May 30, 2006

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Seven student-athletes will represent Virginia Tech at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Five athletes earned automatic berths through the regular season and the NCAA East Regional, while two received at-large bids Tuesday afternoon.

Senior Spyridon Jullien won the hammer throw at the East Region meet, allowing him the opportunity to defend his national title. Freshman Mohsen Anani garnered a second-place finish in the event at the meet, giving him the chance to earn his second All-America honor this year.

Brian Mondschein defended his East Region title in the pole vault, sending him back to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the third consecutive season.

On the women's side, junior Kristen Callan earned her second straight bid to the NCAAs with her fifth-place effort in the hammer throw at the East Region Meet. Callan earned All-America honors last season in the event.

Senior Saskia Triesscheijn received an automatic spot at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon, amassing a point total that was greater than the qualifying standard at the Texas Relays.

Freshman Matej Muza received an at-large bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw. He will go into the NCAAs as the No. 14 seed.

Senior Gunild Kreb also received an at-large bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon. At the Texas Relays, she recorded her personal-best mark of 5,315 points for third place. Her point total was an NCAA provisional mark and she will enter the competition with the 21^st-best point total this season.

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