M. X-Country competes at IC4As

Lori LazarLori LazarDaily Pennsylvanian Sports Writer Penn will compete against 40 other teams in the championship race. The team hopes to finish in the top 10 or 12. Coach Charlie Powell feels the team has a very good shot this weekend to do well as long as no one falls ill. The Quakers will be competing against eight nationally ranked teams including No. 1 Georgetown and No. 7 Dartmouth, which finished first at the Heptagonal Championships. Penn will base its strategy on the weather conditions and what the course looks like. Traditionally, it has been a flat, fast course. Penn anticipates running with the top group up front so more of its runners are able to finish in higher positions. "Last year the team didn't run close to its capabilities," Powell lamented. Penn finished 19th overall. Historically, the Quakers have placed well at the IC4As, finishing seventh in 1992 and 12th in 1991. The last time Penn went as a team to the NCAAs was in 1971 when it placed third at the IC4As. "We are not concerned about making it to the next level, we are just hoping for the best," senior co-captain Terry McLean said. "We need to get a good start so we can maintain our position." After this weekend, Penn will start training for the track season. "We will start base training, which begins right away," Powell said.