M. Track doesn't fear traditional rivals

When the Penn men's track team lines up on the starting line this weekend, three of its traditional rivals will be right next to them. And although Temple, Cornell and Columbia may pose problems to other Quaker squads, this team sees no real threat. "Going against these guys really has no meaning for us," Penn assistant coach Nathan Taylor said. "While each of them has three or four good people, we have 23." Penn should follow up its success last weekend with nothing but improvement as it hosts the Quaker Invitational (1 p.m, Franklin Field). With better weather forecasted, the Quakers want to take advantage of the weaker competition. The coaching staff hopes to give some of the younger guys a chance to compete, and wants to see some veterans in some different events. "It is a chance for us to get everyone involved," Taylor said. "Since the competition is not that strong, we are going to trying to get guys in the events that are the strongest, even if it is not their normal distance." In the field events, Penn wants to see what it can it do. Last weekend, the rain had a negative effect on both the jumps and the throws. "I want to get in a better throw than last weekend," junior John Taylor said. "It's only early April, so it is a good chance for us to fine tune and get our timing down. The Quaker relay teams also want to work on the timing of their handoffs. All winter they used open exchanges, but just recently in the spring, they switched to a blind exchange. Along with the Big Red, Owls and Lions, five local schools as well as open entries will compete in tomorrow's Quaker Invitational. And while their teams might not be top notch, each has several guys, including an all-American and national champion, that will give the Red and Blue some challenges. As with last weekend, Penn wants to qualify as many more athletes as it can for IC4As, with its overall goal being to qualify for the NCAAs and Heps. "The main thing is for everyone to stay healthy and improve," John Taylor said. With the Penn Relays, the world's biggest track event a month away, and Heps the next weekend, the Quakers are planning to use this sub-par competition to their full advantage.