M. Track individuals to compete with elite

Following last week's victory over Navy and Virginia Commonwealth, Penn coach Charlie Powell was convinced that the 1998 men's indoor track team has the tools for a championship season. "For a lot of these guys the question is: Can they raise it to the next level?" Powell said. This weekend's Virginia Tech Invitational should help the Quakers' coach at least partially answer his question, as the Quakers will be challenged by some of the nation's top collegiate teams and athletes. After competing in its first team meet of the season last weekend, Penn returns Friday and Saturday to individual competition in this Invitational. This is the inaugural year of the Quakers' involvement in this Blacksburg, Va. event. The athletes, going into competition, are unsure what to expect. Virginia Tech will not only be competing with a home track advantage, but will also benefit from the excitement surrounding a new indoor state-of-the-art track facility. "The better the track is, the faster the times are," sprinter Shawn Fernandes said. "Being brand new, the track has more spring." Some of the top schools that will be at Virginia Tech include South Carolina, East Carolina, North Carolina State, Penn State, Georgia, Miami and Kentucky. Miami boasts one of the nation's best 400 meter runners. Davian Clarke, who finished sixth outdoors last year and won the outdoor title in 1996, opened his season with a 47.89 second run. The Jamaican Olympian's career best time is just under 45 seconds, meaning Penn senior Mike Stiffler will have his work cut out for him. In his collegiate debut, South Carolina's Terrance Trammell ran 7.76 seconds in the 60 meter hurdles, which is good for best in the nation. He also sprinted for a mere 6.71 seconds in the 60 meter dash. Another Gamecock, Burt Sorin, set his personal record in the 35-lb. weight with a hurl of 65 feet and 7 inches. For Georgia, freshman Reese Hoffa's throw travelled 58 feet and 6 inches and Jarkko Haukijarvi, also a freshman, had a shot put of 59 feet and 10.25 inches. And these are just a few of the star athletes that will be in Blacksburg for the two-day meet. These athletes will give the Red and Blue, who have proven their excellence with several Intercollegiate Association of the Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) qualifications, a chance to elevate their performance against hearty competition. "That's the point of these meets," Fernandes said. "Before we didn't peak until the [Heptagonals]. By competing with the best it elevates your performance. That's how you get better." The Quakers are confident that they can meet the challenge posed by the impressive array of athletes that will be at Virginia Tech this weekend. Good results by Penn will just add to their confidence and answer Powell's question with respect to "raising it to the next level."

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