W. Track aims to keep up rally at Raleigh

Tough competition awaits the Penn women's track team as it heads off to compete in the Raleigh Relays in North Carolina this weekend. The Quakers hope to prove themselves against some of the top track and field programs in the country including Virginia, North Carolina, Wake Forest and N.C. State. The Relays, which will take place on Saturday, are "one of the best relay meets in the country," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. Referred to by Tenisci as the "Penn Relays of the South," the Raleigh Relays will bring high-quality competition and will provide a good indication of the strength of this year's Quakers. The Southern schools attending, noted for their fast sprint teams, should challenge the youth and inexperience of the Red and Blue's young sprint contingent. Freshman Enyinne Owunwanne, however, has confidence in the talented newcomers and believes the women will compete well "against anyone on the schedule." The Quakers will need to maintain that level of confidence throughout the month of April, during which they will compete five times in preparation for the Heptagonal Championships, which will be held at Penn on May 13 and 14. Following a successful showing at last weekend's Quaker Invitational, and with a strong performance this weekend, the Red and Blue look to improve upon their sixth-place finish at last year's outdoor Heps. Setting the tone for the entire squad will be this year's group of talented captains. Senior captain Richelle Clements, who ran the first leg of last weekend's winning 4x400-meter relay, is coming off a very successful year and will lead this year's group of young sprinters. Junior captain JaJuan Gair is also running extremely well after suffering a hamstring strain during the indoor season. Gair placed second in the 100 high hurdles last weekend on Franklin Field's track. Senior captain Ruthie Neuhaus will lead Penn's dynamic jumping team. Neuhaus recorded a second-place finish last weekend, and, according to Tenisci, the wide range of experience among all of the captains will contribute to the team's overall success. Seventeen freshmen replace the 13 track seniors who graduated from Penn in 1999. And this year, said to be one of rebuilding for the Quakers, the team's health will be a major factor throughout the rest of the season. "Since it is still early [in the season], everyone is a little rusty," Tenisci said. "But we've been lucky as far as injuries are concerned, and [maintaining condition] will be key for April." Indeed, the Quakers' future appears to be bright if they are able to stay healthy and focused. A last-place finish at indoor Heps in late February hurt the team, but they are hoping to bounce back early for the outdoor season. The Raleigh Relays on Saturday will be key to that comeback. "This meet allows us to be in a spot with real competition," Tenisci said. "We really hope to continue with the success of our last meet and move forward."