Duke Wraps Up Orange and Purple Elite Meet

Saturday, January 9

Clemson, S.C.

Duke University

Orange and Purple Elite Meet

Duke Wraps Up Orange and Purple Elite Meet

1/9/2021 6:03:00 PM | Track & Field

RESULTS

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke track & field team kicked off the 2021 indoor season at the Orange and Purple Elite meet in Clemson, S.C., on Saturday.

The Blue Devils were represented by 19 competitors in 16 total events in a meet that featured the host school, Clemson, as well as Georgia Tech, Southern Wesleyan and unattached participants. It marked the first meet for Duke under interim head coach Shawn Wilbourn, who was promoted from associate head coach in July of 2020.

Sophomore Ezra Mellinger took first place in three events on the day to highlight the Duke performances. The native of Ronks, Pa., got it started in the men's long jump, where he recorded a jump of 7.27m to set a new personal record. He would also pace the field in the 60m dash, clocking 6.97 seconds, and the 200m, finishing at 21.89.

Sophomore Brynn King led off the morning for the Blue Devils with a first-place height of 4.00 meters in the women's pole vault – nearly a full meter higher than the second-place competitor. Next up was sophomore Beau Allen, who was looking to carry over a strong freshman campaign in the men's high jump. Allen took second place in the event, clearing 2.05 meters.

In the women's high jump, sophomore Elasia Campbell picked up where she left off after claiming silver at last season's ACC Indoor Championships. The Marietta, Ga., native cleared 1.70 meters to place first in the event, while freshman Brianna Smith recorded a jump of 1.65m to take second in her first collegiate meet.

The Duke women were able to sweep the 60m dash, as sophomore Carly King, freshman Hailey Williams and junior Kelcie Simmons took the top three finishes, respectively. King's top time of 7.69 seconds set a new personal record. King also paced the field in the 200m with another PR, clocking 24.82 seconds.

Graduate-transfer Harry Lord and freshman Gage Knight both made their Duke debut on Saturday, going head-to-head in the men's pole vault and the 60m hurdles. The pole vault went to Knight, who cleared a height of 4.15m in his first collegiate meet. In the 60m hurdles, Knight finished second with a time of 8.59 seconds while Lord took third at 9.07.

Fellow grad-transfer Alex Schwedt, who competed for the University of Michigan from 2017-20, clocked a time of 1:20.8 in the men's 600m – the fastest by a collegiate runner.

Senior Lauren Hoffman ran in the women's 600m for the first time in her Duke career, finishing fifth with a time of 1:33.28.

The Blue Devils will travel to Blacksburg, Va., next week for their first multi-day meet of the season, the Virginia Tech Invitational. Events will begin Friday, Jan. 15 and conclude Saturday, Jan. 16.

#GoDuke