Chesney Ward

Duke Track and Field takes on Headshots in Kennedy Tower in Durham, NC on September 17, 2019.

Position:
Pole Vault
Height:
5-3
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Greensboro, N.C.

Honors: 2020 All-ACC Second Team (Pole Vault, Indoor), 2017 NCAA East First Round Participant (Pole Vault, Outdoor), 2017 All-ACC Second Team (Pole Vault, Outdoor)

2020-21 T&F: Opened the outdoor season in the pole vault with a clearance of 3.70m (12-1.5 feet) to finish fifth at the Tobacco Road Challenge (4/10).

2019-20 T&F: Competed in seven meets during the indoor campaign, placing in the top 10 four times ... opened the season at the Dick Taylor Carolina Challenge (1/11), where she jumped 3.82m for fourth overall ... took fifth at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge (1/24) with a height of 3.90m ... jumped 3.80m for a second-place result at the JDL DMR Invitational (2/21) ... earned second-team All-ACC status at the ACC Indoor Championships (2/29), placing sixth with a seasonal-best height of 4.05m (13-3.5 feet) ... did not compete in any outdoor events due to the season being cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2018-19 T&F: Competed in pole vault throughout the indoor and outdoor season … placed fourth in pole vault with mark of 3.85m at the Camel City Invitational (2/1) … at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational (2/8), jumped 3.98m and finished fifth … notched a mark of 3.87m in the ACC Outdoor Championships (5/9), earning ninth place.

2017-18 T&F: A pole vaulter who competed in five competitions during the indoor season and three competitions during the outdoor campaign … posted her highest mark of the indoor season at the UCS Invite (2/17) where she cleared 12-11.5 to earn a fifth-place finish … placed fifth at the Armory Invite (1/27), clearing 12-5.5 … qualified for the ACC Indoor Championships, finishing in 14^th after clearing 12-5.5 … earned a fifth-place finish at the Virginia Grand Prix (4/28), clearing 12-9.50, tying her best mark of the season … qualified for the ACC Outdoor Championships, where she finished in 10^th place after clearing 12-9.50.

2016-17 T&F: Participated in four events during the indoor season and in seven events during the outdoor campaign, specializing in the pole vault…Finished in third place at both the Armory Invitational (2/4) and at the Liberty Invitational (2/11), as well as in fourth place at the Carolina Cup (1/13)…Cleared the fifth highest mark in school history when she reached 13-4.25 (4.07) to finish in seventh place at the VT Challenge (2/18)…Finished in the top ten in each of her first five outdoor meets…Cleared 13- 2.50 (4.03) at the ACC Outdoor Championships (5/14) to finish in sixth place…Recorded a new personal-best at the NCAA East Preliminaries (5/27) as she cleared 13-5.25 (4.10) to finish in 14th place.

Prior to Duke: Lettered all four years under Anne Popek while attending Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, N.C…2016 New Balance Outdoor Nationals finalist…2015 New Balance Indoor Nationals finalist…North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Indoor and Outdoor State champion in 2016…placed fourth in the 2015 USATF World Youth Track and Field Trials…Women’s Indoor Track and Field MVP Runner (2012, 2014, 2016)…Coach Ronnie Smith Indoor Track Award recipient (2013, 2016)…lettered three years in cross country and was a regional qualifier…member of the National Honor Society…winner of the Sedgefield Women’s Club Arts Festival Competition in 2013…North Carolina All-State honors in orchestra (2012-15).

Personal: Daughter of Pam and Ron Ward…born on April 9, 1998 in Annapolis, Md…has one brother, Chandler, and one sister, Charla…father ran track at the University of Maryland Baltimore County…aunt and uncle competed in track and field at Syracuse…aunt holds the women’s 400m record at Syracuse.

Duke Indoor PR
Pole Vault – 4.07m (2/17/2017)

Duke Outdoor PR
Pole Vault – 4.10 (5/25/2017)

Last Updated on April 15, 2021