PITTSBURGH -- The Duquesne University triathlon team will begin its second season on Sunday ranked ninth in the College Triathlon Coaches Association (CTCA) Preseason Poll.

RACE INFO
Bulldog Supersprint Kickoff • Wingate University • Wingate, N.C. 
Sunday, September 1 • 8:00 a.m.

SEASON PREVIEW
The Dukes, led by head coach Joella Baker, are coming off a successful inaugural season. They finished 2023-24 ranked 14th as a team in the national poll and had four athletes in the top 100.

Two of the four ranked athletes return to the roster this season, headlined by sophomore Robyn Hunt - who was the highest ranked Duke at 66th. Fellow returning sophomore Abby Kreber completed her freshman campaign ranked 100th nationally.

Hunt, a Spring Lake, Mich. product, was the Duquesne team leader in five of the six races last season including at the national championships and east national qualifier.

DU returns a total of 10 athletes to the squad in 2024 bolstered by a recruiting class that featured six freshmen and two transfers.

Sophomores Kate Potashnik and Bella Schaller had the fastest run and swim times on the team, respectively, at last year's national championship race. Potashnik and Schaller both are back for their sophomore seasons. Juniors Sophie Brandwene and Alaina Hicks alongside sophomores Lia Bartholomew, Freya Davis, Alexandria Meyers and Julie Walker round out the returners.

The first years include Isabelle Bannister, Tamara Kun, Rachele Lavagno, Eliza Miller and Andie Psilopoulos. Ella Butterfield transferred from Bethany College after a year on the cross country and swim teams, while Vivien Mattice arrives on the Bluff after spending last fall at Wagner on the triathlon team and the spring on the track & field team at Santa Rosa Junior College.

DIVISION I CTCA PRESEASON POLL
1) Arizona State University
2) University of Arizona
3) Queens University of Charlotte
4) Denver University
5) Texas Christian University
6) University of San Francisco
7) University of South Dakota
8) East Tennessee State University
9) Duquesne University
10) US Naval Academy

SCHEDULE
After the opener, the Dukes will host their second annual Duquesne Invitational at Brady's Run Park on September 14 at 7:30 a.m.

Duquesne travels to the Praire State Cup on Sept. 21 in Clinton, Ill. and the Robious Landing Triathlon on Sept. 29 in Richmond, Va.

The East National Qualifier is scheduled for Oct. 12 in Charlotte, N.C. and the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships are in Clermont, Fla. on Nov. 9.

A return trip to Clermont for the Clermont Draft Legal Challenge wraps up the season over the first weekend of March 2025.

FOLLOW THE DUKES 
Follow Duquesne Triathlon all season on X (Twitter) and Instagram, as well as online at GoDuquesne.com.