Virginia Tech clinched its second consecutive victory in the Commonwealth Clash against the University of Virginia over the weekend, as the Tech men’s and women’s track and field teams finished second and third, respectively, at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Coral Gables, Florida. The Clash, an annual event presented by Virginia529, pits the Hokies against Virginia within the 22 varsity sports in which the schools compete against each other.
“Virginia529 congratulates Virginia Tech Athletics on their second straight Commonwealth Clash victory,” Virginia529 CEO Mary Morris said. “We are proud to support one of the most competitive collegiate rivalries – across all sports – in the country and we commend the student-athletes at both institutions for their sportsmanship and their successes both on the field and in the classroom.”
The Commonwealth Clash is presented by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of Virginia Tech Athletics and the University of Virginia Athletics.
Tech prevailed by a 12.5-8.5 margin in the competition for the 2017-18 academic year. Learn more about Virginia529 and this competition at www.thecommonwealthclash.com.
Tech teams that registered a full point against UVA in this season’s Commonwealth Clash included both men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track. Other squads that registered a full point against the Cavaliers in head-to-head competition were men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball, football, wrestling, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, and softball. Men’s basketball earned a half point by virtue of a regular-season split with Virginia.
This is the fourth year of the Commonwealth Clash. UVA won both of the first two titles – 15-7 in 2014-15 and 14-7 in 2015-16. Last year, with the standings tied at 11-11, the Hokies wound up winning the tiebreaker by a hundredth of a second.
The Tech men’s track and field team trailed UVA going into the final event of the 2017 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships – the 4×400-meter relay – but the Hokies defeated Pittsburgh by a hundredth of a second to come in third in the event. If Tech had finished fourth, it wouldn’t have accumulated enough points to win the ACC team title and thus the Commonwealth Clash.
“Best of luck to Virginia Tech and UVA in the upcoming season, we look forward to continued excitement and intensity as they compete for the 2018-2019 Commonwealth Clash,” Morris added.
The Commonwealth Clash encourages a friendly, statewide rivalry throughout the state. The competition allows additional exposure for football and basketball and brings increased attention to the Olympic sport competitions, encouraging attendance and generating support for these programs.
The series works to promote good sportsmanship and build a sense of anticipation and excitement toward the culmination when the winning school is presented with the trophy.
–VT Athletics
