Fairleigh will run for Duke

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Cary-Grove senior Phil Fairleigh has had Duke in his blood all his life.

Ken Fairleigh, Phil’s father, attended Duke and played football for the Blue Devils. But Phil’s decision to head to Durham, N.C., had more to do with quality education and a rising cross country program than lineage.

Fairleigh, a two-time Northwest Herald Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, committed to Duke on Saturday and will attend the Atlantic Coast Conference school to run cross country and track. Fairleigh said his offer was for a half-scholarship his first two years, then a full scholarship for his final three.

Fairleigh flew to Durham on Oct. 17 for his official visit after taking third place in the Fox Valley Conference Cross Country Meet. He took last week to think things through before calling Blue Devils coach Norm Ogilvie.

“I got to hang out with the team and liked the guys and really liked coach Ogilvie,” Fairleigh said. “It’s a program on the rise, and I thought I’d fit in well. I saw myself having a lot of fun there.”

Duke’s men’s cross country team recently moved up to No. 26 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national rankings. Fairleigh’s final four schools were Duke, William & Mary, Georgetown and Columbia.

“It’s a great opportunity for [Fairleigh],” C-G cross country and track coach Layne Holter said. “I respect Phil’s process he went through. Academics were always first priority, and he narrowed it down to a few schools. Duke was always in his top five the last few months. It’s a decision he wrestled with much of the season, and I think it’s a weight off his back.”

Fairleigh scored 33 on his ACT and plans on majoring in political science or public policy. He found out Monday that a runner he knows from Tennessee, Clint McKelvey, also committed to Duke.

“[The process] was actually a lot of fun,” Fairleigh said. “I had a lot of great schools contact me – Oklahoma State, Portland, Iona, and some other prestigious academic schools. I was looking for the best combination of academics and athletics.

“My dad really didn’t push Duke on me or anything. Both of my parents (Ken and LeAnn) and coach Holter helped me a lot in the process.”