Do you want to see some of America's best track and field athletes in action? Do you want to get a peek at the much-improved Duke track teams? Do you want to get an early start on your tan a few weeks before heading off to Myrtle?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might want to stop by Wallace Wade Stadium today or tomorrow to check out this year's Duke Invitational. Big-name track stars like Steve Holman and Joan Nesbit will be among the meet's 1,800 athletes, and the Blue Devils' men's and women's teams will be out in full force in their only home meet of the season.
Fifty-nine men's teams and 51 women's teams will be on campus for the Duke Invitational, making this one of the largest collegiate track meets in the nation. The addition of perennial power Villanova only adds to the already strong field.
"This should be the best Duke Invitational ever," said Duke men's assistant coach Norm Ogilvie. "We'd love to have some students come out and get a tan and watch some great track."
Holman, who has run the mile in 3:50, is the top men's star participating in this year's meet. Holman will run the 800-meter race at 2:45 on Saturday.
"Without question, Steve Holman is America's premier miler right now," Ogilvie said.
Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew will run in the 200 meters (the finals are Saturday at 3:05 p.m.).
The women's field is highlighted by Nesbit, the top American female distance runner. Nesbit was sixth in the world cross country championships and third in the world in the indoor 3,000 meters. On Saturday, she will race in the 1,500 meters at 12:55 p.m.
Diane Guthrie-Gresham, the NCAA champion in the long jump and heptathlon, will also participate in the meet. Guthrie-Gresham, who attends George Mason (another track powerhouse), will compete in six events this weekend.
Duke students will get their first chance to see freshman phenom Jamie Rodriguez in action. Rodriguez, who threw the javelin well over 200 feet in his first meet two weeks ago, will compete in the event at 7:05 p.m.
"We're looking to see if he can throw over 200 feet again," Ogilvie said. "I'm not sure who else will be in this event, but Jamie certainly has a chance to win the Duke Invitational."
Rodriguez will not be the only Blue Devil looking for a win this weekend. The men's distance medley relay team earned one of its biggest victories in this meet last year. Duke's team of senior Pat Kelly, freshman Mark Simmons and juniors Doug Kling and Miles Hall should have tough competition when they run at 6:45 p.m. tonight. Teams from Villanova and Georgetown are the favorites in the event, along with another team with which the Blue Devils are familiar.
"We are also expecting a challenge from Wake Forest," Ogilvie said. "They always seem to do their best in these relays when they're running against us."
Kling, who was the most valuable performer at the Lynchburg Invitational last weekend, will run head-to-head with Holman and other top middle-distance stars in the 800 meters.
Several members of the Duke football team will be competing in Wallace Wade for the first time since their 41-40 loss to North Carolina on Nov. 19. Sophomore gridiron stars Johannes Brugger and Charles London and redshirt freshman Corey Thomas will join senior Michael Coles in the 4x100-meter relay at 12:35 p.m. Saturday.
Duke's women's distance medley relay team of Betsy Keever, Kim Hay, Colette Gurtler and Liz Hanly will run tonight at 6:30 p.m. Robin Schretter will compete in the 3,000 meters tomorrow at 3:55.
"We want to continue with the success that we had last weekend," assistant women's coach Scott Yakola said.
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