It was a successful weekend for Penn men's and women’s track. Although the Red and Blue were split up at three different meet sites, each part of the team had overwhelming success on the weekend.
The Quakers were all over the map: The middle-distance and distance runners were hosted at the Scarlet and White Invitational at Boston University, the sprinters and field athletes were in Staten Island, N.Y. for the Villanova Invitational, while a few jumpers and pole vaulters made their way to Ohio for the Akron Invitational.
At the Scarlet and White Invitational, junior Colin Daly turned heads with a 4:03.65 mile time, which was fifth-best in program history.
Additionally, the program’s underclassmen had a remarkable showing at Boston University. Sweeping the podium in the 5000-meters were sophomores Anthony Russo, Daniel Cohen and Alex Roth, while Melissa Tanaka set the sixth best time in school history in the 1000, clocking in at 2:50.82.
The underclassman success did not stop there, as freshman Ariana Gardizy had a top-five finish in the 3000 while also snagging the eighth best time in Penn history at 9:40.22.
The sprinters and field athletes who travelled to New York for the Villanova Invitational also had success.
Sophomore Jake Kubiatowicz and senior Rachel Lee Wilson won the weight throw, putting up distances of 17.81m and 19.77m, respectively. Wilson, the program record-holder, was followed in rank by freshman Mayyi Mahama with her throw of 17.79m.
Victory did not stop there for the Quakers; freshman Matias Pellegrino finished third in the long jump at 6.90m and freshman Cameron Landis placed second in the shot put, matching his personal record of 16.79m.
In the shot put, junior Maura Kimmel, sophomore Ashley Anumba and freshman Nia Caldwell all found the podium, with Kimmel winning the event at 16.07m.
The small group of athletes that attended the Akron Invitational left a large impact as well.
As the only Quaker on the women’s side, senior Anna Peyton Malizia crushed the competition with a 1.76m high jump, which she cleared on her very last attempt.
Junior Nathan Fisher and freshman Payton Morris claimed top five finishes in the pole vault, each clearing 5.18m. For Fisher, this was his best height and the fifth best in program history.
With records across the board, both the men's and women’s sides created a tidal wave of success, with a majority coming from the Red and Blue’s underclassmen.
Although the Quakers will be split up again this Friday and Saturday in Lubbock, Texas for the Texas Tech Invitational and in Staten Island, N.Y. for the Fastrack National Invite, the unity that was set forth this past weekend will be crucial to the program’s success the rest of this season.
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