McKeever Makes USA XC Team; Blue Devils Conclude VT Challenge

Friday, February 17

Blacksburg, Va.

All Day

Duke University

Virginia Tech Invitational

McKeever Makes USA XC Team; Blue Devils Conclude VT Challenge

2/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

NEW YORK/BLACKSBURG, Va. ? Amidst some of the best junior cross country competition in America, freshman Maddie McKeever qualified for a spot on the USA team that will compete at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Japan in April by finishing in the top six at the USA Cross Country Championships Saturday. McKeever completed the 6K course at Van Cortlandt Park in New York in 20:48, just three seconds off the winning time, to finish sixth in the junior race.

Senior teammates Sally Meyerhoff and Natasha Roetter competed in the senior women's race Saturday, with Meyerhoff finishing as the second collegiate runner to cross the line in 15th place overall with a 28:02 8K. Roetter clocked an even 30 minutes for 50th place.

A little further south, McKeever, Meyerhoff and Roetter's track and field teammates were finishing up at the two-day Virginia Tech Challenge in Blacksburg. Sophomore Lara Jones repeated an ECAC-qualifying performance with her fourth jump of at least 3.66m (12-0) in the pole vault to take fourth, while freshman Libby Jenke led the team with Duke's fastest time in the 800m this season -- 2:10.95 -- for second place.

Freshman Kelly McCann came just shy of her second ECAC qualifying time of the season, running a 57.84 400m for 13th place. McCann, who qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 500m Friday, is only half a second away from reaching the standard in the 400m.

In the men's competition, freshman Nick Trombold was the highest finisher, coming in 10th in the 400m with a time of 49.57, one that is only second on Duke's performance list this year to school-record holder Daniel King. Trombold's 49.57 ranks fourth in Blue Devil history.

Freshman Chris Rowland led a crew of Duke runners in the 800m, finishing 13th in 1:55.81, and junior Marco Salmen took 19th in the 3,000m in 8:43.5.

The Duke track and field team returns to Virginia Tech next week for the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Championships, while senior Shannon Rowbury and freshman Geary Gubbins will compete Sunday on the last day of the USA Cross Country Championships in New York. Gubbins will make an appearance in the men's 8,000m at 10 a.m., and Rowbury will follow in the senior women's 4,000m at 10:45.

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