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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, Dave Cianelli, announced the signing of eight well-accomplished athletes for the upcoming year. The class includes Griffin Carmichael, Vincent Ciattei, Alex Ellison, Neil Gourley, Dan Jasowak, Patrick Joseph, Dante Price and James Steck.

Griffin Carmichael
Mechanicsville, Va. | Atlee
Mid-Distance

The Atlee-product burst onto the scene earlier this year as he posted the 20^th best 800-meter time in the U.S. at 1:51.54 at the Southern Track Classic. During the past two years, Carmichael has finished in the top five in the 800 meters at the Virginia AAA state outdoor meet and the 1,000 meters at the state indoor meet.

Distance coach Ben Thomas on Carmichael…”He’s been very consistent the past couple years, a top-five in the state guy. Now that he’s down to one of the top times in the country, it’s very exciting. He’s going to add a lot to our middle distance group. He’s coming into a great group and it will be exciting to add someone who has already posted some of the times that he has.”

Vincent Ciattei
Baltimore, Md. | Perry Hall
Mid-Distance

The No. 1 middle distance runner in Maryland, Ciattei posted the 16^th-best mile time in the country at 4:09.27 as he took fourth at Penn Relays. The time was ninth all-time at the historic event. After winning the mile and 3,200 meters at the Maryland Indoor 4A state championships, he claimed both the 800 and 1,600-meter crowns at the outdoor championships. In the 800, he posted the fastest time in the state this season at 1:54.27. Last year, he set meet records in both the Emerging Elite one and two mile runs at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

Distance coach Ben Thomas on Ciattei…”He’s had tremendous improvement during his last two seasons. He’s a very aggressive racer, very smart. Even though his times are impressive, I’m more impressed with his tenacity. He wants to put himself in position to win no matter the pace. That’s always going to bode well at the next level.”

Alex Ellison
Annandale, Va. | Annandale
Sprints

One of the state’s top sprinters, Ellison took second a year ago in the 200 meters at the VHSL Group AAA State Championships at 21.60 and third in the 100 meters with a personal record of 10.55. He went on to lower his 200-meter PR to 21.55 that summer as he finished seventh at New Balance Nationals.

Sprints coach Charles Foster on Ellison…“I like his attitude. He seems to be kind of a gung-ho kind of kid, likes the action and I think with improvements, he will be a front runners before his sophomore year. He should shine early.”

Neil Gourley
Glasgow, Scotland | Giffnock North
Mid-Distance

An accomplish runner in Scotland, Gourley claimed the 2013 Scottish National U18/U20 1,500-meter title. In 2012, he also won the 800 meters at the Celtic Games U16/U18 International. During that same year, he set a personal best of 1:52.77 in the 800 meters as he won the Scottish Schools Championships, while also finishing second in the 1,500 meters. His PR of 3:50.40 occurred at the BMC Gold Standard Races.

Distance coach Ben Thomas on Gourley…“He’s been kind of a late bloomer in high school and has been coming on strong after his first year of serious training in the sport. He seems very passionate and dedicated in his training and badly wants to go to the next level which fits directly with what we need and want to accomplish in the ACC.”

Daniel Jasowak
Grove City, Pa. | Grove City Area
Distance

The Pennsylvania AAA state runner-up in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in 2012, Jasowak won districts in both the events in 2012 before completing the 800 and 1,600-meter double this year at the district meet. He went on to finish in the top five at the state meet in both events. Jasowak holds personal bests of 1:55.29 (800), 4:17.77 (1,600) and 9:14.79 (3,200).

Distance coach Ben Thomas on Jasowak…“A state runner-up in cross country and on the track, like our other signees he shows great range, very quick for 800, but he also been a state runner-up in cross in Pennsylvania which is a very competitive state for cross country. He comes from a little smaller school so I can’t wait to get him training with the class we have coming in. I think he’ll be a consistent, durable guy at the next level and could be an immediate contributor at the ACC level.”

Patrick Joseph
Leesburg, Va. | Loudoun County
Mid-Distance

One of Virginia’s top runners in the middle distances, Joseph owns top-15 national times both the 800 meters and mile. This year, he finished first in 800 at the Southern Track Classic at 1:50.78 and third in the mile at Penn Relays at 4:07.88, a mark that ranks third in meet history. Joseph won both the 800 and mile at the VHSL Group AA outdoor championships in 2012 and repeated the feat earlier this month.

Distance coach Ben Thomas on Joseph…“Another Loudon County kid who was a former teammate of Tommy Curtin who has done well for us so we’re very excited to get Patrick as well. He has shown great range running for 1:50 in the 800 and was 12^th at the Foot Locker Championships, just missing a birth to National Foot Locker Championships. With that kind of range from 800 to the 5K, that’s rare talent so we’re excited to get him on board.”

Dante Price
Shenandoah Junction, W.V. | Jefferson
Sprints

West Virginia’s top sprinter throughout his career, Price is a seven-time individual WVSSAC state champion. He has claimed both the 100 and 200-meter titles during each of the last three years, while finishing second in both as a freshman. To add to his high school legacy, he claimed the 2013 400-meter crown to go along with his wins in the 100 and 200 meters. Price has PRs of 10.52 in the 100, 21.22 in the 200 and 48.57 in the 400.

Sprints coach Charles Foster on Price…“At first we thought we he was quiet, but it didn’t really pan out that way. He’ is a student of his sport and he likes the challenge because standing five foot, three inches, 125 pounds, he does have to feel positive about himself. He can certainly help this team in both ways from a spirit standpoint and a can-do attitude in which shows that he wants it and I like that in my athletes.”

James Steck
Loudonville, N.Y. | Shaker
Pole Vault

An excellent student and athlete, James Steck was a college bound gymnast who switched to pole vaulting after a wrist problem limited his gymnastics training in some events. In less than a year he vaulted 15 feet and won the New York State Indoor Championships. Steck repeated the feat at the outdoor championships as he successfully completed the pole vault double in his first year competing in the event. He learned the event at the famous "Flying Circus" pole vault club.

Pole Vault coach Bob Phillips on Steck…“James has outstanding core strength and body control. That was a big factor in how quickly he picked up the technique in the pole vault. It was an amazing year for him and we are thrilled to have James select Virginia Tech to continue his vault development.”

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