Numerous men qualify for the IC4A's in Princeton, N.J., as the Quakers handily defeat Cornell, Fordham and St. Joseph's in Ithaca, N.Y. After winning their meets in Ithaca this weekend, both the Penn men's and women's track teams proved that with each competition they are moving closer to success at the Heptagonal Championships in late February. The Quakers women, with a final score of 101, easily finished ahead of the Cornell (59), Fordham (22), and St. Joseph's (16), while the men, with a total score of 93.5, did not struggle either. They led a field of the Big Red (67.5), St. Joe's (33), or Fordham (9). Sophomore Dan Nord had an exceptional meet, as he took first in the long jump, triple jump, and high hurdles, making him an IC4A qualifier in all three events. Also impressive was senior co-captain and IC4A qualifier Greg Davis, who won both the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes. Also in the 200-meter race, junior Kael Coleman qualified for the IC4As, taking second place. Junior Eric Hyde, finishing first in the pentathlon, and senior co-captain, Neil Riordan, who placed first in the 1000-meter run, were also IC4A qualifiers. Other first place finishes for the men were freshman Bob Reynolds in the pole vault, freshman Scott Clayton in the 5000-meter run, sophomore Robin Martin in the 800-meter run, and the team of freshman Chris Fodera, Davis, junior Mike Stiffler, and Martin in the 1600-meter relay. The women also had their share of top finishers. Junior Jen Roy made a significant contribution to Penn's victory as she won both the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter event. Sophomore Luana Botelho took first in the shot put, senior co-captain Angie Jiminez won the long jump, and junior Dawn McGee finished on top in the high hurdle event. Two other first-place finishers were sophomore Jessica Mitchell in the 1000-meter run, and freshman Christyna Faulkner in the 55-meter dash. Even more impressive than Penn's numerous first-place finishes is the amount depth both teams displayed this weekend. In both the women's long jump and men's triple jump, the Quakers not only won, but also took second, third, and fourth, as well. In the women's 55-meter dash, Penn swept first through sixth places, while the men dominated first through fifth places in the same event. "From both teams, we saw a solid, strong performance," men's Quaker coach Charlie Powell said. "The way the kids competed shows we're doing all the right things." Powell explained that in order for a team to succeed at Heptagonals, each of it's members must develop a certain respect for the others and gain a feeling of confidence that each individual will do whatever it takes to win their respective events. He claims there were definite signs of this type of teamwork developing at Cornell, which means a promising future for the Quakers. "We're not there yet, but we're definitely on the right track," Powell said.
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