Duke Strong on Day One at High Point

Friday, April 3

High Point, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day One at Vertklasse Meeting

Duke Strong on Day One at High Point

4/3/2015 7:15:00 PM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Duke track and field teams registered seven top-five finishes during the first day of the VertKlasse Meeting Friday, led by redshirt junior Stephen Boals' win in the men's shot put and sophomore Stephen Shine's victory in the men's 5,000m. In addition to the top-five performances, graduate student Erica Brand and sophomore Kendall Gustafson became the latest Blue Devils to record ACC automatic qualifying marks in their respective events.

In the men's shot put, Boals finished atop the competition, throwing 58-6.75 (17.85m) to best second place by over seven feet. The Loomis, Calif., native's mark is a new personal best and stands as the third-farthest performance in Duke history. Representing the Blue Devils in the women's shot put event, graduate student Erica Brand and redshirt sophomore Urina Harrell finished second and third, respectively. Brand tossed the implement 44-10.25 (13.67m) to earn runner-up honors and an invitation to the ACC Outdoor Championships, while Harrell produced a throw of 44-8.25 (13.62m).

Gustafson, the Blue Devils' lone competitor in the women's javelin, finished third with a toss of 128-1 (39.04m). With her best throw of the season, Gustafson topped the ACC qualifying standard for the event, listed at 38.87m.

On the track, Shine and junior William Hague took first and third in the men's 5,000m, clocking times of 14:42.74 and 14:55.98. Joining the pair in the race was junior Daniel Moore, placing 20^th with a 15:38.95 performance.

Competing in the men's 1,500m, freshman Sean Kelly took fourth. The top five finishers clocked times extremely close to one another, as Kelly's time of 3:54.55 was .48 seconds behind first and .30 seconds ahead of fifth. Fellow freshman Matt Luppino placed 18^th, running a time of 4:00.86.

In the men's 3,000m steeplechase, the Duke duo of junior Eddie Merenda and freshman Kyle Carrozza finished 18^th and 22^nd, respectively, notching times of 10:18.65 and 10:33.78.

The Blue Devils will return to Dick Vert Stadium for the second and final day of the VertKlasse Meeting Saturday, starting with running events at 9:30 a.m. A live stream of the meet will be available here from 2:30-5:30 p.m.

For complete results from day one's events, click here.

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