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Blue Devils Add Six Transfers for 2021-22 Season
7/19/2021 2:00:00 PM | Cross Country, Track & Field
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Shawn Wilbourn has announced the addition of six student-athletes, who will join Duke track & field as graduate transfers for the 2021-22 season.
Joining the Blue Devils will be Mohammad Almarhoun (Jumps – Arizona), Nick Dahl (Distance – Yale), Erick Duffy (Pole Vault – Harvard), Michael Fairbanks (Pole Vault – William & Mary), Christopher Shanahan (Javelin – Providence) and Donovan Spearman (Sprints – Dartmouth). The six join Melia Chittenden (Distance – Princeton) in a deep group of transfers who will continue their academic and athletic careers as Blue Devils.
"As we continue to build the men's program, I'm enthusiastic about this collection of student-athletes transferring in," said Wilbourn. "They are an accomplished bunch that will provide points for us in a variety of event groups and help us both in cross country, in the field and on the track."
Mohammad Almarhoun
Hailing from Safwa, Saudi Arabia, Almarhoun joins the Blue Devils after completing his undergraduate career at Arizona, where he spent one season under new assistant coach Tatijana Jacobson. A specialist in the long jump, Almarhoun enters Duke with a personal best of 7.11m (23-4 feet) set at the 2020 Larry Wieczorek Invitational. In high school, Almarhoun was the Saudi national champion in the long jump and decathlon and has represented his home nation on the national stage in seven different countries.
Nick Dahl
A native of Philadelphia, Pa., Dahl heads to Durham following a decorated tenure at Yale. An accomplished student-athlete, Dahl was the 2020 Ivy League Champion in the mile, running a time of 4:09.29, while also taking bronze as a part of the DMR at the same championships. Dahl also qualified for the 2019 NCAA East Regional in the 1500m and 2019 NCAA Northeast Regional in cross country. As an unattached runner this season, Dahl notched personal bests in the 800m (1:48.80) and 1500m (3:38.60). The future Blue Devil is also a decorated student, having been name to two CoSIDA Academic All-District teams, three Academic All-Ivy honors and one USTFCCCA All-Academic distinction.
Erick Duffy
Coming to Durham from Harvard, Duffy brings an accomplished pole vaulting pedigree to the Blue Devils. A three-time Ivy League medalist, 2019 ECAC champion and 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championship qualifier, Duffy also set the second-best outdoor mark in Harvard history at 5.41m (17-9 feet). The North Andover, Mass., native is a two-time All-Ivy League Second Team honoree and notched 21 top-five finishes in pole vault events in his tenure with the Crimson.
Michael Fairbanks
A native of Fairfax Station, Va., Fairbanks joins the Blue Devils from William & Mary as another piece of the program's rich pole vaulting tradition. One of the strongest pole vaulters in the Colonial Athletic Association, Fairbanks is a three-time CAA champion in the event, most recently winning the 2021 CAA Championship with a mark of 4.89m (16-0.5 feet). Fairbanks is also a two-time NCAA East Regional qualifier, with a personal best of 15th place in this season's event. His personal best mark of 5.43m (17-9.75 feet) is a William & Mary school record and was set on March 27 at the 2021 Navy Spring Meet. A gifted student, Fairbanks has also won William & Mary's Provost Award for a GPA of over 3.5 and been named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team on two occasions.
Christopher Shanahan
Originally from Westwood, Mass., Shanahan comes to Duke after spending his undergraduate tenure at Providence. Shanahan leaves Providence as one of its most decorated javelin throwers, having set the school record on multiple occasions. His final event of the season earned him a bronze medal at the Big East Outdoor Championships, as he broke his own school record with a mark of 63.51m (208-4 feet). Shanahan has won two Big East bronze medals in the javelin, has twice been named to the All-Big East Team and was a two-time Big East Field Athlete of the Week.
A product of Gardena, Calif., Spearman joins Duke track & field after a successful undergraduate tenure at Dartmouth. An accomplished sprinter, Spearman won three medals at the Ivy League Championships in his time with the Big Green, most recently finishing second in the 60m dash with a time of 6.82 at the 2020 Ivy League Indoor Championship. A two-time All-Ivy League honoree, Spearman won 16 individual events from 2017-20, splitting time between the 60m, 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils track & field, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeTFXC."
#GoDuke
Joining the Blue Devils will be Mohammad Almarhoun (Jumps – Arizona), Nick Dahl (Distance – Yale), Erick Duffy (Pole Vault – Harvard), Michael Fairbanks (Pole Vault – William & Mary), Christopher Shanahan (Javelin – Providence) and Donovan Spearman (Sprints – Dartmouth). The six join Melia Chittenden (Distance – Princeton) in a deep group of transfers who will continue their academic and athletic careers as Blue Devils.
"As we continue to build the men's program, I'm enthusiastic about this collection of student-athletes transferring in," said Wilbourn. "They are an accomplished bunch that will provide points for us in a variety of event groups and help us both in cross country, in the field and on the track."
Mohammad Almarhoun
Hailing from Safwa, Saudi Arabia, Almarhoun joins the Blue Devils after completing his undergraduate career at Arizona, where he spent one season under new assistant coach Tatijana Jacobson. A specialist in the long jump, Almarhoun enters Duke with a personal best of 7.11m (23-4 feet) set at the 2020 Larry Wieczorek Invitational. In high school, Almarhoun was the Saudi national champion in the long jump and decathlon and has represented his home nation on the national stage in seven different countries.
Nick Dahl
A native of Philadelphia, Pa., Dahl heads to Durham following a decorated tenure at Yale. An accomplished student-athlete, Dahl was the 2020 Ivy League Champion in the mile, running a time of 4:09.29, while also taking bronze as a part of the DMR at the same championships. Dahl also qualified for the 2019 NCAA East Regional in the 1500m and 2019 NCAA Northeast Regional in cross country. As an unattached runner this season, Dahl notched personal bests in the 800m (1:48.80) and 1500m (3:38.60). The future Blue Devil is also a decorated student, having been name to two CoSIDA Academic All-District teams, three Academic All-Ivy honors and one USTFCCCA All-Academic distinction.
Erick Duffy
Coming to Durham from Harvard, Duffy brings an accomplished pole vaulting pedigree to the Blue Devils. A three-time Ivy League medalist, 2019 ECAC champion and 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championship qualifier, Duffy also set the second-best outdoor mark in Harvard history at 5.41m (17-9 feet). The North Andover, Mass., native is a two-time All-Ivy League Second Team honoree and notched 21 top-five finishes in pole vault events in his tenure with the Crimson.
Michael Fairbanks
A native of Fairfax Station, Va., Fairbanks joins the Blue Devils from William & Mary as another piece of the program's rich pole vaulting tradition. One of the strongest pole vaulters in the Colonial Athletic Association, Fairbanks is a three-time CAA champion in the event, most recently winning the 2021 CAA Championship with a mark of 4.89m (16-0.5 feet). Fairbanks is also a two-time NCAA East Regional qualifier, with a personal best of 15th place in this season's event. His personal best mark of 5.43m (17-9.75 feet) is a William & Mary school record and was set on March 27 at the 2021 Navy Spring Meet. A gifted student, Fairbanks has also won William & Mary's Provost Award for a GPA of over 3.5 and been named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team on two occasions.
Christopher Shanahan
Originally from Westwood, Mass., Shanahan comes to Duke after spending his undergraduate tenure at Providence. Shanahan leaves Providence as one of its most decorated javelin throwers, having set the school record on multiple occasions. His final event of the season earned him a bronze medal at the Big East Outdoor Championships, as he broke his own school record with a mark of 63.51m (208-4 feet). Shanahan has won two Big East bronze medals in the javelin, has twice been named to the All-Big East Team and was a two-time Big East Field Athlete of the Week.
Donovan Spearman
A product of Gardena, Calif., Spearman joins Duke track & field after a successful undergraduate tenure at Dartmouth. An accomplished sprinter, Spearman won three medals at the Ivy League Championships in his time with the Big Green, most recently finishing second in the 60m dash with a time of 6.82 at the 2020 Ivy League Indoor Championship. A two-time All-Ivy League honoree, Spearman won 16 individual events from 2017-20, splitting time between the 60m, 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils track & field, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeTFXC."
#GoDuke
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