Penn track competed in the Penn Challenge on Mar. 18, 2023.
Credit: Samantha TurnerEven though Ivy League Indoor Heptagonals aren’t until the end of the month, Penn track and field’s indoor season continued in earnest this past weekend, as the Quakers traveled to State College, Pa. for the Sykes and Sabock Invitational.
At the conclusion of Saturday’s slate of events, many Penn athletes were on podiums, and a trio of new program records were set.
The first record to fall for the afternoon was set by senior Olivia Morganti in the women’s mile, where she ran a 4:40.21to finish in third place overall. Morganti was joined in the top 10 by fellow senior Zoe Shetty, who finished in 10th place. The program record had been held by Ashley Montgomery since 2016, and Morganti shaved over a second off her time over the course of the race.
Later on, junior Scott Dochat set a new record in the weight throw with a distance of an even 20 meters, or 65 feet, 7.5 inches. This achievement was not only enough to earn Dochat a silver medal in the event, but it placed him atop Penn’s record book, besting Jake Kubiatowicz’s 19.57m distance in 2020.
Lastly, a quartet of Quakers set a new record in the 4x400m relay, and this one was much narrower than the others. A team featuring first year Ryan Matulonis, senior Dimitri Nicholson, first year Nayyir Newash-Campell, and sophomore Alec Jackson finished in third at 3:12.31, just three-hundredths of a second faster than the previous record.
Beyond those three events, the weekend was an overall success for Penn. Eleven other athletes or relay teams placed within the top 10 of program history, and 20 athletes ended up on podiums, including five victories. Penn will next compete this upcoming weekend, when the team will be split between meets in Lynchburg, Va. and Clemson, S.C.
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