Running into Quakers history

Thirty-two years ago, Betty Costanza never could have imagined the success that the Penn women's track team would have over the next three decades. That's because there wasn't a varsity team - just a newly formed club squad.

She was a pioneer of the program and its first (and, until 2002, its only) head coach. And last Saturday, she was honored along with 11 other notables with induction into the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame.

"It's certainly an emotional moment," Costanza said.

In 1972, Title IX legislation was passed, mandating equal opportunities for women in college sports. Four years later, Costanza and six female Penn students started a club team.

"They needed nothing, they had nothing, but they wanted to be athletes," Costanza said.

In 1978, the club team was upgraded to varsity status.

That official recognition didn't count for much at first. Facilities for the team were spartan, and equipment was nearly non-existent. Nevermind the lack of weight rooms or training rooms - there weren't even enough shoes to go around.

"As soon as one set of women would finish, they'd take off their spikes and give them to the next group," Costanza said. "But it didn't matter. They were happy. We were happy."

Over the next 25 years, the team grew into "a national dynasty" under Costanza. She even coached Penn's first Olympian, long-jumper Joan Pheng LaOr, who competed in the 1984 Games.

Despite her accomplishments, Costanza called it "humbling" to be around so many Penn greats on Saturday.

One of those greats was inductee Brandon Slay. A wrestler and 1998 graduate, Slay stood out for his accomplishments on the mat at the Palestra: He was, among other things, a two-time EIWA champion, NCAA runner-up and first-team All-Ivy pick.

But his greatest achievement came after graduation. He continued to wrestle when his collegiate career was over, and earned a trip to Sydney for the 2000 Olympics. There, he won the gold medal.

Still, he has trouble trying to rank that with being inducted into the Penn Hall of Fame.

"It's been eight years since the Olympics," he said, "and events like this are priceless because it connects you back with the University, your old coach [Roger Reina, also an inductee on Saturday] and teammates.

"I'm also really looking forward to meeting the other inductees."

When group photo was taken of the Hall of Fame Class of 2008, Slay lined up near Bryan Keys. Like for Costanza, personal success was also a surprise for Keys, a 1990 graduate and member of the Penn football team.

"Growing up in inner-city St. Louis in a family of eight kids, I never imagined I'd have the opportunity to go to a university - much less an Ivy League university," he said. "Never in my wildest dreams."

During his time at Penn, he set school records for rushing yards in a season (1,302) and in a game (249). Both marks have since been eclipsed, but he still holds the record for rushing touchdowns in a career (34) and all-purpose yards in a season (1,676).

He beamed with a humble, "aw-shucks" pride while talking about his induction. Unlike most of the honorees, though, he was hesitant to call this the crowning achievement of his Penn career.

"This is just one of the proudest moments of my time here," he said. "But it probably ranks second to meeting my wife."

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