Belk out as bowl sponsor
Retailer Belk has informed the Charlotte Sports Foundation it will not renew its contract as title sponsor of Charlotte’s bowl game and kickoff game, per source.The contract expires after next month’s Belk Bowl. Belk became the bowl-game sponsor in 2011.
CHS’ Clemons to all-star game
Christiansburg High School tight end Jake Clemons has been invited to play in the Virginia High Coaches Association all-star game set for Sunday, Dec. 15, at the University of Virginia’s College of Wise. Players from the east and west parts of the Commonwealth will square off in the contest.
Three Hokies hit Olympic cuts
The Virginia Tech swimming and diving team recorded three Olympic trial cut times, placed 47 into the evening finals and had 22 top-10 finishes during the second day of competition at McCorkle Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.
In the morning session, Margarita Ryan hit the Olympic trial qualifying cut for the first time in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:02.64. Joelle Vereb reached the trial cut in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:10.90, while Lane Stone hit the mark in the 200 freestyle with a 1:50.72.
VT’s Lewis, Robie visit WH
Virginia Tech wrestling’s Mekhi Lewis and head coach Tony Robie attended the NCAA Champions Day at the White House Friday and met with President Donald Trump.
The pair joined six other 2019 NCAA wrestling champions and their coaches, as well as other student-athletes from other sports, as honored guests and received a tour of the White House.
Lewis, taking an Olympic redshirt this season, won Virginia Tech’s first individual national championship at the 2019 NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh. Lewis defeated Penn State’s Vincenzo Joseph in the final to secure the title at 165 pounds.
Prather represents Concord
Sophomore Isaac Prather of the Concord University men’s cross-country team finished 203rd in the talented field at the NCAA Division II Cross-Country Championship at Arcade Creek Cross Country Course Saturday afternoon.Prather clocked a time of 32:41 for the 10,000-meter course. The Summersville, W.Va., native opened up the race in 15:51 over the first 5,000 meters. The field consisted of 263 runners.
In terms of regional competition, Prather did place better than 12 athletes from the Atlantic Region.
American International’s Ezra Mutai was the overall winner Saturday while Colorado School of Mines was the team champion with 57 points.
Seufer makes VT history
Virginia Tech distance runner Peter Seufer came in fourth at the 2019 NCAA Cross-Country Championships held Saturday morning at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind..
Seufer’s finish marked the best ever by a Tech men’s runner at the NCAA Championships. Former runner and former distance coach Steve Taylor held the previous highest finish when he came in ninth at the 1987 NCAA Championships.
Seufer, a redshirt senior from Lynchburg, led the race with 2,000 meters to go in a 252-runner field. But Iowa State’s Edwin Kurgat caught Seufer and won the national championship with a time of 30 minutes, 32.7 seconds. Colorado’s Joe Klecker came in second, followed by BYU’s Conner Mantz. Seufer ran the 10K course in a time of 30:40.1.