Young M. Cross Country improves

Things are looking up for the men's cross country team. After two disappointing races, the team placed fourth out of 15 teams Saturday in the Iona Meet of Champions. Penn coach Charlie Powell was very happy with his team's results, especially since this is a rebuilding year, according to Powell. North Carolina State, ranked 21st in the nation, placed first, followed by Iona and then Central Michigan. The Quakers are very young, with four of last year's top five runners having graduated. The Penn running program has always maintained a high standard of excellence, and there is pressure on the younger runners to maintain this tradition. The freshmen and sophomores, who are very talented, lack only the experience of racing on the collegiate level. According to Powell, the team is focusing on the end of the season, hoping for peak performances during the championship meets. "Last year we went out to make a point at every race," he said. "This year, with a young team, we want to finish the year strong. It's tough to run five or six quality races." The Quakers are led by captain Matt Wilkinson, who finished last year as the team's number one runner. After him, the top 10 positions change with each race, with no one class dominating the higher places. "Its a unique situation that the top runners are all year encompassing," Powell said. Satisfied that his team is making "quantum leaps" from the beginning of the season, the coach looks forward to great performances in the final four races of the season. Next Saturday the Quakers run in the Paul Short Memorial 10K at Lehigh.