The Penn men's track and field team will get its first taste of the nation's elite this weekend at the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, N.C.
Thirty Penn athletes will travel to the campus of North Carolina State to compete in individual events.
The Quakers have also entered relays teams in the 4x100 meter, 4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m, 4x1500m, and the 1600m sprint medley.
If last Sunday's Quaker Invitation is any indication, Penn is more than ready for the higher level of competition.
"The competition is real good," sophomore Steve Hayes said. "I think that we were using last weekend as a starting point into the outdoor season."
Penn is confident that Sunday's result is only the beginning of what could be another championship season for coach Charlie Powell.
"I think people are gearing up for this weekend a lot more," Hayes said.
Hayes also expressed confidence that the Quakers will vie for first-place in many of their races.
"Our team kind of always has a shot to win when we go into them," Hayes said.
However, he conceded that "people still realize it's early in the season."
The Quakers have already proven that they will be competitive against local and league competition all season, barring serious injuries.
This weekend is their opportunity to perform on the bigger stage.
At this early juncture in the season, the team is still in a period of strenuous training, which is designed to produce peak performances in the season's most important meets, particularly the all-important Heptagonal championships in early May.
Referring to the team's strict training regimen, Hayes -- who will compete individually in the 1500m and run a leg of the 4x1500m relay -- stressed that the "team didn't really back down this week."
The training, which is at its highest intensity early in the season, will surely affect this weekend's results.
"A lot of guys will train through this meet," senior Brian Abram said.
However, the benefit of "good weather" and "good talent" could make for some good times early in the season.
"We're looking to do really well," Abram said.
The strongest of the six relay teams, the defending Heptagonal champion 4x400 -- which returns all four of its members -- has high aspirations for this weekend.
In addition to Abram, Sam Burley, Luqman Kolade, and Chris Edmonds make up the relay whose victory at Heps last year -- with the Quakers tied at 121 with Princeton-- gave Penn the team championship.
"The 4x400 is the one that we'll have a chance at doing well and placing high," Abram said. "We'll be satisfied in the top six or eight."
Abram will also run the 400m hurdles, an event which he began learning several weeks ago in his final season.
He picked up the event late in his career in hope of qualifying for the national meet.
"As a senior, I really want to get to nationals," Abram said.
Abram begins his quest to break the 52.70 regional qualifying mark this weekend.
"I have all the confidence that I can make that mark," he said.
The Raleigh Relays should be an early-season barometer of the Quakers' ability to compete against the "big names of East Coast track," which they will have face later in the season.
"It's tough to have one of the big meets at the beginning of the season,"Abram said.
"It's a good chance to get a taste of what outdoor track will be like at the end of the year."
