BOONE, N.C. – Three members of the VMI women's track and field team - Mary Grace Lemon, Renee Reives and Kate Collins - notched ECAC qualifying marks to pace the Keydet squad Saturday at the Appalachian State Pre-Conference Meet, contested in Boone, N.C. The meet was VMI's final competition before the 2014 Big South Indoor Championships.

Lemon posted a personal best in the weight throw, stretching the tape to 16.24 meters (53'3 ½”) to notch the fifth-place result and surpass her previous PR, set in December at the JDL Kickoff Classic in Winston-Salem, N.C. Collins, meanwhile, was second overall in the pole vault with a 3.72 meter (12'2 ½”) clearance, trailing only the three-time East Preliminary Round qualifier Cassandra Crawford of Appalachian State.

Reives, meanwhile, rounded out the trio with a seasonal best of 13.88 meters (45'6 ½”) in the shot put, good for a runner-up finish and the fourth straight meet at which she has exceeded the ECAC qualification standard.

“Our goal in coming to this meet was to accomplish positive things and continue to get ready for the Big South meet,” said VMI head coach Darrin Webb. “We had some good results, and I am confident we will come out ready to go on Friday.”

In other results from the women's meet, Hannah Dickinson was second in the 800-meters, timing in at 2:25.30, and the Keydets recorded the top four times in the 400, led by Thireyona Legg's 1:01.02 effort. 

VMI track and field returns to action at the Big South Indoor Championships, which begin Friday in Blacksburg, Va.