Javelin Throwers Lead Blue Devils At Wake Forest Open

Friday, March 21

Winston-Salem, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day One

Outdoor Season To Open In Winston-Salem At Wake Forest Open

Javelin Throwers Lead Blue Devils At Wake Forest Open

3/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Duke Outdoor Track and Field team competed in its first meet of the season this weekend at the Wake Forest Open at Kentner Stadium and had six performers qualify for the postseason in the first outdoor meet of 2008.

Women's: In the pole vault on Friday afternoon, freshman Amy Fryt vaulted 11'-9.75” and placed third in her first outdoor collegiate meet. That mark earned her the fifth spot on the all-time Duke outdoor pole vault records' list.

Junior Patricia Loughlin ran in the 5,000m on Friday night and clocked in at 17:42.19. That time won the event for her and qualified her for the ECAC Championships in May. It was the first time Loughlin had run the 5,000m outdoors as a Blue Devil.

Making her collegiate debut was freshman Amy Matulewicz in the javelin on Saturday morning. She placed third by tossing the spike 142'-3.” That distance earned her a bid to the ECAC's and ranks her third in the Duke record books in the javelin. Matulewicz just missed the NCAA regional qualifying mark of 142'-6.”

Men's: Redshirt freshmen John Austin, senior Mark DellaVolpe and junior Robert Weinstein highlighted the Wake Forest Open for Duke by all qualifying for the NCAA East Regional and the IC4A Championships in May in the javelin on Friday evening. Their marks of 215'-7,” 214'-6” and 203'-6” placed them third, fifth and ninth, respectively. The trio also earned the second, third and fourth-longest throws in Duke history. It was the first meet since Duke's appearance in the Wake Forest Open in 2007 for Austin, who had season-ending surgery on his elbow following that competition.

On Friday night, freshman Ryan McDermott ran a 9:12.30 in winning the 3,000m steeplechase. That qualified him for the IC4A's in his outdoor debut. He was just off of his personal best of 9:08.11 and the NCAA Regional qualifying time of 9:07.0.

A Look Ahead: The Duke Track and Field team will stay in the state of North Carolina again next weekend as its competes in the Raleigh Relays on March 28 and 29 in Raleigh, N.C.

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