Feb. 14, 2004

BLACKSBURG, VA. -- The Wake Forest track and field team competed at the Virginia Tech Challenge on Friday and Saturday in a final tune-up before the ACC Championships next weekend. The two-day indoor meet was held at Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va. and saw two Demon Deacons provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships.

The first day of action on Friday was highlighted by Wake Forest assistant coach Jill Snyder's first-place finish in the 1,000m run. Snyder, a five-time All-American for the Demon Deacons from 1998-2001, represented team Adidas in the race and blew away her competition with a time of 2:49.04. The next closest finisher in second-place was more than seven seconds behind Snyder.

Both the men's and women's distance medley relay teams competed for Wake Forest and turned in their best times of the indoor season on Friday, with the women taking home first place.

Saturday's competition saw Mike Loyd turn in a third-place finish with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.94 in the 60m hurdles. On Friday, Loyd was one of 16 athletes to advance into the semifinals and then one of 8 who quaified for the finals. Loyd also provisionally qualified for the NCAA's earlier in the season at the Clemson Invitational.

Also in men's action Saturday, the Deacons had five athletes compete in the 200m dash with Loyd, Kevin Marion and Eric Seely all placing in the top 12. Loyd ran a 21.60 while Marion and Seely each set individual season best mark for themselves. Marion ran a 21.83 and Seely finished with a time of 21.97.

In the men's 800m event, Chris Catton placed fifth overall with a time of 1:54.33. Catton's Wake Forest teammates Brad Wharton and Nathan Sisco also competed in the 800m for the first time this season. Michael Fernbach also had a strong showing for the Deacs on Saturday, with a fifth-place finish in the 1,000m run.

On the women's side, Nikeya Green placed 17th in the 400m dash with a time of 57.49. This marked the first time time so far this season that Green has not competed in the 800m run where she is a two-time NCAA provisional qualifier. In the mile event, Wake Forest freshman Selina Sekulic turned in the Deacs' second-best time of the season and her own personal record with a 5:03.36 which placed her in 10th place overall.

In the 500m run, Shauna Danos turned in a third-place finish while Jackie Muscente also finished in the top-15. The 800m run saw two Demon Deacons compete, led by Hanna Bremler's 10th-place finish and personal best time of 2:16.85. Wake Forest also ran three athletes in the 3,000m event, including Michelle Sikes and Erin Franklin who both placed in the top ten.

In the jumps and throws events, Cassy Richards' 19-09.75 mark in the long jump was her second best of the season and secured her a fourth-place finish. And Lindsay Neuberger placed sixth in the shot put event with a distance of 50-07.75, breaking the all-time Wake Forest record which she set last year and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

The Demon Deacons will compete next at the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Clemson, S.C. next Friday and Saturday.