By Jason Pompey
Virginia State University’s women’s outdoor track and field team won their first ever CIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship on Saturday, April 21st with 139.50 total points.
Samantha Edwards (senior/ Elmont, NY) won the women’s 400m dash in 52.15 seconds and then placed third in the women’s 200m dash with a time of 24.54 seconds. Jovonne Tyson King (junior/ Pontiac/ MI) added three points by placing sixth in the women’s 100m dash event.
The Lady Trojans displayed great effort by having three runners finish in the top-3 in the women’s 1500m event. Taylor Ashley Bean won the women’s 1500m run with a time of 4:54.06. Sierra Clayton followed with a solid 4:58.46 placing second and Jourdan Johnson helped the Lady Trojans sweep the event with a third place finish with a time of 5:03.85. In the women’s 1500m run, VSU accumulated 24 team points.
Four Lady Trojans added 23 points in the women’s 3000m run. Taylor-Ashley Bean won the event (10:58.30), Sierra Clayton followed by placing second (11:37.88), Jenna Arnold (senior/ Philadelphia, PA) finished in fifth place, and Shayla Szabo (senior/Newport News, VA) finished in eighth place (11:57.48).
Trojans Place Second at CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship
Virginia State University’s men’s outdoor track and field team placed second overall with 88 total points at the 2012 CIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, April 21st. The Trojans were runners-up to St. Augustine’s College (216).
Daniel Ross (junior/ Baltimore, MD) won the men’s 400m hurdles event. Ross ran 51.70 seconds for a victory and added 10 points towards the overall men’s score. Hildrew McNair (freshman/Suffolk, VA) won the men’s pole vault event by elevating himself 4.14m. In the throwing events, Evan Clay (freshman/Dinwiddie, VA) placed third in the men’s javelin throw. Clay added 6 points to VSU’s overall team score by launching the javelin 51.15m
Lady Trojans Softball Team Falls To Lady Rams in CIAA Championship Game
Virginia State University’s softball team fell to the Lady Rams of Winston-Salem State University in the 2012 CIAA Softball Championship game. The Lady Trojans dropped their first game 1-0 and then lost the second game 3-0.
The Lady Trojans had two hits in the earlier game, as RHP Jessica Mattia (sophomore/Accokeek, MD) kept VSU in the game with her outstanding pitching. Mattia went the entire game, striking out three batters, but allowed one run. In the later game, Mattia took the mound once again for the Lady Trojans. She struck-out one batter and allowed four hits. The Lady Trojans offense was a no show once again with only two total hits throughout the game.
Jessica Mattia led the CIAA conference in games played (30), games started (26), wins (16), complete games (23), shutouts (4), innings pitched (210.0) strikeouts (206), and in batters faced (873). Jessica was second in hits (240), doubles allowed (46), and home runs allowed (11). On March 19th, Jessica set a Virginia State University softball record by striking out an amazing 21 total Lady Lions from Lincoln University.
The Lady Trojans concluded their 2012 season with an overall record of 21-20 and a 15-4 conference record.
Trojans Place Second at CIAA Golf Championships
Virginia State’s golf team had a two-day total of 592 (+16) placing them second overall at the 2012 CIAA Golf Championships on Friday, April 20th. VSU’s Stephen Genchi (senior/Jupiter, FL) was named to both the CIAA All-Tournament team and the 2012 All-CIAA team.
VSU’s Stephen Genchi shot a two-day score of 142 (70, 72) ranking second overall at the Cardinal Golf Course in Fort Lee, VA. Rashad Hunt (junior/Chesapeake, VA) finished out in the top-10, placing eighth 148 (74, 74). Aaron Bryant (freshman/ Prince George, VA) finished tied for twelfth place shooting a 150 (76, 74), while Josh Boyd (senior/ Portland, OR) tied for fifteenth place with a score of 152 (74, 78).
Trojan Tennis Team Eliminated By Rams in CIAA Semifinals
The men’s tennis team at Virginia State University met up with Winston-Salem State in the 2012 CIAA Tennis Semifinals on Friday, April 20th but lost 5-3 and were eliminated. The Trojans concluded their season with an 11-2 conference record.
Lady Trojans Tennis Team Falls To Winston-Salem State in CIAA Semifinals
The Lady Trojans tennis team at Virginia State University was eliminated from the 2012 CIAA Women’s Tennis Championships by the Lady Rams of Winston-Salem State University 5-0 on Friday, April 20th at the VSU Tennis Courts. The #3 seed, Lady Trojans of Virginia State University concluded their season with a 12-3 conference record. They advanced to the semifinal round of the women’s tennis tournament but ran into Winston-Salem State and were swept 5-0.
Markins and Christopher Named to 2012 CIAA Baseball All-Tournament Team
Virginia State University’s two rookie student-athletes Joshua Markins (freshman/Colonial Heights, VA) and Nicholas Christopher (freshman/Dinwiddie, VA) were both named to the 2012 CIAA Baseball All-Tournament team, a great accomplishment for the Trojans. Nicholas Christopher was named as a utility player to the 2012 All-CIAA Baseball Team with a total of five hits, two runs, and an RBI. Joshua Markins was named as a third baseman with a total of five hits.