M. Track prepares for indoor season

The Quaker hope their stellar autumn on the trails carries over. The Penn men's track team built a strong foundation this fall with an impressive third-place finish at the Heptagonal Championships in cross country last month. Coming off this early success, the Quakers hope to reach skyward in the rapidly approaching indoor season. While indoor track usually does not garner the prestige of cross country and outdoor track, the cross country squad's return to national prominence has made Penn anxious to compete this winter. The Quakers came close to qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a team in cross country, while co-captains Scott Clayton and Sean MacMillan qualified individually. Both seniors finished in the top half of the field at Nationals. "It's definitely better to have a good season behind us now," MacMillan said. Unlike in the autumn, however, the distance runners will not be competing on their own this winter. And this is good news for the Quakers, as Penn's prospects are just as bright in other events. Senior throwing captain Matt Pagliasotti will be looking to defend his discus and 35-pound weight Heps titles from a season ago. Pagliasotti's personal record tosses of 59'6.25'' in the 35-pound weight and 172'4'' in the discus both place him fifth all-time among Penn athletes. Fellow senior Shawn Fernandes is the top sprinter on the team. He finished first in the 55-meter dash at Heps last year with a time of 6.00 seconds, a finish that tied him with Ed James' 1976 mark, for the fastest time in Penn history. Fernandes is presently recovering from health problems but is expected to be ready for the season opener on December 11 at the Princeton Holiday Invitational. The team's youngsters are not to be overlooked either. Sophomore Tuan Wreh was part of an impressive trio of jumpers last season, but he will have to carry the torch himself this year. NCAA-qualifier Stan Anderson and 24'10'' long jumper Dan Nord were both lost to graduation. Last year Wreh turned in impressive marks of 50'1.75'' in the triple jump -- good for fifth all-time among Penn athletes -- and 23'3.5'' in the long jump. Junior Andrew Girardin, is another athlete ready to contribute. Girardin, who has run one minute, 50.25 seconds for 800 meters, should be one of the key members in the middle distance corps, while big things are also expected out of freshman Sam Burley. The meet at Princeton is the first of the indoor season's eight contests, and the Quakers are focused on the task at hand. Still, most members of the team have their calendars marked for an event that is nearly three months away -- the Heptagonal Championships at Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H., on February 26 and 27. MacMillan thinks that winning Heps is by far his top priority for the team this season. "All personal goals revolve around that," MacMillan said. In fact, MacMillan's mind is so set on Heps that he and Clayton may very well forego participating at Princeton next week so they can continue to rest from the fall. The week after Heps, the region's top performers will have an opportunity to compete in the IC4A Championships at Blacksburg, VA., as a prelude to the spring outdoor season. Athletes in any field can qualify for the IC4A at any point during the season. Runners gain automatic berths by posting sufficiently low times, while jumpers and throwers can advance by clearing certain preset marks. The Quakers anticipate a prosperous winter season, but they will face a tough challenge in Princeton, a team that has won five of the last six Indoor Heptagonal Championships. "[The Tigers] have lost a few seniors from last year, but they're still the team to beat," MacMillan said. Navy, a long-time Quakers nemesis and the Heps' runner-up from a year ago, will also provide a challenge.

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