BLACKSBURG, Va. -- East Carolina's men's and women's track and field teams closed competition Saturday at the Virginia Tech Invitational with 18 top-10 finishes and six ECAC/IC4A qualifying marks. Over 16 collegiate teams and numerous post-collegiate athletes took to the Rector Field House track during the two-day unscored meet.

The meet was the first full-squad competition for both the Pirate men and women in the 2003-04 indoor season.

ECU's men enjoyed an encouraging day on Saturday, particularly in the 200 meters where Thomas Lewis and Deandre Hyman finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Lewis, at 22.01, and Hyman, at 22.05, both exceeded the qualifying mark for the IC4A Indoor Championships in March.

Also reaching the IC4A standard were Domonick Richmond in the 400 (48.50), Ricardo Bell in the 500 (1:04.68), and the 4x400 relay team, which placed fourth with a clocking of 3:16.25.

Among the highlights for the women's team on Saturday was the performance of Tara DeBrielle in the 800 meters. DeBrielle, who met her ECAC qualifying mark in the 500 meters on Friday, placed seventh in the 800 on Saturday with a time of 2:14.82.

High jumper Colleen McGinn had the best individual finish as she placed second in her event's competition by clearing 5-6.5.

Team newcomers Jenee Moore and Alisha Hopkins tied for eighth in the long jump, both recording marks of 17-6.75.

Darneshea Jones, participating in her first race in over a year after missing last season with an injury, clocked in at 25.55 in the 200-meter run, placing 15th.

On Friday, Tammie Mentzel matched her own school record in the pole vault by clearing 11-11.75. She had already qualified for the ECAC meet last weekend.

"All in all, this was a nice first meet for the whole team," ECU women's track coach Matt Munson said. "We had pleasant surprises from a lot of people. This was a good chance for us to assess where we are and now we can begin to work toward the body of the season."

The Lady Pirates are scheduled to return to action next weekend at the Carolina Multis meet in Chapel Hill, N.C. That same weekend, selected Pirate men and women will travel to Gainesville, Fla., to participate in the Gator Invitational.

COMPLETE ECU RESULTS: WOMEN

60 Meters (preliminaries)
25. Kelsey Walker      8.13

60 Meter Hurdles (preliminaries)
18. Nicole Callaham    9.53
22. Sharon Heilig      9.75

200 Meters
15. Darneshea Jones    25.55
45. Kelsey Walker      27.28
54. Nicole Callaham    27.94

400 Meters
29. Simone Baptiste    1:02.44
34. Carla Wabibi       1:04.80

500 Meters
 9. Tara DeBrielle     1:16.50*
31. Simone Baptiste    1:23.13
33. Brie Berkowitz     1:24.74
34. Carla Wabibi       1:25.16

800 Meters
 7. Tara DeBrielle     2:14.82
 
1,000 Meters
18. Rebekah Bishop     3:13.65

Mile
24. Rebekah Bishop     5:15.57

3,000 Meters
24. Johanna Allen      10:32.78

High Jump
 2. Colleen McGinn     5-6.5

Long Jump
t8. Alisha Hopkins     17-6.75
t8. Jenee Moore        17-6.75

Pole Vault
 2. Tammie Mentzel     11-11.75
 3. Lindsey Rosales    11-5.75
 9. Nicole Marchewka   10-5.75
15. Kinsey Batts       10-0

COMPLETE ECU RESULTS: MEN

60 Meter Hurdles (preliminaries)
20. Hector Cotto       8.71
30. Mark McGee         9.82

200 Meters
 6. Thomas Lewis       22.01*
 7. Deandre Hyman      22.05*
29. Jeff Walls         23.30

400 Meters
10. Domonick Richmond  48.50*
14. Michael Hillian    49.29
23. Mar'Ques Woolford  50.45

500 Meters
 7. Ricardo Bell       1:04.68*
12. Vance Stephenson   1:06.40
22. Kyle Yunaska       1:08.20

800 Meters
 8. Vance Stephenson   1:57.70
 9. Ricardo Bell       1:58.01
16. Kyle Yunaska       2:00.34
22. Trent Fuchs        2:02.37

1,000 Meters
16. Trent Fuchs        2:36.31

Mile
30. James McClellan    4:38.24

3,000 Meters
21. Craig Schmidt      9:02.51

5,000 Meters
13. Stephen Tausend    16:01.48

4x400 Relay
 4. Lewis, Hillian,    3:16.25*
    Richmond, Henderson
 8. Walls, Hyman,      3:22.55
    Cotto, Woolford

4x800 Relay
 5. Stephenson, Bell,  8:03.39
    Yunaska, Fuchs

Long Jump
 9. Renaldo Isaac      21-10.25

* denotes new ECAC/IC4A qualifying mark