Clark Smashes ACC Record at Armory Track Invite

Saturday, February 6

New York, N.Y.

9:00 AM

Duke University

Day Two at Armory Track Invitational

Clark Smashes ACC Record at Armory Track Invite

2/6/2016 9:12:00 PM | Track & Field

Meet Results

By: Duke Sports Information

NEW YORK CITY – Senior Megan Clark broke the ACC record in the women's pole vault to highlight the 17^th-ranked Duke women's track & field team placing second in the team standings at the Armory Track Invitational this weekend in New York City. In the men's standings, Duke placed fifth among 60 teams, the same number of schools that participated in the women's competition. The Duke women now own a 60-2 record on the season, while the men stand at 57-5.

In her historic performance in the women's pole vault college competition that ultimately earned female performer of the meet honors, Clark cleared a winning height of 15-1.00 (4.60m) to set both the school and conference record and become just the fourth woman to break the 15-foot barrier in NCAA history, joining Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin, Sandi Morris of Arkansas and Kaitlin Petrillose of Texas. The vault is currently the top mark in NCAA Division I this season, with the next closest being 14-9.00 (4.50m). The Fort Benning, Ga., product was joined in the top three of the event by teammate Madison Heath, claiming third with her clearance of 13-5.25 (4.10m).

In addition to Clark's win, the Blue Devils secured two other victories on the track. Senior Anima Banks raced to a first-place performance in the women's 800 college division, stopping the clock in 2:06.48. Banks' showing marked the second straight week she has produced a stellar 800 time after she placed fourth in the event with a converted 2:05.10 at last weekend's Camel City Invitational.

Teaming up in the women's 4x200 relay college race, Teddi Maslowski, Madeline Kopp, India Lowe and Maddy Price combined for a time of 1:37.51, good for first place in the event and the second-fastest time in Duke history. Kopp, Kerr and Price, along with Banks, returned to the track later in the women's 4x400 relay invitational and showed they still had gas left in the tank, blazing to a combined time of 3:39.80 to finish fourth overall and log the No. 2 time in the Duke records book.

The Duke men also had a number of successful relay squads compete Saturday, with all three placing top three in their respective races. Setting a school record was the 4x200 team of Brett Bofinger, Robert Rohner, Matthew Rodio and Chaz Hawkins as they clocked a time of 1:27.43 to place third in the college competition. Junior Michael Wilson joined Bofinger, Rohner and Hawkins later on in the 4x400 college race, combining to take second with a 3:15.53, the third-fastest time all-time at Duke. The men's 4x800 squad of Kyle Francis, Jordan Burton, Michal Filipczak and Dylan Murphy garnered runner-up honors in the college race, as well, crossing the line in a total time of 7:34.51.

Rounding out the action on the track, a pair of Blue Devils earned top-10 finishes in the mile races. Running for the women, senior Olivia Anderson clocked the fastest time by a Blue Devil this season as she crossed the line in 4:49.23 to take sixth in the college division, while junior Alec Kunzweiler placed ninth overall in the men's college race with a time of 4:14.99.

In the rest of the field events, freshmen Sydnei Murphy and Domonique Panton etched their names among the top-five triple jumpers in program history. In her first collegiate triple jump event, Murphy placed 12^th in the college division with a leap of 39-5.00 (12.01m), followed by Panton in 14^th with her distance of 38-11.75 (11.88m). The jumps are the second and third-best marks in Duke history. Competing in the women's high jump, senior Maddie Morrow captured third after clearing 5-7.25 (1.71m), just short of her personal-best 5-8.00 (1.73m). For the men, senior Michael Foley took 10^th in the men's weight throw college competition, tossing the implement 53-7.00 (16.33m).