Virginia Tech track coach preparing for first nationals

Kristi Castlin is seeded third entering today's 100-meter hurdles competition at the NCAA nationals in Arkansas. Virginia Tech hurdler Kristi Castlin missed last year's outdoor nationals because of a strained leg muscle.

On the eve of his first NCAA national meet as a Virginia Tech track and field assistant coach, Emmanuel Daux spoke with mixed emotions about the four-day event at the University of Arkansas.

He felt disappointed that junior Queen Harrison, a Hermitage High graduate and one of the nation's best collegiate hurdlers, won't compete because of injuries to both hamstrings that have bothered her since the indoor season. The injuries prevented her from competing at the NCAA East Region meet, so she couldn't qualify for nationals.

Harrison missed last year's national meet after she pulled her left hamstring while running in the 400-meter relay preliminaries. But she rebounded two weeks later at the United States Olympic Trials, finishing second in the 400 hurdles to earn a spot on the team. She advanced to the semifinals in Beijing.

Daux knows that if Harrison were healthy, she could chase a national title this weekend. Her top 400 hurdles time this spring, 56.03 seconds, ranks as the NCAA's best. So on Tuesday night Daux dubbed her injuries not only "frustrating" but also "a little depressing."

But a few moments later, Daux's mood improved as he talked about one of the eight Hokies who is competing in Arkansas, junior Kristi Castlin, Tech's entry in the 100 hurdles. She ran 12.89 seconds at the regional meet -- her personal-best time not aided by wind -- and is seeded third in the event, whose first round begins tonight, on the meet's second day.

"To be honest with you, I believe she's gonna win it," Daux said.

That bold statement aside, Daux said he uses more a relaxed approach than his predecessor as the Hokies' sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers coach. Lawrence "Boogie" Johnson left last summer to become Clemson's head coach after spending four years at Tech.

"He's in your face from the time you start practice until the time you're done," said Daux, who was Hampton University's interim head coach last season. "I'm gonna make corrections, but besides that, I don't say too much."

Daux inherited a talented group that thrived under Johnson. (Junior Asia Washington was seeded fourth in the 400 hurdles at nationals and finished first in her preliminary heat last night, advancing to tonight's semifinals.) When Daux arrived in Blacksburg, he wasn't sure how the Hokies would react to a new face.

"You just kind of prepare yourself for a little bit of resistance," he said. "Maybe they'll question what you're doing." Instead, Daux said, "It's been an easier process than I expected."

Castlin and Harrison benefited from competing against each other every day in practice. Though Castlin doesn't run the 400 hurdles, Harrison's best 100 hurdle time this spring, 12.98, would have placed her as the fifth seed at nationals.

"To them, it was a track meet every day in practice," Daux said. "You show up to practice, you know you have to work. When it came to the meet, it became second nature."

Competing at nationals and on big stages is getting to become second nature for Castlin, though she is still pursuing her first NCAA title. As a freshman, she finished ninth in the 100 hurdles at nationals, then won the event at the Pan American Junior Championships. As a sophomore, she finished second at nationals in the event's indoor equivalent, the 60 hurdles. She was third this year.

Castlin missed last year's outdoor nationals because of a strained leg muscle. Now that she is here again, she must face Michigan senior Tiffany Ofili, who beat her to win both of those 60 hurdles championships and has also won the past two 100 hurdles national titles. Ofili has the best seed time, 12.82, entering tonight.

But based on his daily interactions with Castlin, and noticing how her outlook mirrors his, Daux thinks she is ready to finally get past Ofili. "What I've seen is her attitude," Daux said. "She's confident. You can see it. You start reading that, and as a coach you have a good feeling about it. She's highly confident this is her W."

Contact Darryl Slater at (804) 649-6026 or dslater@timesdispatch.com