Blue Devils Complete First Night at Virginia Tech Elite Meet

Friday, February 7

Blacksburg, VA

Duke University

Day One at Va Tech Elite Meet

Duke Track and Field hosts the Duke Invitational at Morris-Williams Stadium in Durham, NC on April 20th, 2019.

Photo by: Mike Johnston

Blue Devils Complete First Night at Virginia Tech Elite Meet

2/7/2020 10:29:00 PM | Track & Field

BLACKSBURG, VA. – The Duke track & field team finished the first night of competition at the "Doc" Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet on Friday with two first-place performances.

Senior Brittany Aveni set a personal-best mark and qualified for the ACC Indoor Championships with a top time of 53.74 in the women's 400m. The time also ranks as the fourth-fastest in the 400 in program history. Meanwhile, sophomore Cole Rowan took the men's unseeded pole vault by clearing an ACC-qualifying 4.90m.

The Blue Devils took second, third and fourth place in the women's 60m hurdles. Junior Erin Marsh set a personal-record with an ACC-qualifying time of 8.38 to finish second, while freshmen Halle Bieber (8.57) and Isabel Wakefield (8.58) placed third and fourth, respectively.

Freshman Ezra Mellinger had a strong night for Duke, placing third in both the men's 60m (6.93) and long jump (7.04). His 6.93 time in the 60m was a seasonal best. Freshman Joseph Laster III also clocked a seasonal best at 6.94.

Another highlight came in the women's long jump, where Wakefield (5.85) and Marsh (5.78) took third and fourth place, respectively. Wakefield's distance marked a seasonal best and qualified her for ACC's.

Duke is back in action on Saturday at 11 a.m., with senior Chesney Ward set to compete in the women's pole vault.

#GoDuke

MEN:

Connor Atkinson	400m	50.02
Ben Beatty	Weight Throw, Shot Put	18.09m (WT)
Aiden Felty	Weight Throw, Shot Put	12.64m (WT)
Kyle Foltz	Pole Vault, 60m Hurdles, High Jump	9.04 (60m Hurdles), 3.70m (PV)
Joseph Laster	60m	6.99 (60m)
Ezra Mellinger	Long Jump, 60m	6.93 (60m), 7.04m (LJ)
Miles Mingo	400m, 200m	48.68 (400m)
Sean Rafique	400m	52.33
Cole Rowan	Pole Vault	4.90m (1st)
Jacob Sobota	200m
Esteban Suarez	Pole Vault
Mellinger, Mingo, Sobota, Atkinson	4x400m Relay

WOMEN:

Brittany Aveni	200m, 400m	53.74 (400m) (1st)
Halle Bieber	60m Hurdles, 400m	8.57 (60m Hurdles)
Elasia Campbell	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles	5.50m (LJ)
Virginia Capehart	200m, 400m, 800m	2:18.20 (800m), 59.20 (400m)
Jenna Crean	60m, 200m, 400m	7.95 (60m), 58.31 (400m)
Simi Gbadegesin	200m, 400m	57.65 (400m)
Lauren Hoffman	60m Hurdles, 400m	55.86 (400m)
Carly King	60m, 200m, 400m	8.02 (60m), DNS (400m)
Kate Kutzer	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles	5.51m (LJ)
Erin Marsh	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles	8.38 (60m Hurdles), 5.78m (LJ)
Maya Provencal	60m, 200m	7.80 (60m)
Kelcie Simmons	60m, 200m	DNS (60m)
Natalie Simmons	200m	59.22 (400m)
Kaeli Thompson	Pole Vault	3.47m
Chesney Ward	Pole Vault
Isabel Wakefield	Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, 60m Hurdles	8.58 (60m Hurdles), 5.85m (LJ)
K. Simmons, Aveni, N. Simmons, Hoffman	4x400 Relay