Two Event Wins, Nine Podium Finishes Headline Tri-Meet Weekend

Wednesday, April 15

Walnut, Calif.

Duke University

Mt. SAC Relays

Senior Johrdyn Tarpeh clears hurdle at Duke Invite

Photo by: Joseph Chapman

Two Event Wins, Nine Podium Finishes Headline Tri-Meet Weekend

4/18/2026 6:39:00 PM | Track & Field

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Duke track and field posted a solid showing during its tri-meet weekend, with the Blue Devils finishing their busy competition slate with event wins in the women's 100 meters and 400-meter hurdles, along with nine podium finishes and five top-five program marks.

TOP PERFORMANCES – TOM JONES MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL:

Lauren Tolbert delivered her strongest showing of the season in the women's 800-meter invite en route to earning second place. The senior clocked 1:59.58, narrowly missing her own school record (1:59.39) by 0.19 seconds.
Graduate student Max Forte collected a third-place finish in the men's long jump for his first podium finish of the outdoor campaign. Forte came through with his best leap on the third attempt, flying out to 7.48m (24-6.50 feet).
Braelyn Baker competed in the 400-meter hurdles invite, with the sophomore posting a collegiate best and improving her No. 2 all-time Duke mark. Baker clocked 55.76 – good for seventh among a stacked field.
The women's 4x100m relay of freshman Taylor Aska, Baker, sophomore Maya Collins and junior Mia Edim hit the tape in a season-best 43.59, moving into a tie for second all-time on the Duke charts.
The women's 4x400m ran its way into the program record book with a season-best performance. Competing in the invite section of the relay, the Blue Devil quartet of senior Julia Jackson, Baker, Edim and Tolbert stopped the clock at 3:28.16 – third all-time at Duke.

TOP PERFORMANCES – WAKE FOREST INVITATIONAL:

Duke claimed two of three podium spots in the women's 100 hurdles behind the efforts of graduate student Elise Heddens and junior Jill Roberts. Heddens won the event with a time of 14.29, while Roberts ran 14.38 to place third.
Senior Johrdyn Tarpeh clocked a personal best of 58.85 en route to picking up a win in the women's 400 hurdles, shaving over a second off her previous best from a week ago.
Sophomore Drew Smith finished runner-up in the men's javelin with a huge personal best of 62.06m (203-7 feet) on a clutch sixth attempt. The throw improved Smith's previous best by nearly 27 feet.
Freshman Violet Hewett earned a third-place finish in the women's 100 meters with behind a dash of 11.99.

TOP PERFORMANCES – Mt. SAC RELAYS:

Graduate students Michael Bennett and Philip Kastner had strong showings in the men's decathlon, with the pair posting personal bests while rewriting the program record books.
Bennett had 7,616 points and improved his No. 4 all-time mark, with his best performances coming in the 1500 meters (1st), 400 meters (2nd) and 100 meters (4th). Kastner slotted himself fifth in Duke lore with 7,466 points – led by a third-place finish in the long jump.
Senior Allison Neiders represented Duke in the women's pole vault elite 'B' and took third with a final clearance of 4.20m (13-9.25 feet). She passed on the first two heights before clearing the next two – 4.05m and 4.20m – on her first and third attempt, respectively.
TJ Rowan also placed third in the men's pole vault elite 'B'. The sophomore took on four heights, clearing the first on his initial jump, the second on the second attempt and the last two on his third try, finishing with a final mark of 5.35m (17-6.50 feet).

UP NEXT:
The Blue Devils head to the Queen City to take part in the Charlotte Invitational. The meet will take place Apr. 24-25 at the Irwin Belk Track and Field Center.

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

#GoDuke