May 29, 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Virginia Tech junior Kristen Callan became the fifth Hokie to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships this season with her fifth-place performance in the hammer throw Saturday afternoon on the final day of the NCAA East Regional.

Callan, a junior, recorded a mark of 59.81(196'3"). She was Tech's only female automatic qualifier from the NCAA East Region meet. The Hokies have two automatic qualifiers on the season, with the other being senior Saskia Triesscheijn in the heptathlon.

Abbey McGrath, a junior, was sixth in the pole vault after clearing 3.81m (12'6"). Fellow junior Jennifer Wade finished 13^th with a vault of 3.66m (12').

Sophomore Kristin Hart posted a time of 10:54.04 in the 3,000m steeplechase, finishing in 23^rd.

On the men's side, sophomore Rider Clauss was the only Tech student-athlete competing on the day. Clauss was 17^th in the 3,000m steeplechase after crossing the line in 9:17.55.

The men finished tied for fifth place after accumulating 33 points as a team, tying with North Carolina. The fifth-place finish is the highest in school history. Florida State won the men's competition with 97 points. Tech's women's team finished in 26^th place with 7.50 points. South Carolina won the women's competition with 79.50 points.

The NCAA will announce the at-large competitors for the NCAA Championships later this week. At-large competitors are comprised of student-athletes that finished between sixth and 12^th place in their given event at the regional meet.

The NCAA Championships will be held from June 7-10 in Sacramento, Calif.