The No. 7-ranked Hokies claimed its fourth indoor crown at the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, held on Feb. 23-25, at Notre Dame's Loftus Sports Center in South Bend, Indiana.
The Hokies scored 109 points, outlasting in-state rival Virginia by 11 points. Florida State came in third with 86 points, while Clemson (76) and Syracuse (47) rounded out the top five, placing fourth and fifth, respectively.
It was to no surprise that the Hokies were crowned the 2017 ACC champs. However, the records set along the way were a shock to everyone, including the team itself.
Redshirt junior Vincent Ciattei claimed gold in the men's mile for the Hokies. Virginia's Henry Wynne was the fan favorite heading into the race, but Ciattei used a tremendous kick on the final straighaway to surge ahead of Wynne, the 2016 defending national champion, to score the upset of the weekend. Ciattei marked a career-best time of 4:01.04 for the win.
Additionally, sophomore Diego Zarate captured bronze and finished with a career-best time of 4:02.72.
Four of five Tech athletes competing in the men's pole vault racked up points toward the team total, with redshirt junior Torben Laidig claiming a gold medal. Laidig finished with an ACC Championship meet record, vaulting a height of 5.55 meters (18 ft., 2.5 in.). Sophomore Deakin Volz, who also owns the ACC record in the pole vault, earned a silver medal with a vault of 5.50 meters (18 ft., .5 in).
Tech had the ability to take the title in the 800-meter race from the get-go, as senior Drew Piazza recorded the fastest time in Friday's prelims. However, it was redshirt junior Patrick Joseph who ultimately won the race, beating Piazza on the final lap to claim gold. Joseph finished the race with a school-record time of 1:46.23 for the win. He also notched an ACC Championship meet record in the event.
Piazza finished the race with a lifetime-best mark of 1:46.42 - good enough for a silver-medal finish.
Credits:
Photos were provided by the Atlantic Coast Conference.