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VA Tech Men's DMR Wins Program's First NCAA Title In Distance Event

VA Tech Men's DMR Wins Program's First NCAA Title In Distance Event

The Virginia Tech quartet of Vincent Ciattei, Greg Chiles, Patrick Joseph, and Neil Gourley combined to win the NCAA DMR title.

Mar 10, 2018 by Johanna Gretschel
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (09-March) -- The Virginia Tech quartet of Vincent Ciattei, Greg Chiles, Patrick Joseph, and Neil Gourley made program history tonight by winning the distance medley relay for the school's first-ever national title in a distance event. 

The team combined to run a time of 9:30.76 to take the win over Notre Dame, who ran 9:31.22 for second place, and Oregon, who ran 9:31.45.

Watch highlights from the men's DMR final below:

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The win shouldn't be too surprising as the Hokies boast one of the strongest middle distance corps in the nation; Ciattei, Joseph and Gourley all advanced to the mile final tomorrow.



The Hokies were in seventh place at the first exchange as Notre Dame's Jacob Dumford led Utah State and Stanford with a split of 2:56.73. Utah State's Brady Martin took the advantage at the 400m leg with a split of 46.96 but on the penultimate leg, it was the Hokies who shone brightest with a blazing 1:46.23 leg from Patrick Joseph. 

From there, Gourley had a nearly half-second lead over Oregon's anchor, James West, which he was able to extend to a second and a half by the end of the race.

Watch the post-race interview with Neil Gourley below:

Gourley Secures DMR Title For Hokies


Notre Dame's anchor Yared Nuguse, a true freshman, nearly stole the show at the end of the race as he sped past West for runner-up honors. He split 3:56.90, the second-fastest of the race behind only Utah State's Dillon Maggard (3:56.53).

Pre-meet favorites New Mexico did end up putting their star miler, Josh Kerr, on the anchor but he received the baton in sixth place, almost three seconds behind Virginia Tech and conceivably out of contention for the win unless he were to split close to his personal best of 3:54.72. Kerr settled for 12th out of 12 teams, splitting 4:20.30 for a final time of 9:55.11.