RICHMOND, Va. – Senior Brittany Pryor regionally qualified in the hammer throw at the Weems Baskins Relays in Columbia, S.C., and the Hokies distance runners performed well at the Fred Hardy Invitational in Richmond, Va., on Saturday to round out a successful weekend for Virginia Tech track and field.

Pryor, who did not compete in the indoor season, started her 2009 campaign strongly with a first-place showing in the hammer throw. The Niagara Falls, N.Y., native tossed a regional-qualifying 184-03 to outdistance the runner-up finisher by over 20 feet. Pryor is the first Virginia Tech athlete on the season to regionally qualify.

The Hokies swept the 3,000-meter dashes, earning victories in meet-record fashion in both the men’s and women’s race. Senior Erin Reddan raced a 9:45.50 to capture the women’s 3,000-meters, while freshman Will Mulherin, competing in his first collegiate outdoor meet, clocked an 8:18.18 for the win. Freshman Brian Welch came in just behind Mulherin, finishing second with a time of 8:18.52, and freshman Michael Hammond earned fifth clocking in at 8:25.15.

In other distance action, freshman Lauren Lemieux took second in the women’s 1,500-meter run, clocking a time of 4:40.29. Sophomore Nick McLaughlin followed suit in the men’s race, running 3:58.32 for second place, while freshman Davis Barry and sophomore Jeff Miller placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Barry crossed the line with a time of 3:59.85, while Miller ran a 4:00.73.

Freshman Eric Hoepker, who teamed with Mulherin, freshman Michael Hammond and sophomore Kieran Lee to win the 4x800-meter relay on Friday, earned fourth in the men’s 800-meter run. Hoepker clocked 1:55.00 in the event.

Tech will split the squads again next weekend, as the Hokies will compete in the Texas Relays and the Colonial Relays. Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the conclusion of each day.

Fred Hardy Results

Men

1,500-meter run – 1, Sean Welsh, Richmond, 3:55.25, 2, Nick McLaughlin, Virginia Tech, 3:58.52, 3, Greg Kareis, Pittsburgh, 3:59.79, 4, Davis Barry, Virginia Tech, 3:59.85, 5, Jeff Miller, Virginia Tech, 4:00.73

3,000-meter run – 1, Will Mulherin, Virginia Tech, 8:18.18, 2, Brian Welch, Virginia Tech, 8:18.52, 3, Matt Llano, Unattached, 8:18.62, 4, Andrew Benford, Richmond, 8:20.61, 5, Michael Hammond, Virginia Tech, 8:25.15

800-meter run – 1, Dontave Cowsett, Pittsburgh, 1:54.07, 2, Liam Anastasia-Murphy, William & Mary, 1:54.54, 3, Jeff Strojny, Richmond, 1:54.88, 4, Eric Hoepker, Virginia Tech, 1:55.00, 5, Brione Reid-Carthan, Pittsburgh, 1:56.32

Women

1,500-meter run – 1, Nicol Traynor, Richmond, 4:33.64, 2, Lauren Lemieux, Virginia Tech, 4:40.29

3,000-meter run – 1, Erin Reddan, Virginia Tech, 9:45.50

Weems Baskins Results

Hammer Throw – 1, Brittany Pryor, Virginia Tech, 184-03