Last year, the bright spot for Penn at the Navy Invitational was the event-winning and IC4A-qualifying performances by then-freshman Brian Fulton and junior John Carelli. Fulton ran the 800 meters in a time of 1:54.81, while Carelli won the triple jump with a distance of 14.74 meters.
The Red and Blue are hoping for similar results Jan. 9 when they travel to Annapolis, Md., for the Navy Invitational with the hope of upsetting powerhouse Princeton.
Last year, the Tigers blew the competition out of the water, scoring 222 total points and beating Penn by 122 points. Meanwhile, only 14 points stood between the second-place Quakers and third-place Virginia Commonwealth University.
This season, Penn has competed in one indoor track meet, sending a small contingency to the Jack Pyrah Invitational at Haverford College. The team’s results reflect a strong returning class of sophomores, as well as promising starts by the team’s freshmen.
The one mile run was dominated by the Quakers, with sophomores Michael Cunningham and James Finucane placing second and third in the event, respectively, with times of 4:18.50 and 4:19.26.
Freshman Aki Bajulaiye looks set to follow in senior Kevin Kiley’s footsteps this season. During the 1,000-meter dash, Bajulaiye crossed the finish line less than a second behind the senior’s second-place time of 2:34.28, placing fifth with a time of 2:35.12.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.