first in the 1,500 with a time of 3:46.37 and Diego Zarate was right behind in second with a time of 3:46.52. Ciattei went on to earn bronze in the 800, while freshman Bashir Mosavel-Lo took fourth in a personal-best time of 1:48.5. Sophomore Owen Buck took eighth with a time of 1:50.49.
The 5,000 meters saw Peter Seufer earn a fifth-place finish, two days after winning the 10,000 meters, in a time of 14:04.62. Lauren Berman (16:24.58) placed seventh and Sara Freix (16:26.15) finished eighth in the 5,000.
“I am extremely proud of our distance crew for their efforts this weekend,” distance coach Ben Thomas mentioned. “You score 50 points on the guy’s side after losing three national champions and All-Americans after the indoor season is just a tremendous, tremendous effort.
“And for the women to score 43 points against the competition they face in the ACC is also an outstanding achievement. Rachel Pocratsky is the MVP of the meet in my book, setting a meet record and then coming back in an hour and 20 minutes later, when the 800 is really special, is a special effort. We’ve now had to enter two years in a row where we had that happen with Hannah Green’s double last year and now Rachel Pocratsky’s. Really, really outstanding stuff and I’m super proud of all the girls.”
–VT Athletics
