Ford, Mamona Highlight Day One for Clemson Track & Field at VT Elite Meet

Feb. 6, 2009

Blacksburg, VA – Jacoby Ford tied his own ACC record in the 60m dash and Clemson’s women swept the top three spots in the long jump Friday to highlight day one of action for Tiger track & field at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet. In total, Clemson had six NCAA provisional qualifying marks or better on Friday.

Ford boosted himself back into the #1 time nationally in the 60m dash with a first-place 6.52 on the same track that will host the ACC Indoor Championships from February 26-28. His time also happened to break the Rector Field House record, which was previously a 6.56 by former Tiger great C.J. Spiller fourth, both with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 6.71. Guy actually ran a personal best 6.69 in the preliminary round.

Patricia Mamona claimed the women’s long jump crown with a personal best effort of 20’2.25″, an NCAA provisional qualifying distance. In fact, her mark is good enough to rank seventh on Clemson’s all-time indoor performance list. April Sinkler, a native of Virginia, was runner-up with a jump of 19’11”. Liane Weber, already an automatic NCAA qualifier in the pentathlon, was third place at 19’8″.

Sinkler added a second runner-up finish late in the night in the high jump, where she cleared 5’10” for an NCAA provisional mark. Anastasia Wilson, a junior from Conway, SC, was third with a 5’8.75″ clearance.

Mamona was not only outstanding in the field, but also on the track. The Portugal product ran a career-best 8.41 and was runner-up in the 60m hurdles Friday evening. Her time ranks fourth-best in school history for the indoor high hurdles. With her effort, Mamona has now qualified provisionally for the NCAA Championships in the 60m hurdles, long jump, triple jump, and pentathlon.

Michaylin Golladay placed third in the high hurdles, also with a personal best time. She ran 8.46 in the final, which elevates her to sixth place on the school’s all-time performance list in the event.

Also ascending up Clemson’s record books for the women’s team was freshman Nikola Lomnicka, the third-place finisher in the 20-pound weight throw. She posted a throw of 60’1.25″, which ranks third in school history behind only former NCAA All-Americans Della Clark.

In the men’s weight throw, Alex Padgett also had a career night. He finished in fifth place Friday at 58’2.5″ in the 35-pound throw, which is good enough to rank seventh-best on Clemson’s all-time indoor performance list. Stephen White was 10th overall (50’4.5″).

Miller Moss of the men’s team placed in the top five in both the 200m and 400m events Friday. In the invitational section of the quarter mile, Moss put together a time of 48.18 and finished in third position on the Hokies’ banked track. Running in the “open” section of the 200m dash, he recorded a personal best 22.25 and was fifth overall.

Kristine Scott advanced to the finals of the women’s 60m dash and finished seventh. Her best time of the day was a 7.64 in the qualifying heats. The Tigers also had solid finishes from Candice Johnson and Will Noble in the 800m run. Johnson, a senior, crossed the line with a time of 2:17.86 and fifth-place showing. Noble was seventh in the men’s race with a time of 1:54.01. His time ranks as the 10th-best in school history in the event.

George Fields and Josh Fowler participated in the men’s long jump to close the first day of competition. Fields was fifth overall with a top distance of 24’1.75″, while Fowler came home ninth after a jump of 23’3.5″.

The two teams return to action Saturday for the conclusion of the Elite Meet. The first action of the day will be the men’s high jump and women’s pole vault, both at 11:00 AM.