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DURHAM, N.C. – Despite a steady downpour all day, teams stuck through and competed in Friday events at the 2011 Outdoor ACC Championships, including Samira Burkhardt taking home the Hokies’ second conference crown of the weekend. The majority of Friday’s action was preliminary heats for Saturday’s finals, but a handful of final events shuffled the team standings heading into the last day of competition. With eight events scored, the men are in third place with 46.5 points and through seven events the women are tied for seventh place with 15 points.

Burkhardt continued what has been a stellar freshman campaign, winning the shot put competition with a throw of 52-3.25 (15.93m). She is only the second Hokie to win an indoor and outdoor ACC title in their freshman season, the first being Marcel Lomnicky in 2009. Jeff Artis-Gray earned All-ACC honors, placing third in Friday’s long jump at 24-7.25 (7.50m), while Hasheem Halim added more points to the Hokies’ total as well, placing sixth (23-1.75, 7.05m). Indoor All-ACC performer Ronnie Black earned the silver medal in Friday’s high jump, clearing 6-9.5 (2.07m) on his first attempt. Rene Stauss added more team points with a fifth-place finish in the high jump at the same height as Black, clearing it on his second attempt. Sammy Dow took seventh in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase finals (10:31.98) for the final women’s points of the day. Jason Cusack earned All-ACC accolades in the final event of the day, placing second in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 8:47.29, which ranks second all-time at Tech.

Lauren Lemieux will move on to Saturday’s finals in the women’s 1,500 meters after earning the fourth-fastest time in today’s preliminaries and a new PR of 4:26.16. Michael Hammond advances on the men’s side as well, finishing third in his heat (3:56.10). Kristen Brown earned the eighth-seed in tomorrow’s 100-meter hurdle finals with a new PR of 13.92. The Hokies advance two into tomorrow’s 110-meter hurdle finals, as Jeff-Artis Gray and Ebenezer Amegashie finished neck-and-neck in fifth (14.33) and sixth (14.35) today, respectively.

Natalie Woodford will advance to Saturday’s finals in the 400-meter dash, earning the eighth spot in Friday’s prelims at 56.72. Three Tech women will advance to Saturday's 100-meter dash finals, as Ogechi Nwaneri (11.87), Zakiya Tyson (11.99) and Funmi Alabi (12.04) all earned top-eight times on Friday. Keith Ricks won the third heat of the 100-meter in 10.72, which automatically qualifies him for Saturday’s finals. Frances Dowd matched her personal best of 2:10.19 in the 800 meters and will compete in Saturday’s finals. Three Hokies will be among the eight competing in tomorrow’s men’s 800-meter finals, as Nick McLaughlin (1:50.65), Tihut Degfae (1:51.03) and Jeff Miller (1:51.95) all advance. Ebenezer Amegashie earned the fourth-best time in Friday’s preliminary heats of the 400-meter hurdles (53.68), giving him a ticket to Saturday’s competition. Nwaneri was the Hokies’ final qualifier of the day, finishing sixth in the 200-meter dash prelims (24.51).

The final day of competition begins tomorrow at noon with the men’s pole vault. Tech has won five consecutive conference titles in the men’s pole vault (three indoor, two outdoor) and Yavgeniy Olhovsky can earn his third-consecutive outdoor gold medal. The first running event of the day will be the women’s 400-meter relay at 4 p.m.

TEAM STANDINGS
Men’s
1. Duke - 70.5
2. Florida State - 51
3. Virginia Tech - 46.5
4. North Carolina - 35
5. NC State - 29
6. Clemson - 23
6. Wake Forest - 23
8. Maryland
9. Virginia - 16

Women's
1. Clemson - 66.5
2. Duke - 45
3. Florida State - 36
4. Virginia - 28
5. NC State - 24
6. North Carolina - 22.5
7. Virginia Tech - 15
7. Miami - 15
9. Maryland - 11
10. Georgia Tech - 9
11. Wake Forest - 1

For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Track).