BUTLER TWP — Guinness Brown will be running for Duke University's track and field team.

The only question now is in what events.

The Butler senior has verbally committed to continue his academic and track career with the Blue Devils. He also considered Penn State, North Carolina and Michigan.

“A lot of schools all over the country were interested in him,” Butler track and field coach Mike Seybert said. “Why wouldn't they be? He's a unique talent who can run anywhere from the 100 meters to the 1,500 meters.

“Guinness is a top-level student as well. He's the total package.”

Brown is carrying a 4.15 grade point average. He is looking at psychology and sociology as potential majors, “though I'm not sure what direction I'm going there yet.”

The direction he wants his track career to go is crystal clear.

Get faster.

Brown won the WPIAL 100 and 200 meter titles last year. He placed fourth in the 200 and second in the 400 at the state meet.

“I want to break 48 seconds (in the 400) this spring, get to 21 (seconds) in the 200 ... I'm eyeing the state title for sure and our whole team getting to states,” Brown said.

As for college, he expects his emphasis to be on the 400 meters.

“I imagine I'll do the 200 and 800, too,” Brown said. “I'm game for whatever they need me for.”

That's what excites first-year Duke coach Shawn Wilbourn, who guided Duke's women's track team to the Atlantic Coast Conference title as interim head coach last spring. Duke's men's team placed eighth out of 15 teams at the ACC meet.

“I've talked with their coach on the phone a few times,” Seybert said. “He wants to brng the men's program up there with the women's and be a championship contender. He views Guinness as one of the pieces that can get them there.

“Their men's team is fairly young. Guinness will be stepping on to their roster at the right time. Their coach appreciates his versatility and will plug him in where he can be most effective.”

Of the 60 rostered members of the Blue Devils' men's track team, 40 are underclassmen.

“Coach Wilbourn was a major factor in my decision to go there,” Brown said. “He'll be helpful in my making the adjustment to running down there and competing in the ACC.

“Just the people I met there ... I loved the campus and the situation. It's the best fit for me to continue my career and, of course, academics were a big part of my decision. It's a great school.”

Brown plays for Butler's boys soccer team and is a member of Student Council, among other activities in school.

Seybert describes him as a “driven kid who is very supportive of family.

“He'll be adding to the mix down there,” Seybert said of Duke.

Brown hopes to do more than that.

“Win the ACC, get to the NCAAs and hopefully do well there,” he said. “Just keep improving.”

Duke's campus is in Durham, N.C.

“I am going to have to adapt to the weather down there,” Brown said. “Running around here, there haven't been many meets I've competed in when it's been really hot. That's going to become commonplace down south.”