North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
VA Tech Invitational
Graham Wins 60-meters at VT Invitational
1/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track
Jan. 14, 2011
BLACKSBURG, Va. - NC State sophomore T.J. Graham, a new addition to the Wolfpack indoor track and field team after finishing his duties as a wide receiver in football, opened his college track career in style, winning the 60-meter dash at the Virginia Tech Invitational Friday evening.
Graham, who won both the 100- and 200-meter outdoor state championships for Raleigh's Wakefield High School in 2008, won the 60-meter dash at Rector Field House on the Virginia Tech campus.
Graham recorded the second best time (a personal best 6.72 seconds) in the preliminaries, then edged Hokie sprinter Keith Ricks with a time of 6.70 seconds to win in his first college meet. It is the second best time in school history, behind the 6.60 seconds run by A'Tolani Akinkuotu last season.
The speedy Graham was a big contributor to NC State's Champs Sports Bowl champion football squad, catching 23 passes in the 2010 regular season for 309 yards, returning 19 punts for 154 yards (including a 87-yard, go-ahead touchdown return against North Carolina) and returning 27 kickoffs for 512 yards.
The Wolfpack women also fared well in meet, especially in the weight throw, where junior Lawanda Henry, sophomore Jessica Sanders and junior Brittany Hampton finished second, third and fourth, respectively, behind current U.S. champion Amber Campbell, who entered the event as an unattached participant.
Henry's toss of 60 feet, 7 ¾ inches is the third best in school history, behind her own school record of 64 feet, ½ inch.
Other standouts in the first day of action include junior Kwame Boatwright, who was sixth in the triple jump (14.59 meters) and sophomore Grant Pearce, who was sixth in the weight throw (16.95 meters).
The two-day event concludes Saturday, with a full slate of events, beginning at 11 a.m. Live statistics are available here.
