Do you want to see a team that has a chance to win an Atlantic Coast Conference title? Do you want to see a team knock off some Duke records? Well, look no further than the Blue Devil men's and women's track teams.
They may not have scholarships, but Duke's track and field teams are on the rise. Following recent successful seasons for both teams, Duke is starting to command respect, as well as to attract high-caliber high school athletes.
The Blue Devils will compete in the ACC meet in Greensboro in two weeks. And the results could be the best in years for both the Duke men and women.
The women's team has been breaking school records all season. All but a handful of Duke's previous records have come since head coach Mike Forbes took the reins of the track program in 1984. Five All-Americans have competed under Forbes, and distance runner Ellison Goodall--who still holds Duke records in the 1500-meters, mile, 3000-meters and 5000-meters from 1978--is the sole record-holder who has not competed at Duke within the last decade.
Five outdoor records were broken last year alone on the women's squad, evidence not only of a greater talent level on the team, but also of an increasing emphasis on competitive women's running. Although Duke does not yet stack up to some of its fellow ACC foes, if the team follows its current course, it should only be a matter of time before it breaks its trend of finishing as the perpetual cellar-dweller at the ACC meet.
Duke records are not as easy to break for the men's team. But that's what happens when a school has as storied a track history as Duke does. During his 40 years as head coach, Al Buehler has coached 11 All-Americans, including Olympian Bob Wheeler.
One of the oldest and most unbreakable of Duke's all-time records is the 4x800-meter relay mark of 7:34.10 which was set by a Wheeler-anchored team in 1971. But the this year's strong corp of middle distance runners, led by senior Pat Kelly and juniors Doug Kling and Miles Hall could rewrite the history books.
Actually, Hall may be one the hidden superstars of Duke athletics. Two weekends ago, he competed against some of the top milers in the country in the prestigious Millrose Games, and finished in 4:15. Although Hall's time was not spectacular, he earned third place--and respect from the track community.
The Blue Devils could use their breadth of middle distance runners to challenge for the ACC indoor title in the distance medley relay. And several Duke runners should qualify for the Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association of America (IC4A) indoor and outdoor meets later this season.
One of the highlights of the outdoor season for both the men and the women is the Duke Invitational--the annual April meet held in Wallace Wade Stadium. Many of the world's best runners competed in last year's meet. This year, with the possible addition of perennial NCAA power Villanova, the Duke Invitational should be more competitive than ever.
And with many talented freshmen and star-filled recruiting classes, both of Duke's teams could soon be main attractions at the meet--as well as in the ACC.
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