Blue Devils Qualify 33 For NCAA East Regional

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Blue Devils Qualify 33 For NCAA East Regional

5/21/2021 2:00:00 PM | Track & Field

DURHAM, N.C. – Fresh off the first ACC Outdoor Championship title for the Duke women's track & field team, the Blue Devils' track & field program is set to compete in the NCAA East Regional. Duke will send 33 athletes to compete in Jacksonville, Fla., from May 26-29, hosted by North Florida.

The regional features qualifiers with the top-48 marks in the nation (following injury or withdrawal), with the only exception being the top-24 times for relays and direct qualification for the top-24 in multi-events (heptathlon and decathlon). The top-24 from each event across the two regionals will advance to NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Senior Erin Marsh and graduate student Zoe Hughes earned direct qualification to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, thanks to their top-24 marks in the heptathlon. Marsh ranks fifth in the nation with a school record performance of 5,903 points at the ACC Outdoor Championships and will enter looking to improve on her third-place finish in the pentathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Hughes checks in with the 23rd best point total in the nation, recording 5,541 points at the Tobacco Road Challenge.

Many Blue Devils enter with top-10 times in the East Region. Senior Alex Miley leads the way on the men's side, following a historic run at the ACC Outdoor Championships in the 3000 meter steeplechase. The Maple Grove, Minn., native not only delivered the second fastest time in the East Region and third fastest in the nation, but he also smashed one of the oldest records in Duke history, running a time of 8:32.72 to break Roger Beardmore's record of 8:38.10 set in 1972. To top everything off, his run was also the fastest time by a collegiate American this season.

On the women's side, graduate student Brittany Aveni is a name to watch. The Geneva, Ohio native is set to compete in the 400m and 4x400, where she has had tremendous success. Aveni enters the regional as ACC Champion in both events, thanks to the finishing charge by her as the anchor of the 4x400m relay. Aveni set the program record in both events and holds the sixth best time in the East Region in the 400m (51.60 seconds) and fifth best as part of the 4x400 relay (3:30.47).

Several student-athletes are set to make their NCAA Regional track & field debut. Freshmen Beau Allen, Scott Campbell, Victoria Patterson, Alejandro Rodriguez, Brianna Smith, Job Trahan, sophomores Halle Bieber, Elasia Campbell, Rory Cavan, Jenna Crean, Luke Jackson, Zach Kinne, Brynn King, Ezra Mellinger, seniors CJ Ambrosio and Ashleigh Rodriguez and graduate student Connor Atkinson have all qualified for their first NCAA East Regional.

FIELD ATHLETES
Men
High Jump: Beau Allen
Long Jump: Ezra Mellinger
Javelin: Scott Campbell, Luke Jackson, Kiegan Lenihan

Women
High Jump: Elasia Campbell, Erin Marsh, Brianna Smith
Pole Vault: Brynn King, Julia Valenti
Long Jump: Elena Brown-Soler, Cha'Mia Rothwell
Javelin: Ashleigh Rodriguez
Heptathlon: Zoe Hughes, Erin Marsh – Direct Qualification to NCAA Outdoor Championships

TRACK ATHLETES
Men
400m: Alex Schwedt
1500m: Rory Cavan
10,000m: CJ Ambrosio, Zach Kinne
400m Hurdles: Connor Atkinson
3000m Steeplechase: Alex Miley
4x400m Relay: Alex Schwedt, Alejandro Rodriguez, Ezra Mellinger, Connor Atkinson, Job Trahan

Women
200m: Kelcie Simmons
400m: Brittany Aveni, Elena Brown-Soler, Jenna Crean, Iman Sule
800m: Leigha Torino
5000m: Michaela Reinhart
10,000m: Amanda Beach, Sara Platek, Michaela Reinhart
100m Hurdles: Erin Marsh, Cha'Mia Rothwell
400m Hurdles: Lauren Hoffman
3000m Steeplechase: Victoria Patterson
4x100m Relay: Halle Bieber, Elena Brown-Soler, Brittany Aveni, Cha'Mia Rothwell, Kelcie Simmons
4x400m Relay: Iman Sule, Jenna Crean, Elena Brown-Soler, Brittany Aveni, Lauren Hoffman

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