Tolbert Sets Third School Record, Guttormsen Shatters Duke Pole Vault Mark

Friday, February 7

Blacksburg, Va.

Duke University

Doc Hale Invitational

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Tolbert Sets Third School Record, Guttormsen Shatters Duke Pole Vault Mark

2/8/2025 11:17:00 PM | Track & Field

Final Results (PDF)

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Graduate student Simen Guttormsen and junior Lauren Tolbert's respective record-breaking performances in the men's pole vault and women's 500m headlined a strong weekend of competition for Duke track and field at the Doc Hale VT Meet. The Blue Devils capped the two-day meet with a total of 10 top-five program marks, six event wins, 20 podium finishes and 36 top-five placements overall.

Tolbert continues a sensational junior campaign with Saturday's performance marking her third indoor school record of the 2025 season and the fourth of her career, and her seventh school record as a Blue Devil overall. Guttormsen earns his first indoor No. 1 mark and the second of his Duke career.

TOP PERFORMANCES:

Lauren Tolbert kept her record-breaking season going as the junior knocked of her third program record of the indoor campaign. Taking part in her first collegiate 500m race Tolbert made her presence known, sprinting her way to the first-place finish and the No. 1 spot in program lore via a time of 1:10.49. Tolbert's time shattered Kate Van Buskirk's 2011 mark and currently ranks No 2 in the nation.
Competing in his first meet of the indoor season, Simen Guttormsen showed no signs of rust en route to vaulting his way into the Duke record books. Guttormsen cleared the first two bars on his opening attempt, then passed the third height on the second jump. The graduate student bowed out with a final clearance of 5.55m (18-2.50 feet) – the mark good for No. 1 all-time in program lore.
The Blue Devils capped the weekend with a pair of top-five program marks and a sweep of the 4x400m relay courtesy of season-best performances. Duke men's contingent of Joseph Taylor, Andres Langston, Guinness Brown and Will Atkins turned in a time of 3:11.43 to claim the win, improving their No. 2 all-time program mark in the process.
On the women's side, the Blue Devil quartet of Megan McGinnis, Braelyn Baker, Aliya Garozzo and Tolbert captured the top spot among the women's field after clocking a season's best of 3:34.12 – No. 5 all-time.
Freshman Phillips Moore represented the Duke field events as he delivered the best showing of his young career in the men's shot put. Stepping into the cage, Moore made his third throw the charm as he turned in a mark of 17.83m (58-6 feet) to pick up the victory and move into No. 5 all-time.
Duke's sprinters and distance runners racked up the final four top-five program marks with each coming via personal-best performances.
Baker moved into No. 3 all-time on the Duke charts, clocking 23.64 seconds en route to winning her second event of the weekend – this one coming in the women's 200m. The men's race featured a third-place finish by Taylor, who's time of 21.76 seconds ranks fifth all-time in program lore.
In the women's 60m hurdles, graduate student Birgen Nelson parlayed a dash of 8.23 seconds into a runner-up finish and the No. 3 spot on the Blue Devil charts. Competing in the 1,000m race, sophomore Iris Downes and junior Jeremy Kain also moved into third all-time in Duke lore with times of 2:46.36 and 2:23.05, respectively.
To see the full meet results, click HERE.

UP NEXT:
Duke features a split squad as the Blue Devils gear up at the BU Valentine Invitational (Boston, Massachusetts), Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational (Clemson, S.C.) and the Darius Dixon Invitational (Lynchburg, Virginia). All three meets are slated for Feb. 14-15.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils cross country and track & field, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeTFXC."

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