X-Country squads ready for NY Heps

Wilkinson anchors Men The men's cross country team hopes to post a good showing in today's Heptagonals, the season-ending championships for the eight Ivy League schools plus Navy, at VanCortlandt Park in New York City. Since the Ivies are one of the most competitive leagues in the country, the Quakers face tough opposition. Harvard and Yale are two of the strongest. The Crimson's fifth-best runner was an NCAA qualifier in track and field last spring and an all-American. Yale is one of the only teams with runners that exclusively race the 10,000 meters. Brown and Dartmouth went to the NCAAs last year and have half of their team returning. Princeton and Navy will also challenge, making the Heptagonals a very strong league at the top. Last year Penn placed third, its highest finish in the past 15 years. But many top runners have graduated, leaving behind a young team. According to assistant coach Nathan Taylor, performing well in the conference championships is the goal for a team of this level. Only one Penn runner's goals extend beyond this meet. Junior Matt Wilkinson, who has been running very well all season, hopes to be an all-Ivy selection and to go on to race at the IC4As, the regional NCAA meet, Nov. 11. "His aspirations are to go on to the NCAAs. Our aspirations are for him to also," Taylor said.