Southern schools ready to roll yet again

Different year, different runners, same old story.

Teams like South Carolina, Texas, Mississippi State and Arkansas have all dominated the men's side of the Penn Relays Carnival in years past and this upcoming weekend should be no different.

For Mississippi State, the Bulldogs are led this year by the experienced duo of senior Pierre Browne and junior Marquis Davis.

Heading into this weekend, the two have recorded some of the fastest times in the sprinting events of the year. Browne currently owns the fastest 100m dash time at 10.09 seconds but is just 0.01 seconds ahead of Davis, who holds down the second-best mark.

In the 200m, there is a reversal, as Davis has the best time at 20.15 and Browne holds the third best at 20.59. They also run together in the 4x100m relay and have recorded the second best time in the country at 39.16.

Running at front of the pack in the 4x100m is the team from Texas who has recorded a blazing time of 39.08.

Unlike the Mississippi State team that is anchored by experience, the Texas squad, and in particular the members of that 4x100m relay team, are led by younger legs. Three members of the Texas relay team are freshmen and will be competing for the first time at the Penn Relays as collegiate participants.

Freshmen Brendan Christian and the Collins brothers, Aaron and Ashton, will be running the final three legs of the fastest collegiate relay team in the nation. Texas also has another impressive freshman in Nick Johnson, who has the fifth fastest collegiate 100m time at 10.19.

Perennial powerhouse South Carolina also brings yet another talent-laden group with them to West Philadelphia's famous track.

Led by the talented legs of junior Otukile Lekote, the Gamecocks are the favorites to win the 4x400m relay, as they boast the best time in the nation with a lightening quick 3:03.99.

"Otukile is running well," South Carolina head coach and this year's Honorary Referee Curtis Frye said. "[Otukile] brings everything you want to the table that you want as both an athlete and a student."

Lekote also owns the current best time in the 800m run at 1:47.54. The race should also be one that many Penn fans will be interested in, as it is one of the Quakers' best chances to win an event.

Senior speedster Sam Burley currently has the seventh fastest time in the 800m and has been clocked at less than one second off Lekote's pace of 1:48.45.

Arkansas is another team that finds its strength in some of the longer distances. Four Arkansas runners are currently among the top six ranked times in the 1500m run.

Junior Alistair Cragg, who also runs the 10,000m, is the fastest of the bunch, having posted a 3:39.24 time that is a full 2.52 seconds ahead of the next fastest time.

"He has great range. He has the potential to be as good as anyone we've ever had," Arkansas head coach John McDonnell said. "Alistair is a real level-headed guy and very, very competitive."

Challenging the strong Arkansas contingent in the distance medley relay will be another local school, Villanova.

"I know Villanova has lost one of their anchor men," McDonnell said of Adrian Blincoe. "But they'll be tough, especially in the distance medley."

Led by junior Ryan Hayden, the Wildcats will look to show off their long distance strength as well as redeem their heart-breaking loss in last year's distance medley relay that was caused by a sure-to-be-motivated Hayden dropping the baton.

"Why the heck didn't I tell him to keep [the baton] in his left hand?" Villanova coach Marcus O'Sullivan said. "Hayden is the heir apparent [to Blincoe], he's just solid... I reckon he'll be a great one someday."

All of these teams will look to continue their dominance over the competition in order to help build the future of the program, as coaches unanimously agree that strong performances at the Penn Relays are the foundation for creating strong programs.

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