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NEW ORLEANS – Following a second-place showing at the Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Championships, the Virginia Tech men’s track & field team entered the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s top 25 for the first time this season, coming in at No. 8.

A week ago, the last week that the rankings factored in marks from 2012, the Hokies came at No. 28. With some members of the team yet to compete this season prior to conference championship, Tech recorded the second-highest jump into the 25 of any team this week after the three-day meet after winning six gold medals at the championship.

With a breakout weekend, the Hokies now have 14 marks that count toward the latest rankings, all of which were set this weekend. A total of five marks rank in the top five nationally.

After competing once this season and sitting in third, freshman Tomas Kruzliak claimed the nation’s top mark in the hammer throw on his final attempt of 232-5 (70.84m). The native of Nitra, Slovakia is the first hammer thrower to cross the 70-meter mark in 2013 as he follows in the footsteps of national champions Marcel Lomnicky and Alexander Ziegler.

Matthias Treff comes in at third in the javelin throw after becoming the first man in ACC history to win the event four times. The redshirt senior won his fourth title on his first throw of the event at 249-1 (75.92m), which also broke his previous ACC meet record that was set in 2012.

On a windy day, Jeff Artis-Gray took advantage of the conditions as he shattered his school record in the long jump with a leap of 26-¾ (7.94m), more than a foot beyond his jump from earlier this season. The mark currently sits at No. 4.

Darrell Wesh, who entered the meet as one of the nation’s top sprinters in the 100 meters, lowered his school-record mark by one hundredth of a second and sits at fifth nationally, but he also made a statement in the 200 meters by clocking a winning time 20.70, Tech’s first ever ACC gold in the event, that ranks 11th.

High jumper Ronnie Black also broke his school record on his way to earning Tech’s first ACC gold in the event as he moved up to seventh nationally. The senior topped out at 7-3¾ (2.23m) before being forced to earn his win in a jump off.

Along with Wesh’s 200-meter time, Artis-Gray in the 100-meter hurdles, Denis Mahmic in the hammer throw, Jaka Muhar in the javelin throw and the 4x100 relay team of Wesh, Jonathan McCants, Tadashi Pinder and Garrett Smith all have marks that ran between 11 and 25 nationally this season.

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