CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Virginia Tech track and field squad’s sprinters and jumpers opened the Hokies’ outdoor track and field season with several strong performances at the Miami Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla., on Saturday.

Junior Asia Washington took second in her 2009 outdoor debut in the 400-meter hurdles. Washington, who won the ACC title in the indoor 400-meter dash, clocked a 1:01.01 in the race. The Piscataway, N.J., native finished behind the winner, Tameka Jameson of Miami, by less than half-a-second.

In other women’s sprint action, junior Kristi Castlin, coming off an All-American performance in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend, finished fourth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.83.

On the men’s side, freshmen Nick Vaughn and Keith Ricks placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 400-meter dash. Vaughn ran a 48.44, while Ricks clocked a 48.84.

Sophomore Ebenezer Amegashie put together a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 110-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles. After earning a career-best time of 15.01 in the 110-meter hurdles, Amegashie came back to clock a 54.86 in the 400-meter hurdles.

After a solid rookie indoor campaign, freshman Hasheem Halim provided a nice start to his outdoor season in his first collegiate outdoor competition. The Lilburn, Ga., native leaped 21-07.25 for sixth place in the long jump.

The Hokies will return to action next weekend in two different meets. The squads will split with some athletes competing in the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, N.C., while others will head to Columbia, S.C., for the Weems Baskins Relays. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the meet.

Results

Women

100-meter dash – 1, Donita Harmon, Total Speed, 11.76, 2, Jessica Foreman, Connecticut, 11.77, 3, Yanique Booth, WFH, 11.81, 4, Kristi Castlin, Virginia Tech, 11.83, 5, Monique Hodges, Connecticut, 11.94

400-meter hurdles – 1, Tameka Jameson, Miami, 1:00.61, 2, Asia Washington, Virginia Tech, 1:01.01

Men

400-meter dash – 1, Bryan Steele, Unattached, 46.89, 2, Antonia McKay Jr., Georgia Tech, 48.24, 3, Brandon Miller, Unattached, 48.39, 4, Eric Ramsey, Unattached, 48.42, 5, Nick Vaughn, Virginia Tech, 48.44, 6, Keith Ricks, 48.84

110-meter hurdles - 1, Elliot O’Hare, Texas, 14.19, 2, Devon Hill, Miami, 14.45, 3, Cory Nelms, Miami, 14.58, 4, David Ford, Georgia Tech, 14.65, 5, Andrew Webb, Texas, 14.91, 6, Ebenezer Amegashie, Virginia Tech, 15.01

400-meter hurdles – 1, Travis Swaggard, Clemson, 52.59, 2, Cory Nelms, Miami, 52.93, 3, Demario Johnson, Georgia Tech, 53.94, 4, Andre Thomas, Texas, 54.81, 5, Kayuse Burrows, Bahamas, 54.81, 6, Ebenezer Amegashie, Virginia Tech, 54.86

Long Jump – 1, Mikese Morse, Miami, 25-00, 2, George Fields, Clemson, 24-07.75, 3, Doug Moppert, Texas, 24-00.75, 4, Jason Johnson, Miami, 21-11.50, 5, Levi Reid, Unattached, 21-08.25, 6, Hasheem Halim, Virginia Tech, 21-07.25