Track optimistic heading into postseason

The men's and women's track teams are going in to the NCAA East Regional meet in Randall Island, N.Y., with high hopes and a shot at sending many athletes to the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

Both teams look to be competitive, as this year has already seen many impressive performances from the athletes who are prepared to represent the Quakers in the upcoming regional meet.

Women's track coach Gwen Harris expects the team to be very competitive and perform to the best of their abilities.

"My expectation is that they go and do the best job that they can," Harris said. "We want to run faster and jump higher and do the best that we've done all year so we can send a bunch to nationals."

This hope is certainly a reality for women's track, with five athletes qualified to represent Penn in the regional meet.

Senior pole vaulter Samantha Crook, who recently broke her own school record to win the Eastern College Athletic Conference title, is just one of a strong team going to regionals. This team also includes sophomore Christine Morrison, who qualified in the 800-meter, and freshman Stacy Kim, who qualified for the 1500m race.

Freshman Jesse Carlin qualified in the 400m and the 4x400m relay; however the team decided that she should only run in the 4x400m to give the relay team a better shot at qualifying for nationals.

Senior Claire Duncan also qualified for two events, the 5000m and the 3000m steeplechase, and decided to run the steeplechase at the regional meet.

The men's team also boasts a strong group traveling to regionals that includes seven athletes in eight events.

The talented group includes sophomore Grafton Ifill, who qualified in the 100 and 200m; senior Nolan Tully, who qualified in the 5000m; and senior Jim Malizia, who qualified in the javelin.

They are joined by freshmen David Whitehurst, who qualified for the 110m high-hurdles, and Kyle Calvo, who qualified in the long jump.

Senior Neil Wojdowski and junior Courtney Jaworski will also be representing the Quakers in the regional meet, and will be attempting to qualify for the second straight year for the NCAA Championships in pole vault and the 800m, respectively.

Coach Charlie Powell is very optimistic about how the team will perform, and believes that all are capable of qualifying for the national event.

"Grafton's got a wonderful chance in the sprints, and Nolan's got a wonderful chance," Powell said. "Kyle's had a wonderful, wonderful year and if he can come up with another big jump, he might be going as well."

Of the two that went to nationals last year Powell said, "Courtney made it last year and we think he's got a shot at it again this year. Neil also went last year and we think he's got a definite shot at it."

Powell also noted that, individually, he expects the athletes to be very competitive at the regional and national level, as they have been in the past.

"We have very, very strong individuals," Powell said. "We are one of the top teams in the East and we expect to remain that way."

And with the strong contingents from both teams at the NCAA East Regional meet, it certainly seems that it will stay that way.

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