Blue Devils Set Record, Three ECAC/IC4A Marks To Wrap Up Duke Invite

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Blue Devils Set Record, Three ECAC/IC4A Marks To Wrap Up Duke Invite

4/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. -- Sophomore Daina Pucurs led the Blue Devils on the final day of the 19th annual Asics Duke Invitational by boosting her own school record in the javelin by four and a half feet. Pucurs, a two-sport star for Duke (she also plays volleyball), won the event for the second straight year and qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships with her throw of 155-4.

Pucurs was the second field performer to improve the Duke record in an event at the Duke Invite, following in the footsteps of junior Kelly Reynolds, who set a record in the hammer throw Friday. The javelin proved to be a strong event for the Blue Devils Saturday, as junior Beth Maher also yielded a top-five performance, throwing 132-6 for fifth place and a spot in the ECAC Championships in May at Princeton. Pucurs and Maher currently lead the Atlantic Coast Conference standings in the javelin.

The men's competition produced a pair of IC4A marks for the Blue Devils. Junior Daniel King, who set a personal best and IC4A-worthy time in the 200m Friday, repeated in the 400m Saturday, becoming the first Duke runner in 16 years to break the 48-second mark. King, who already held the third-best slot on the all-time top performances list in the 400m, improved his position with a time of 47.95, good enough for sixth place at the Duke Invitational.

Sophomore Ian Cassidy cleared 15-11 in the pole vault to finish in a tie for first place and qualify for the IC4A Championships. Cassidy joined Pucurs (javelin), Reynolds (hammer), junior Debra Vento (high jump) and sophomore Chris Spooner (1500m) as title winners at this year's Duke Invitational. Two of the three returning 2005 champions repeated with titles this year, as Pucurs won her second consecutive javelin championship, and Vento won her third straight high jump title. Sophomore Jade Ellis, last year's long jump winner, took second in the triple jump Friday but tore his achilles and was not able to perform in the long jump Saturday. Ellis will redshirt this year's outdoor season.

The Blue Devils will be back in action next Saturday and Sunday at the Sea Ray Relays, hosted by the University of Tennessee.

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