LEXINGTON, Va. – Looking to show continued improvement with the SoCon Championships two weeks away, the VMI track and field teams accomplished the feat with an excellent showing Friday on opening day of the VMI Indoor Classic at the Corps Physical Training Facility.
 
Women's shot put thrower Sarah Leckman highlighted the first day for the Keydets by placing first in the event with a distance of 14.06 meters, just shy of her career-best mark of 14.20 meters set three weeks ago at the VMI Team Challenge. The personal victory was the third week in a row she has won the shot put.
 
In the men's 1000 meter, freshman Trent Whittaker rose to the occasion with a second-place mark of 2:28.18, an IC4A qualifier, and just ahead of Gavin Jenkins, who placed 10^th in 2:34.36. Senior Justin Adams showed well in the men's 5,000-meter by arriving in second in 15:18.99, while Carlos Fernandes came in fifth place in 15:26.93. Both were personal-best times for the event.
 
In the men's 400 meter, Jonathan Gray came in 10^th in 49.68 seconds ahead of fellow sophomore Rafael Mas, who placed 15^th in 50.52. Jordin Poindexter arrived in 19^th place overall in 50.90 seconds.
 
Freshman Marissa Linkous finished in fourth in the women's 400 meter in 57.35 and junior Ariana Ruffin placed sixth in 57.51.
 
"I am very proud of the competitive spirit of this team and its resilience," said VMI head coach Darrin Webb. "We just keep improving each week as a team.  Not everything was perfect, but overall we had some really good times and marks. There were many good performances, but I was certainly impressed by Whittaker's performance in the 1000 and both the men's and women's 400. 
 
"Now we just have to be ready to come out tomorrow and have another good day."
 
Against difficult competition, McKenna Dunn had an excellent performance in the women's pole vault by grabbing sixth place with a height of 3.50 meters (11'-5.75").
 
The women's 4x800 team of Logan Luckett, Tamara Washington, Olivia Smoot and Sara Belamarich placed seventh in 10:35.62.
 
Senior James Granderson placed 10^th in the men's 60-meter hurdles semifinals in 8.36 seconds, and Caleb Minus came in 19^th in the 60-meter dash semifinals in 7.08 seconds.
 
In the women's 60 meter, sophomore Ingrid Joseph arrived in 14^th in the preliminaries in 7.92 seconds before finishing 13^th in the semis in 7.95 seconds.
 
The VMI Indoor Classic resumes Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in the CPTF.