WASHINGTON, D.C. – Duquesne freshmen Rose Kuchera and Louie Liberatore were each named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, marking the first time in 13 years that the Dukes have earned both the women's and men's honors in the same week.

Kuchera and Liberatore, both from Canonsburg, Pa., are the first pair of Dukes to win the men's and women's Rookie of the Week awards in the same week since Tacquaya Tobias and Shakeil Carter achieved the feat in 2012.

Kuchera set a program record in the triple jump, breaking a mark that had stood since 2013, and won the meet with a distance of 12.51 meters (41-0.5) at George Mason's Dalton Ebanks Invitational, where she also qualified for the USA Track & Field U20 Championships. Her mark ranks second in the A-10, tied for third in the Mid-Atlantic region, and first among rookies on both leaderboards.

Kuchera, who became the first Duke in 24 years to be named Rookie of the Week twice during the indoor season, is now one of four Dukes to earn the honor in both indoor and outdoor seasons, joining Sarah Como, Shea McMillian, and Marcie Hepler.

Liberatore competed in his third collegiate meet over the weekend, winning the meet at George Mason with a javelin throw of 61.08 meters (200-5), which ranks second in the A-10 and eighth in the Mid-Atlantic region. His mark also set the second-best javelin distance in program history for the third consecutive meet, and all three of his marks this season have been the best by a Duke since 2014.

Liberatore is the first Duke to earn Rookie of the Week honors in consecutive weeks since Isaac Elliott in 2018. He and Elliott are the only Dukes to have been named men's Rookie of the Week twice.

UP NEXT 
Duquesne will return to the Keystone State to compete in Bucknell's Bison Outdoor Classic in Lewisburg, Pa., this weekend, with decathletes also competing at Susquehanna on Thursday and Friday.

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