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NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the first time this season, the Virginia Tech women’s track and field team has climbed the national rankings earning the No. 16 spot as announced by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Tuesday afternoon.

The Hokies achieved this recognition on the heels of quality performances that rank in the top 50 nationally from individual competitors. Four Tech athletes currently rank in the top-15 nationally in their individual events.

Eva Vivod currently holds the nation’s top mark in the women’s javelin throw. Vivod threw for 186’4” (56.80m) at the Florida Relays on April 3. Sabine Kopplin joins Vivod on the top-15 list, sitting at 12th, in the javelin with her mark of 169’7” (51.70m) thrown at the ACC Championships. Martina Schultze currently ranks fourth in the pole vault with a mark of 14’5.25” set at the 2014 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. Amanda Smith holds the eighth fastest time in the 800-meter race with a mark of 2:04.45 set at the ACC Championships.

In addition, the women’s track & field team has two more athletes that rank in the top 50 nationally in their individual events. Sarah Rapp currently ranks 16th in the 10,000-meter distance with a time of 33:32.16 and 44th in the 5,000-meter distance with a time of 16:12.47, both set at the ACC Championships. Annjulie Vester holds the 35th best mark nationally in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 194’9” (59.36m) set at the Florida Relays.

The Hokies will be back in action at the Mississippi State Invitational and the Payton Jordan Invitational hosted by Stanford University this weekend. Tech will be sending a few distance runners to the Payton Jordan Invitational and will send sprinters, hurdlers, pole vaulters and distance runners to the Mississippi State Invitational.

For updates on Virginia Tech track & field, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Track