Blue Devils Set to Host Battle of the Blues

3/31/2017 11:42:00 AM | Track & Field

Battle of the Blues Preview Heat Sheets Schedule of Events A-Z Fan Guide ESPN3 Coverage Live Results

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Coming off a stellar performance at the Raleigh Relays last weekend, the Duke track & field program will be back in action with a home-field advantage, hosting the Battle of the Blues Saturday, April 1 in Morris Williams Stadium.

The meet will be free for all spectators to attend and ESPN3 will broadcast the meet live Saturday from 4 -8 p.m. Live results can be found here.

Duke will face off against ACC foe North Carolina and Big 10 competitor Michigan. In the latest Dual Meet Rankings, as released by the Track and Field News, the Wolverines top this weekend's participants at No. 17, followed by the 19th-ranked Tar Heels and the 22nd-ranked Blue Devils.

The Blue Devils registered 23 top-10 performances, one school record and six event marks that broke into the Duke all-time list last weekend in Raleigh and look to continue their success Saturday.

Freshman Katelyn Gochenour highlighted the Raleigh Relays with her collegiate debut in women's javelin by etching her name as the women's school record holder. Gochenour claimed first with a throw of 169-9 (51.75), surpassing Daina Pucurs' 2007 Duke record mark.

On the men's side was rookie Michael Marsack's second-place finish in 214-10 (65.48), the fourth-best throw in Duke history. Marsack and Gochenour hold the top spot in the ACC on the men's and women's events.

Also competing in field events was sophomore Rivers Ridout, who was the top-collegiate finisher in the invitational portion of the men's high jump. Ridout cleared 6-10.75 (2.10), the third-best mark in school history and is currently tied for third in the conference.

Women's pole vault carried their success from the indoor season to outdoor as they secured first, second and fourth in the invitational event. Junior Madison Heath claimed first with a 13-1.50 (4.00) clearance, followed by Nati Sheppard's second place 12-5.50 (3.80) showing. Freshman Chesney Ward rounded out a complete Blue Devil performance in fourth with a mark of 12-5.50 (3.80). Heath is currently tied for first, followed by Sheppard and Ward tied for fifth place in the ACC.

Competing for the men was senior Connor Hall with first in the invitational competition with a clearance of 16-7.25 (5.06), ranking first in the ACC.

Rounding out field events was sophomore Stefani Vukajlovic in the hammer throw with a fourth-place 186-6 (56.85) finish, replacing her previous second-best throw on Duke's all-time list. Vukajlovic is sixth in the ACC following week one of competition.

The women's sprint squad was outstanding in the 100m, sprint medley relay and in the 4x200m relay. Junior Maddy Price claimed first in the 100m in 11.69, followed by sophomore Sydnei Murphy in third (11.87) and senior Madeline Kopp in fourth (11.89), with Murphy's time etching her name on the Duke all-time list at No. 5. Price is ranked fifth in the ACC in the 100m, followed by Murphy ninth and Kopp 11th.

Kopp, Price, Murphy and MacKenzie Kerr clocked in at 3:55.07 in the sprint medley relay, the fourth-best time in Duke history. The sprinters continued to excel in the 4x200m with Murphy, Kopp, Kerr and Domonique Panton racing their way to a first-place finish in 1:36.79.

With the meet being a three-way scored event, individual event winners will be awarded five points, followed by three, two and one point for second through fourth place, respectively. In the relay events, a first-place finish will earn five points, while a second-place showing will be awarded three points.

The Battle of the Blues will officially begin at 10 a.m., Saturday with the women's and men's hammer throw. The rest of the field events will start at 1:30 p.m., with track events kicking off at 4 p.m.

A complete list of Blue Devils scheduled to compete can be found below:

Women's 100m – Domonique Panton, Maddy Price, Sydnei Murphy
Women's 200m – Jasmine Hill, Jaida Lemmons, MacKenzie Kerr, Maddy Price, Sydnei Murphy
Women's 400m – Jasmine Hill, Madeline Kopp, MacKenzie Kerr
Women's 800m – Liz Lansing, Kim Hallowes, Brittany Aveni
Women's 1,500m – Liz Lansing
Women's 3,000m – Gabrielle Richichi, Sheridan Wilbur, Sophia Parvizi-Wayne, Lindsay Billings
Women's 100m Hurdles – Tracy Jander, Jaida Lemmons
Women's 400m Hurdles – Tracy Jander
Women's 4x100m Relay – Sydnei Murphy, Madeline Kopp, Domonique Panton, Maddy Price
Women's 4x400m Relay – MacKenzie Kerr, Madeline Kopp, Brittany Aveni, Maddy Price
Women's High Jump – Tracy Jander, Cassie Martin
Women's Pole Vault – Nati Sheppard, Chesney Ward, Laura Marty, Madison Heath
Women's Long Jump – Sydnei Murphy, Jaida Lemmons
Women's Triple Jump – Domonique Panton
Women's Shot Put – Amarie Bremel
Women's Discus – Katelyn Gochenour, Amarie Bremel
Women's Hammer – Stefani Vukajlovic, Amarie Bremel
Women's Javelin – Jaida Lemmons, Christine Streisel, Katelyn Gochenour, Amarie Bremel