Deacs Post Strong Performances in Duke Invitational

4/7/2023 9:36:00 PM | Track and Field

The third, and final, day of action set to begin at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow

By: Dylan Shackelford

Watch | Full Results

DURHAM, N.C. – Despite the cold and rainy conditions, the Wake Forest men's and women's outdoor track & field teams posted good performances across multiple distance events in the Duke Invitational Friday at Morris Williams Stadium in Durham. Across the first two days of action, the Deacs grabbed six top-10 finishes.

Carolien Millenaar clocked a 4:33.52 in the women's 1500m and placed seventh. Caroline Garrett (4:35.90) and Elise Wright (4:36.41) finished in 14th and 17th, respectively. Mackenzie Hart (4:36.86) made it four Demon Deacons in the top 20 with a 19th-place finish.

In the women's 1500m invite, Lydia van Dijk grabbed an eighth-place finish at 4:23.82. Amy Harding-Delooze (4:26.20) and Elizabeth Whaley (4:26.29) notched 17th and 18th placed finishes in the event.

On the men's side, Paul Specht led the way with a time of 3:45.54 and finished 15th.

Notable Weekend Finishes

Women's Hammer
- 7) Sophie Perez Gonzalez, 57.40m
- 14) Katrina Andreassen, 55.21m
Men's Hammer
- 11) Jack Pihlkar, 59.43m
- 16) Jake Goldberg, 56.57m
- 19) Mason Ellis, 52.65m
Women's Discus
- 1) Leia Braunagel, 52.03m
- 7) Ashlyn Giles, 47.19m
- 17) Amanda Schaare, 44.18m
Men's Discus
- 3) Andrew White, 55.52m
- 13) Connor Mathis, 47.02m
- 24) Mason Ellis, 43.14m
Women's 1500m
- 7) Carolien Millenaar, 4:33.52
- 14) Caroline Garrett, 4:35.90
- 17) Elise Wright, 4:36.41
- 19) Mackenzie Hart, 4:36.86
Women's 1500m Invite
- 8) Lydia van Dijk, 4:23.82
- 17) Amy Harding-Delooze, 4:26.20
- 18) Elizabeth Whaley, 4:26.29
Men's 1500m Invite
- 15) Paul Specht, 3:45.54

Event Schedule

Saturday, April 8
- Field Events
  - 10:00 a.m. - Women's High Jump
  - 11:00 a.m. - Women's Shot Put
  - 11:00 a.m. - Women's Triple Jump
  - 11:00 a.m. - Men's Pole Vault (Indoors)
  - 12:00 p.m. - Men's High Jump
  - 2:00 p.m. - Men's Shot Put
  - 2:30 p.m. - Men's Triple Jump
  - 4:00 p.m. - Women's Pole Vault (Indoors)
- Running Events
  - 11:00 a.m. - Women's 4x100 Relay
  - 11:20 a.m. - Men's 4x100 Relay
  - 11:55 a.m. - Women's 100m Hurdles
  - 12:20 p.m. - Men's 110m Hurdles
  - 12:40 p.m. - Women's 400m
  - 1:10 p.m. - Men's 110m Hurdles
  - 1:35 p.m. - Women's 400m
  - 2:00 p.m. - Men's 100m
  - 2:25 p.m. - Women's 400m Hurdles
  - 2:45 p.m. - Men's 400m Hurdles
  - 3:00 p.m. - Women's 800m
  - 3:30 p.m. - Men's 800m
  - 3:55 p.m. - Women's 4x400 Relay
  - 4:15 p.m. - Men's 4x400 Relay

From Thursday

For the second-consecutive week and third time this season, Leia Braunagel picked up a gold medal in the women's discus. The graduate student tossed a 52.03m, just 0.71m short of her program record in the event which she set earlier this season. Ashlyn Giles (47.19m) notched a top-10 finish of her own. Of note, the Wake Forest women's discus squad was ranked #8 in the nation earlier this week.

Following a lengthy rain delay, Andrew White finished the men's discus with a 55.52m for the bronze medal. It marks the graduate's third podium finish of the season. Connor Mathis notched a 13th-place finish with a season-best 47.02m in the event.

Sophie Perez Gonzalez recorded a personal-best 57.40m in the women's hammer and grabbed a seventh-place finish. The mark is the second-best in program history as the freshman continued her impressive first season with the Demon Deacons. Additionally, Katrina Andreassen (55.21m) also threw a personal best with the third-best in program history.

Jack Pihlkar (59.43m) and Jake Goldberg (56.57m) finished in 11th and 16th, respectively, for the No. 10 ranked men's hammer squad. Mason Ellis recorded a personal-best 52.65m for a 19th-placed finish.

Up Next

The Demon Deacons will return for day three of the Duke Invitational tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. with the women's high jump. The event will be streamed live on ACCNX beginning at 3 p.m. and you can follow along here.

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