The women of Penn's track team are going to need more than nice weather and quick feet to surpass the competition this weekend at North Carolina State.
The Raleigh Relays, being held Friday and Saturday, is a large meet that will exhibit many "athletes of Olympic caliber," according to Penn senior Crystal Marsh.
"I am very excited," she said. "This is my last time at Raleigh. We have high goals and the weather will be great."
Marsh will compete in the 400 meter hurdles, 4x400m relay, and 4x100m relay. After working on handoffs at practice this week, Marsh hopes that she and her 4x100 teammates can get the baton around the track faster than last week. After a "good strength workout" the past few days, she anticipates on doing well in the hurdles as well.
Penn junior Kai Ivory, running in both individual and relay events, is also excited about the meet. According to her, not only is the team ready to compete, but ready to just have a good time.
"It's usually a warm weather meet," Ivory said. "That should result in faster times, which will be really nice."
Raleigh Relays will be Ivory's debut in the javelin throw for the season. At this meet in 2001, she had a successful throw -- 41.36m -- and finished 13th.
"It's time to raise up to the competition," Ivory said. "We get to compete against a lot of good teams that we otherwise won't see and we get to run a handful of relays that we don't usually get to do."
Unlike Ivory, sophomore Natalie Jackson is a newcomer to the Raleigh Relays. Although aware of the caliber of competition, Jackson thinks the Quakers' comraderie will pull them through.
"We've been to meets with tough competition like this one before," Jackson said. "I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone will do."
Jackson will be running in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400 relay with Marsh.
"I would like to stay strong in the hurdles," Jackson said. "I didn't have the best week of training. Regardless, I will do my best. I just need to stay positive."
After watching freshman Charity Payne and senior Julie Siebert-Johnson qualify for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships last week, Jackson suspects that the field event competitors will fare well in Raleigh.
Of the 100 teams scheduled to compete, there will only be one other Ivy League school for Penn to look out for -- Yale.
