Blue Devils Set for "Doc" Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet

Friday, February 7

Blacksburg, VA

Duke University

Day One at Va Tech Elite Meet

Athletes compete during the 2019 ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Blacksburg, Va., Saturday Feb. 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Shroyer, the ACC)

Photo by: Michael Shroyer, the ACC

Blue Devils Set for "Doc" Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet

2/6/2020 11:00:00 AM | Track & Field

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS HEAT SHEETS (PDF)LIVE RESULTS

DURHAM, N.C. – Following a week away from competition, members of the Duke track & field team will travel to Blacksburg, Va., to take part in the "Doc" Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet Feb. 7-8.

Friday night's competition will begin with field events, with Duke's lineup headlined by freshman Ezra Mellinger in the men's long jump. Mellinger qualified for the ACC Indoor Championships with a 7.18 (23-6.75) mark at the Virginia Tech Invitational – which also stands as the fourth-best all-time performance at Duke.

Also slated for Friday night is redshirt-junior Ben Beatty, who will look to continue a strong start to the indoor season in the men's weight throw. Beatty has posted two top-five marks in his first three competitions, with his ACC-qualifying throw of 17.92 (58-9.50) at the Virginia Tech Invitational ranking third in program history. He will also compete in the men's shot put on Saturday, which he qualified in with a mark of 17.38m the last time in Blacksburg.

Field events on Saturday will include the men's and women's pole vault. On the women's side, senior Chesney Ward will aim for an ACC-qualifying clearance of 3.97m after a 3.90m mark that placed her fifth at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge in New York City two weeks ago. Representing the men will be senior Esteban Suarez, who qualified for ACC's in the season-opening Carolina Challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C., with a mark of 4.95 (16-2.75).

Kicking off the track events on Friday will be sophomore Virginia Capehart in the women's 800m. Capehart placed in the top five in her two previous 800's, including a second-place showing at the Carolina Challenge. The women's 60m hurdles will follow, where five Blue Devils are set to compete, including freshmen Halle Bieber and Elasia Campbell – both of whom set seasonal-best marks in the event at the Columbia Challenge.

Campbell will take part in the women's high jump on Saturday, an event she placed first in at the Carolina Challenge and first in the heptathlon event at the Columbia Challenge. Her clearance of 1.75 (5-8.75) in Chapel Hill is tied for the third-best mark in the ACC this indoor season.

Eight Duke participants will be competing in the women's 800m, led by sophomore Kelcie Simmons – who had a second-place showing in the 800 at the Virginia Tech Invitational – as well as junior Simi Gbadegesin and freshman Maya Provencal, who placed third and fourth, respectively, at the Carolina Challenge.

Competition will conclude on Saturday with the men's and women's 4x400m relay.

#GoDuke

MEN:

Connor Atkinson	400m
Ben Beatty	Weight Throw, Shot Put
Aiden Felty	Weight Throw, Shot Put
Kyle Foltz	Pole Vault, 60m Hurdles, High Jump
Joseph Laster	60m
Ezra Mellinger	Long Jump, 60m
Miles Mingo	400m, 200m
Cole Rowan	Pole Vault
Jacob Sobota	200m
Esteban Suarez	Pole Vault
Mellinger, Mingo, Sobota, Atkinson	4x400m Relay

WOMEN:

Brittany Aveni	200m, 400m
Halle Bieber	60m Hurdles, 400m
Elasia Campbell	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles
Virginia Capehart	200m, 400m, 800m
Jenna Crean	60m, 200m, 400m
Simi Gbadegesin	200m, 400m
Lauren Hoffman	60m Hurdles, 400m
Carly King	60m, 200m, 400m
Kate Kutzer	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles
Erin Marsh	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles
Maya Provencal	60m, 200m
Kelcie Simmons	60m, 200m
Natalie Simmons	200m
Kaeli Thompson	Pole Vault
Chesney Ward	Pole Vault
Isabel Wakefield	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles
K. Simmons, Aveni, N. Simmons, Hoffman	4x400 Relay