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(04/09/01 9:00am)
The Penn women's track team welcomed an unusual variety of competitors to Franklin Field this weekend for the season's second Quaker Invitational.
The most noticeable thing about these unfamiliar opponents was not their running style, speed or uniforms -- it was their accents.
Squads from Oxford and Cambridge made this weekend's Quaker Invitational into a duel between countries, not just colleges.
"Its always exciting to have foreigners around; they always bring a different excitement to the meet," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "This is their big tour and its very important that they do well."
The Oxford and Cambridge squads added to a talented field of Quakers opponents last weekend, proving themselves worthy competitors in the United States.
"I think its all in good fun," Penn co-captain JaJuan Gair said. "As far as the camaraderie, I think it's been really positive."
The only thing the Red and Blue wish they could change was the disappointing performance from Mother Nature.
The Quakers were hoping that last week's good weather would carry over into the weekend, but they weren't so lucky.
"No one can change the weather -- the spring is the spring," Tenisci said. "It's really hurting our athletes because they can't relax or feel good. They're ready to go, but the weather is not."
Despite the dismal conditions, the Red and Blue managed to perform well. Penn dominated the sprinting events, placing either one or two athletes in the top-10 in the 100-meter dash, the 200, the 100-meter high hurdles and the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.
Gair, having recently overcome an injury she suffered last season, gave an excellent performance. Gair placed second in the high hurdles and sixth in the 200.
"We're dealing with some injuries and then the weather, so I think we did really well today," Gair said. "Today was all about going out and beating the British."
While the Quakers did quite well in the sprints, they met with less success in the long distance events. La Salle, Cornell and the Oxford-Cambridge teams completely dominated the longer events on the weekend.
"We're ready for everything to be on at the same time," Gair said. "When it all comes together, its going to be very good for our team."
Penn amassed some major points in the field events.
Senior Bassey Adjah and sophomore Meredith Bunche obliterated the competition in the long jump, placing first and second respectively. Bunche also placed third in the triple jump.
Freshman Caroline Rebello continued her success in the pole vault, finishing a close second.
The throwers were integral in Penn's success as well. Senior Yinka Orafidiya pulled through for the Quakers in the hammer throw, taking third.
In the discus, senior co-captain Monica Maccani took third with a throw only four feet off Penn's school record. Freshman Tonia Sabino placed seventh in the shot put and sophomore Julie Siebert-Johnson ended up fifth in the javelin.
"I think overall we did really well considering the conditions," Sabino said. "We're pretty consistent, but we're still behind where we should be at this point. We're making strides."
(04/06/01 9:00am)
The Penn women's track team is preparing for its second Quaker Invitational of the season like they would for any other meet.
Well, almost.
The Quakers will be doing their usual workouts in preparation for this Sunday's meet -- with just one addition. The Red and Blue will be crossing their fingers and begging Mother Nature for a little break from the weather.
Penn, spoiled by the warm weather down in Raleigh, N.C., last weekend, hopes that the weather gods will keep the sun shining in Philadelphia.
"I just hope it doesn't rain," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "We're just want warm weather with no rain."
After this weekend, Penn will already be a third of a way through the short outdoor season. There is not much time for the Quakers to work out kinks in this time period, so this weekend Penn hopes to come out ready to perform.
"We cannot just use this as a training meet. We're in April now," Tenisci said. "You have to be sharper in April. You want to be able to perform better now."
The Quaker Invitational this weekend will be the second within a three-weekend span. Two weekends ago, Penn turned in a stellar performance against a reputable field in their season opener at Franklin Field.
The Red and Blue hope to have another successful weekend on their home track -- their last chance to do so before Penn Relays.
But this weekend will be no cakewalk. Once again, an impressive collection of teams will gather in West Philadelphia -- including Rutgers, Penn State, Villanova and Delaware State.
And, for the first time this outdoor season, Penn will face an Ivy League opponent. The Red and Blue will be keeping a close eye on Cornell, gauging them for an idea of how the rest of their season may turn out.
"Cornell is very important to us," Tenisci said. "They are a very good Ivy team and we want to show that we are competitive with them."
Due to the presence of a squad from Oxford and Cambridge, Tenisci is also proud to note that this weekend will be an international meet.
"The combination of all of these teams is going to add a lot of excitement," Tenisci said. "We have to get out there and do our very best. We just want to be competitive."
In order to hang with these competitive teams at Franklin Field, the Quakers will need a team effort.
Seniors Bassey Adjah and JaJuan Gair will lead the strong group of Penn sprinters.
The Red and Blue will rely heavily on solid performances from their throwing squad, as well -- including Yinka Orafidiya, Monica Maccani, Kai Ivory and Julie Siebert-Johnson.
"We're going to have to be sharper technically," Tenisci said.
This meet is crucial for the Red and Blue as they hope to improve their times, preview their competition for the rest of the season and take on a few teams they have never faced before.
Contingent, of course, on a break from Mother Nature.
(04/03/01 9:00am)
The Penn women's track team traveled all the way to Raleigh, N.C., last weekend to take on a slew of fiercely competitive teams from all over the country.
And the Quakers managed to place in the top 25 in a few events at the Raleigh Relays, showing that an Ivy League underdog can hang with the big names in track.
In Raleigh, Penn faced nationally prominent opponents, including the North Carolina, Temple, North Carolina State and Seton Hall.
"We saw a lot of speed that was just amazing to watch," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "The meet was really competitive and it was great experience to run against that caliber of competition."
The Quakers started off the weekend with a handicap. Penn is inevitably behind the southern teams in experience this year due to geography and weather circumstances. Some of the southern teams have already had at least four or five meets outdoors, whereas Penn has only had one.
"At this meet, we realized a lot of teams are much further ahead of us," Tenisci said. "But we'll only get better as the weather gets better and better up here."
The Quakers turned in a few stellar individual performances last weekend and finished strong in the relay events.
Penn's underclassmen competed particularly well.
Freshman Caroline Rebello placed sixth in the pole vault, while fellow first-year athlete Kai Ivory performed well in the javelin throw, placing 13th. Ivory was closely followed by sophomore teammate Juli Siebert-Johnson, who finished 14th.
"The javelin throwers did very well in a stacked field," Tenisci said. "I think their performances were really good."
Penn senior Bassey Adjah showed her talent in the long jump this past weekend, taking 16th place behind some of the nation's top jumpers. Adjah and captain JaJuan Gair also ran well in the 100-meter high hurdles.
And against a lengthy list of tough competitors in the discus competition, Penn captain Monica Maccani ultimately took 22nd.
"Our throwers went through marathon sessions," Tenisci said. "Each event took up to four hours; it was really hard to get through it all."
The Quakers also performed well in the relay events, the main focus of the meet. Highlighting that was Penn's ninth-place finish in the 4x1,600 sprint medley relay.
(04/03/01 9:00am)
It's what you don't see that's the key to water polo. Although it appears to be a pretty simple game, the normal spectator misses out on the thrashing legs, the yanking arms and the twisting bodies that make a 28-minute game exhausting.
And just three years ago, in Penn Water Polo Club captain Liz Greig's freshman year, water polo as a sport was something you don't see.
Like many club sports, its players were always at the mercy of the more prominent sports - in this case, mostly varsity swimming.
"We could barely get practices when I was a freshman. We used to practice from like 11 at night `till one in the morning," Greig said. "This year everything is falling into place. Now we get a little more respect from the university."
Greig came to Penn with little intention of continuing her career in water polo. However, she found herself drawn to the sport. Now the captain for the women's team and the coach for the men's, Greig has become one of the most important water polo figures at Penn.
The team is quick to credit its captain for much of its new-found success.
"Liz Greig has basically built up the program," women's water polo player Zarin Tejani said. "She got us new nets so that we could practice earlier and [got us] more pool time."
The water poloers are gaining considerable respect through their stellar performances this season. Under the direction of coach Chris Lee, the Penn polo players have become formidable opponents in their newly formed league.
Until this year, Penn competed against a variety of varsity teams in the region. Now, the NCAA has created an official women's water polo league, and many of those former Penn opponents are in it. As a result, the Quakers' schedule is more managable and Penn is winning more games.
"Since we're playing all club teams this year, we feel we have more of a chance," Tejani said. "The program has definitely developed more."
Penn's water polo program will continue to develop with the help of a large and strong freshman class.
The veterans were shocked at the amount of girls that came out to play in the fall.
"It seems like every year we seem to get a handful of really good water polo players," Tejani said. "They don't get recruited because it's a club team, but we get a lot of girls from Florida and California where water polo is really big."
Many of the freshmen this year came in with prior experience, making the team-building process that much easier.
"I initially didn't expect much from the team," freshman Kate Uvelli said. "I came here to find that there are a lot of people that are very developed in the sport."
The balance between upperclassmen and new players has proved successful for the Red and Blue. However, the Quakers are still searching for strong team unity and cohesiveness.
"I think we have a lot of experience and a lot of talent," Tejani said. "We just need more practice at playing together as a team."
The Quakers face the climax of their season in less than a month at their League Championships.
(03/26/01 10:00am)
Against the ferocious March winds, the Penn women's track team ran, threw and jumped its way to an impressive start for the spring season.
The Red and Blue made their first appearance outdoors this past Saturday at the Quaker Invitational. Running against the likes of Bucknell, Temple, St. Joseph's and Villanova, the Quakers proved their squad is well-trained and ready to go.
Penn stunned its competition and even itself by finishing in the top five in nearly every event.
"I think we surprised ourselves that we performed so well, despite the cold weather," Penn senior Bassey Adjah said. "We're very optimistic about the rest of the season."
With a shaky end to the indoor season, when they finished eighth overall at the Indoor Heptagonals, Penn was thrilled to come out so strong.
"We were really pumped for our outdoor season," Penn freshman Kai Ivory said. "We were excited to get out there and do well."
A windy and cold day wasn't exactly how the Quakers had hoped to start their outdoor season. But despite the conditions, the team opened at Franklin Field with enthusiasm.
"It was hard to run in the cold conditions, with the risk of pulling muscles and hurting ourselves," Adjah said. "But at the same time we realized we weren't the only ones and there was no excuse."
The Red and Blue were boosted by six individual wins and one relay victory. The 4x400-meter relay team was neck and neck with Delaware State, but in the final push outran the Hornets.
The Quakers freshman aided the team on more than one occasion. Ivory placed first in the Javelin throw, helping Penn out on the field.
Penn freshman Caroline Rebello continued to dominate in the pole vault. On Saturday, she was able to beat the rest of the field by more than a foot.
"The freshman class has a really great bond," Ivory said. "At the same time, the upperclassmen have really taken us under their wings and helped us out. We all have a lot of fun."
The veteran Quakers were also integral to the Red and Blue's success. Adjah beat out her competition in the 100 high hurdles, as well as the long jump.
In the 400 hurdles, sophomore Crystal Marsh took first place for the Quakers and sophomore teammate Meredith Bunche won the triple jump.
Senior Yinka Orafidiya continued her successful streak in the throwing events by winning the shot put. Senior captain Monica Maccani took second in the discus.
"We just came out with a positive attitude," Ivory said. "We were prepared, ready and focused. Everyone came out and did what they had to do."
Now that the Quakers have their first meet under their belt, they will turn their attention to the rest of the outdoor season.
"We have a list of individual and team goals posted in our locker room," Bassey said. "We have that to reach for the rest of the season."
(03/23/01 10:00am)
This weekend, the Penn women's track and field team will emerge from winter hibernation.
After a three-month indoor season, the Quakers will debut their spring squad this weekend at the Quaker Invitational.
The Penn squad will shift into a new gear as it heads into the third part of a year-round season.
"Everyone is ready for the outdoor season," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "This is really an opportunity for everyone to get out, do what they do and show well."
The Quakers team as a whole is looking to progress and improve on the indoor season.
"We've been through a lot of hardships with injuries, bad weather or whatever -- there was always something," Penn senior co-captain JaJuan Gair said. "Now we don't have any excuses. We've been training and we're ready for competition."
The Quakers also hope to build upon the success they experienced in the indoor season.
Eyes will be on junior thrower Yinka Orafidiya, who had an impressive indoor season that culminated in a win at the George Mason Invitational in the 20-pound weight throw.
Freshman pole vaulter Caroline Rebello will also be one to watch, after a successful end to her indoor season.
But the Quakers aren't indoors anymore, and they will have to prove that they can be successful out on Franklin Field.
The Quakers are optimistic about improving upon last year's outdoor season and sixth-place finish at the Outdoor Heptagonal Championships.
"I think that a lot of us can break records this year," Penn senior co-captain Monica Maccani said. "I think that if we train hard we can finish in the top four or five at Heps. It is definitely not out of reach."
In order to attain success, however, the Quakers must work together and work hard. In a sport as broad as track and field, the Quakers are forced to work on a wide range of events. However, the coaches and captains work to maintain a cohesive unit, keeping in mind that success comes from a balanced team.
"I'm with the throwers and we are all stepping it up as a group," Maccani said. "We are training together better and we get together a lot more outside of track."
The Red and Blue, currently recovering from spring break, are now focusing on diligent training.
"We are just increasing volume and getting ready for the season," Tenisci said. "Everybody's very sore, but we're working through it. It's high quality work, but it's just a lot more."
Captains Gair and Maccani agree that much of Penn's season relies on the attitude of each member of the team.
"This is one of the hardest sports to do because the season is year-long," Maccani said. "We have to keep a positive attitude and make sure that our training reflects what we want to do on the track and the rest of the season."
Both on the track and the field, Penn will be led by a strong group of upperclassmen as well as some promising freshmen.
"We can all improve. It's all about who can compete up to their potential," Gair said. "Anyone can step up at any time and grab it if they want it."
The Red and Blue are prepared and ready to get the new outdoor season under way.
"We're ready to leave the past behind and start fresh," Gair said. "Its all about keeping a positive attitude."
(02/28/01 10:00am)
Frantisek Stejskal, more commonly known as Fanda, can't even remember the first time he picked up a tennis ball.
But he does remember his mother yelling at him as he ran through the house, rocketing shots at the chandeliers.
Years later and thousands of miles away from his home, Stejskal's destructive escapades seem to have paid off, as he holds the No. 1 position on the Penn men's tennis team.
A native of Prague, Stejskal grew up living and breathing tennis. Everyone in his family, minus one grandmother, was or is involved in the sport.
Tennis is in Stejskal's blood, stemming from his grandfather, a former member of the Czechoslovakian Davis Cup team.
"I was around tennis all of the time," Stejskal said. "My parents probably wanted me to play, but they never really pressured me to do it -- I just did."
As Stejskal's tennis career progressed, his desire to pursue his education did too. However, he found himself interested in business and economics, two subjects that required moving away from his home country.
"The Czech Republic, with its 40 year history of communism, wasn't the place to be," Stejskal said. "The teachers just teach out of books, but they have no real experience with capitalism."
As a result, Stejskal searched for a university to attend in the United States. After much deliberation, he chose Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he could play tennis on scholarship and test his knowledge of the English language.
His experience in Waco wasn't exactly what he thought it would be, however. Even though he was playing for one of the best tennis teams in the nation, he wanted out.
"It was probably the worst year of my life," Stejskal said. "The coach was mean and he treated the entire team horribly. I would have rather gone home than stayed another year at Baylor."
But instead of going back to the Czech Republic, Stejskal explored his options as a transfer student. His interest in Penn was sparked when a friend of his family had attended the university and as he suffered in Waco, Stejskal reexplored the idea of attending school in Philadelphia.
The move couldn't have been better for him.
Not only does he love Philly and Penn, he is actually enjoying the game of tennis again.
And the Quakers are happy to have him on their team.
Playing at the No. 1 position for Penn, Stejskal has proved himself to be an extremely valuable player.
Last season, he dazzled the Ivy League with his talent and determination, winning a spot at the NCAA Tournament -- an honor that no Penn player had received since 1972.
This season, Penn men's tennis coach Mark Riley has even higher expectations for Stejskal -- qualifying for the tourney in both singles and doubles.
"He's a fantastic player with tremendous talent and a ton of experience," Penn co-captain Rob Pringle said. "Fanda is quick and he plays intelligently. He mixes paces, shots and angles."
But, although he has been highly successful at Penn, playing overseas hasn't always been easy. Stejskal was forced to adapt his game a bit when he arrived in the United States. Having played on clay courts most of his life, the pace of his game had to change.
Stejskal is still learning to compensate for the differences between his game back home and here at Penn.
"They serve better here and they capitalize on it," Stejskal said. "The game is much faster here, but I make up for it. I have a wide variety of shots and decent technique."
As far as improving his game, Fanda and his teammates agree that its all a matter of concentration and focus.
"When he's on his game he's very, very tough to beat," senior co-captain Eric Sobotka said. "He just has to focus and go out there and score the points."
Off the tennis court, Stejskal tries to keep a positive attitude and stay relaxed about his game.
He spends most of his time either on the court or hitting the books, but allocates time for his fraternity, AEPi, and his long-time hobby of photography.
"Fanda always has a joke, regardless of the situation," Sobotka said. "He is always making light of the situation."
As his studies intensify and the new tennis season kicks off, Fanda is focused on improving his game and keeping up his grades.
No matter how busy or overwhelmed he gets, he is always able to keep working and reminding himself of one thing -- at least he's not in Waco.
(02/27/01 10:00am)
Amidst treacherous weather and hostile territory, the Penn women's swimming obliterated a nine-year futility streak this past weekend at the Ivy League Championships.
The Quakers, who had placed dead last the past nine years, jumped from the back of the pack to finish in sixth place with 258.50 points.The squad was also just a few points shy of overtaking Columbia for fifth position.
The Red and Blue improved drastically from their dismal past performances, both as a team and individually. The squad broke five individual school records and four relay team records at the three-day meet.
"It was a long, arduous road to get there," Penn coach Mike Schnur said. "This meet was just a testament to how hard we have worked this season and how far we've come."
So what exactly has changed from the past nine seasons that made this team perform so much better?
It can be described by just one word -- talent.
With the help of one of the best recruiting classes in Penn history and a commitment to dedication, the Quakers were able to go further against tough Ivy League opponents. All the women that placed within the top eight in individual events were freshmen.
"We've had a whole new attitude this year," Penn junior tri-captain April Fletcher said. "With the help of our freshman class, we have really stepped up and swam well this entire season."
The Quakers set the tone for a successful meet right away.
"The 200 free relay came out on Thursday and killed the school record," Schnur said. "It was just a great first session that set an amazing tone for the rest of the meet."
The Red and Blue followed their stellar performance in the 200 free relay with three more records, posting record times in the 200 medley, the 400 medley and the 400 free relays throughout the weekend.
In the second event of the meet, the women's 500-yard freestyle, Penn freshman Kathleen Holthaus posted a new school record. Penn junior tri-captain Devin McGlynn set a new record in the 200-yard freestyle, and sophomore teammate Kate Patrizzi came away with the record in the 200 butterfly.
Fellow freshman Linda Fescoe broke the school record in the 50-yard freestyle, placing sixth overall and making the Senior National Cut for the U.S. Swim League. She will therefore be invited to the National Championships this summer.
The biggest wins for the Quakers came in the 100 breaststroke. Freshman Jennifer Block placed third in school record time, followed closely by freshman teammate Ashley Rader. Senior Patty Walshaw and Patrizzi also aided the Penn breaststroke effort in the consolation heat.
"The 100 breaststroke was the best event of the whole meet," Schnur said. "It was a lot of fun to watch because our freshmen were scared to death on the blocks. Their finishes really bode well for the future."
To add to the list of honors for the Penn swimmers, Schnur was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year.
"We were all just so happy about it and really proud," Fletcher said. "It was just another breakthrough for our team that has had so many this year. [Schnur] was completely deserving of it."
Schnur was a bit more humble about the award.
"The only reason I won coach of the year is because of how they swam," Schnur said.
This past weekend just proved how optimistic the Quakers should be about the future.
"Other teams are scared of us now," Fletcher said. "We're all really, really psyched for next year."
(02/22/01 10:00am)
At 7:45 every Tuesday morning, the Penn women's club ice hockey team can be found lacing up skates, putting on pads and gliding on the untouched, fresh ice.
Although it is not a varsity sport and the stands never fill with hundreds of fans, that doesn't stop these Penn athletes.
Just four years ago, the women's ice hockey was hardly even in existence. When Dominique Pichard, now a captain, began playing hockey for Penn, she found herself in a jumbled mess of grad students and disorganization.
This season, its a completely different story. The Red and Blue now have a committed coach and a team that boasts a roster of 23.
"My biggest goal for this team was really build it up and make it solid," Pichard said. "It's come a long way since my freshman year."
The Red and Blue are a dedicated group of individuals. The team practices twice a week and has a 20-game schedule -- meaning most Saturdays are filled with hockey.
So what exactly drives these women to give up so much of their time?
Well, that depends on who you ask. But pretty much everyone can agree on two things -- they do it for love of their teammates and for the love of the sport.
"We have a lot of team spirit," junior Torrey Boland said. "And we always have fun... just hanging out or talking before and after the games. We're a really close group."
Fun isn't the only reason the Quakers are out on the ice --they are out to improve, as well.
Although their record is heavy on the losses side, Penn refuses to be discouraged; the point of the women's club hockey team is to improve every single one of its players.
"We show a lot of intensity towards practice, especially since some of the people on the team have never even skated before,"
senior Jodi Cohen said.
The team attributes much of its success this season to their new head coach, Paul Caron. Previously, the Quakers relied on players and an array of uncommitted coaches to lead the team.
With Caron, however, the team has experienced a renaissance. The coach is insistent on creating a more serious and skilled team.
"When we came in this year, our goal was to basically fix all of the old problems," Caron said."We're also working on improving the individual and teaching the girls that have never played before how to play a hockey game."
Though the team has been focusing on the individual, the team aspect of the sport is eminently important as well.
"We finally, by this point in the season, have learned how to take all our individual talent and put it together to work as a team," freshman Zoe Harris said.
The Red and Blue are winding down the season, with only two games left. This weekend the Quakers will take on the New Jersey Quarry Cats. They'll finish their season March 3 against Rutgers.
Although the Penn women's ice hockey team will close out the year with a losing record, it won't matter to the players. This season has been about improvement, camaraderie and, most of all, the sport.
"I enjoy playing hockey again," Harris said.
In the end, that's all that really matters.
(02/22/01 10:00am)
After months of grueling training, early-morning workouts and tough mental preparation, it's time for the Penn women's swimming team to reap the benefits of its hard work and dedication.
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the annual three-day Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships, which will be held at Princeton. The Quakers left Philadelphia yesterday afternoon, headed to rival territory to show just how far they've come this year.
The Red and Blue have finished dead last at the Ivy Championships the past nine seasons and are more than ready to break that streak this time around.
Penn was a mere one point shy of overtaking Dartmouth last year for seventh place, but the story should be a little different this season.
The Quakers have already proved to the rest of the Ivy League that they are a drastically-better team. They finished the season 3-4 in the Ancient Eight, with victories over Cornell, Harvard and Dartmouth.
Last year, the Quakers barely edged out Cornell and Dartmouth, but this year Penn dominated both meets.
The squad also performed unexpectedly well against Yale and Princeton during the regular season. Penn gave the Elis and Tigers a scare before ultimately losing.
The Quakers have spent the past two weeks preparing for the big event. Penn coach Mike Schnur tapered workouts, forcing his athletes to mentally and physically focus on the upcoming meet.
The Penn women are looking to post their fastest times this weekend -- the first time since last fall that they are completely rested and shaved.
In order to move up in the Ivy standings and beat a few teams this year, both the Quakers veterans and newcomers must be ready to perform.
Due to the fact that Penn is a very young squad, the Quakers will rely heavily on the performance of their freshmen.
Freshman Linda Fescoe, who holds a school record in the 50-yard freestyle, will look to place well in the 50 free and 100 free --her key events. Freshman teammate Kathy Holthaus will be a an important factor for Penn in the distance events, especially the 500 and 1,000 free.
The Penn team, however, is not reliant on its freshmen alone.
Senior tri-captain Cathy Holland will play an integral role in the outcome of this weekend's events.
A school record-holder in three events -- the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 breaststroke -- Holland will be a crucial leader in and out of the pool.
After a season of hard work and dedication, the Quakers are ready to prove to the rest of the league that they can finally compete in the championships.
Although the Red and Blue aren't looking to miraculously win the meet, they are looking to show what their season has been all about -- improvement.
(02/14/01 10:00am)
The Penn gymnastics team improved its record to 5-1 last weekend with wins over Temple on Friday and Ursinus on Sunday.
Although the Quakers are still battling persistent injuries this season, they were able to overcome adversity to claim the two crucial victories.
In both meets, the Red and Blue won by a narrow margin,. Penn beat the Owls, 187.650-186.500, and the Bears, 184.950-179.60.
"Our season has been filled with injuries," Penn senior tri-captain Sarah Bruscia said. "But this past weekend we started getting some depth and putting people back into the lineup. We were much more prepared for this past weekend than we have been for other events."
The onslaught of serious injuries this season has dampened the hopes of a promising Penn squad.
The Quakers, however, are making the best of the situation.
"I think we are really showing that we can make things work our way even under bad circumstances," Penn freshman Netta Gurari said. "It's now really nice to have healthy people back again."
In the Temple match, freshman Anna Wilson pulled through for the Quakers. Wilson set a school record in the floor event and tied the record in the bars. She had previously bested the vault record earlier this season against Yale.
Against Ursinus, the Quakers took first place in every event and second in three. Wilson won the vault as well as the bars. Fellow freshman Gurari took first in the floor event and Bruscia won the beam.
After a successful weekend, the Red and Blue are optimistic about the last few weeks of their season.
Penn will compete in the Towson Invitational this weekend. And in two weeks, the Quakers hope to claim their fifth straight Ivy League Championship in a meet at Yale.
"We've been doing well, but we haven't hit all of our events solidly," Bruscia said. "What's really good is that we're beginning to peak in our season."
Penn's season doesn't end until at least March. The ECAC Championships are on March 24th at Cornell, while the NCAA Regionals and Nationals are in April.
(02/06/01 10:00am)
In the last meet of the regular season, the Penn women's swimming team secured its winning season with victories over La Salle,134-103, and Duquesne, 152-81, on Saturday.
The Quakers ended their 2000-2001 campaign with a 7-4 overall record, despite dropping three of their seven Ivy League contests. This mark was an improvement on last season's 6-6 overall and 2-5 league record.
The meet against the Explorers and the Dukes was the last chance for many of the Penn swimmers to perform all season. Due to NCAA regulations, only half of the team can be taken to the Ivy League Championships on February 22-24.
"The girls that were rested swam really well," Penn tri-captain Cathy Holland said. "The focus was really on them."
And with the help of the rested girls, the Quakers were able to completely dominate the meet. The Red and Blue captured first or second in 9-of-11 pool events.
"We were confident about how we would swim," Penn freshman Hilary North said. "We didn't think it would be a rough meet to win, so the focus was just to see where people were and to swim fast."
The Quakers were led by senior Patty Walsha, who won the 200 Individual Medley in 2:13.32, and the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.07.
Penn freshman Linda Fescoe continued her dominance in the sprint events, winning both the 50 free and the 100 free, while fellow newcomer North picked up a win in the 200 back with a time of 2:14.51.
"This was really a great meet. It seemed like everyone was having fun in and out of the pool," Holland said. "It was good to have as a last meet because everyone got to swim a lot and they swam very well."
Unfortunately, Penn's coaches are annually forced to shave the team down to half its size. Inevitably, it is difficult to split such a close team. Those who posted the better times in the previous part of the season will continue on to the Ivy Championship meet, where the Quakers will look to improve on their results from last year.
"It is definitely hard because everyone obviously wants to go," Holland said. "But everyone is a part of the team and influences the team. That's what its been all about this season -- the team."
Those who are now finished with their season have no intention of disappearing, though. They will be around for workouts and support.
"This is not a separation. We are still a cohesive group of people," North said. "Most of the people not swimming will go to the Championships anyway to support the team."
Those that will be swimming at the Ivy Championships are now at a crucial stage of training. The key to a successful meet for the Quakers will be rest. Not only is the team toning down workouts in the pool, they are also preparing mentally for the biggest meet of the season.
"It's important to just go to bed earlier, get more rest and get work done," Holland said. "We're also trying not to focus on the meet too much and stay excited about it."
The Red and Blue have finished last at the Championships in each of the past nine seasons.
(01/30/01 10:00am)
Seniors Cathy Holland, Katie Kowalski and Patty Walshaw led the Penn women's swimming team to a victory against Dartmouth on Saturday, 200-167, but they could not end their home careers on a perfect note, as the Quakers fell to Yale, 158-131.
Penn paid tribute to the trio of seniors in an emotional good-bye to Sheerr Pool before the meet.
"It is nice to recognize our seniors," Penn coach Mike Schnur said. "They are great women and once they stopped crying, they did very well."
The seniors recorded solid swims that boosted the rest of the Quakers' motivation. Cathy Holland won the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:26.99 and Patty Walshaw won the 200 IM against Dartmouth.
"I was really excited for Patty [Walshaw] because she did so excellent," Penn freshman Ashley Rader said. "It was great to see her do so well."
Although the Quakers were unable to beat the Elis, they were competitive.
"We went in there with the faith that we would beat Dartmouth and with the expectation that we would get up and beat Yale," Holland said. "We definitely accomplished what we wanted to."
Last year, the Red and Blue just barely beat out Dartmouth, winning in the last few races.
This year, however, was a completely different story.
Penn jumped out to an early lead by taking first and second in the 200 medley relay.
Quakers freshman Kathleen Holthaus dominated the long-distance events, winning the 1,000 freestyle in 10:27.98 and the 500 freestyle in 5:07.26.
Fellow Penn freshman Linda Fescoe took both the 50 and the 100 freestyle.
Against Yale, Penn fell just 27 points short, which gives the Quakers some hope for the future.
"I definitely think we can catch up to Yale at some point," Rader said. "We've done tremendous things this year and with all the great recruits Mike [Schnur] is bringing in next year, we should build up our team even more."
Penn will end its regular-season schedule this weekend against La Salle.
The Quakers will then face Dartmouth and Yale again -- among other Ancient Eight teams -- in the Ivy League Championships at Princeton on February 22-24.
"I think what everybody was saying during the meet was just, 'Look how far we've come since last year,'" senior tri-captain Holland said. "To see where we were freshman year and where we are now is absolutely incredible."
(01/30/01 10:00am)
Before it even started, the Penn men's swimming team knew the outcome of last weekend's meet against Dartmouth and Yale.
No, the Red and Blue are not psychic -- they're just realistic. Going in, Penn knew that Dartmouth would be beatable. Yale, on the other hand, probably wasn't.
The Quakers (7-3) swam to form on Saturday, as they topped the Big Green, 177-99, and fell to the Elis, 200-96.
"Yale's a much better team than we are," Penn coach Mike Schnur said. "By beating Dartmouth, we guaranteed ourselves a winning record this season, which is still a very good accomplishment."
Within the first few events, it became apparent that the Big Green would pose little challenge to the Quakers. Penn annihilated Dartmouth in nearly every event.
The Red and Blue were boosted by strong performances in all events, even though the Quakers were tired and not swimming all their normal events.
"This was really a meet with no pressure," Schnur said. "We swam a lot of off-events and we didn't put a lot of emphasis on the meet."
Penn senior Sean Perschy highlighted Penn's meet by winning the 50-meter freestyle against Dartmouth.
"I've been resting a lot since I'm not going to Easterns," Perschy said. "I've just basically been cutting down on yardage.
The Quakers' freshmen also played their part, as Eric Hirschorn swam two solid races in the 200 freestyle and the 200 backstroke. Barry Chan stepped in for a sick Kevin Pope and placed second in the 100 backstroke.
"Our freshmen are fast and they help us a lot," Perschy said. "They are more serious about swimming than freshman classes in previous years."
Penn sophomore Nate Pinney also impressed. He won both the 200 fly and the 500 freestyle against Dartmouth and took third in both events against Yale.
"Nate stepped up and swam very well," Schnur said. "He's setting himself up for a successful end of the season."
While last weekend's meet against Yale ended in a loss, the Quakers are optimistic about beating the Elis in the future. For, though the team will admit they knew a win was out of the question last weekend, next year could be a whole different story.
"A lot of people are swimming a whole lot better this year than last year," Pinney said.
Schnur is excited for the future of the men's swimming program, noting the improvement that has already occurred.
"The freshmen and sophomores this year will be as good as Yale in the future," Schnur said. "If you graduate two or three of their best guys and continue quality recruiting here, it's very doable."
(01/23/01 10:00am)
In a weekend to remember, the Penn men's swimming team was less than a hand's length away from beating Brown at home on Sunday, just a day after beating Navy for the first time in a decade.
The score was tied between the Quakers (4-2) and the Bears (4-0) going into the last two events. But Brown's relay teams edged Penn in both races.
The Quakers placed second and fourth in the 200-meter IM and second and third in the 400-meter freestyle relay. And, as a result, Brown won by a mere 12 points.
The Bears were shocked as a motivated and quick Red and Blue team turned in much better-than-expected performances.
Brown, arguably one of the best teams in the EISL, came into the meet expecting to roll over the Quakers, but instead barely eeked out a 155-143 victory.
"Sunday was the best meet we've swum, period," Penn coach Mike Schnur said. "[The Bears] are much more talented than we are."
But Penn managed to show that talent is not the only factor that goes into a swim meet. Penn's hard work over the past months paid off, as did the team's strong determination to improve.
"A lot of our guys weren't good enough to be recruited by Brown in high school and now they're better than a lot of the Brown guys," Schnur said.
A few key swimmers propelled the Red and Blue's momentum early in the meet.
One such motivational factor was senior Sean Perschy, who won the first race of his college career in the 50-meter freestyle..
Some of the team prepared and rested up for this meet, while others trained through it.
"We had five or six guys who shaved their heads for the meets," Schnur said. "Our bald guys came through for us."
The Quakers even surprised themselves as they stuck with the Bears throughout the meet.
"I didn't think that we would beat them," freshman Shaun Lehrer said. "Coming down to the last relay, I was surprised that it was that close."
The Red and Blue were also still recovering from a meet they competed in just one day earlier. For the first time in 10 years, the Quakers beat Navy.
By surmounting the Midshipmen, 137-106, the Quakers squashed another long-standing streak. Penn had not beat defeated both service academies in the same season since 1971.
Freshman Adam Smith was a critical asset in Penn's win against Navy, as well as the team's relay squads.
"The key event in the whole meet was Adam's 200-meter backstroke race," Schnur said.
"Navy has two really good backsters and Adam beat them."
By topping Navy and putting up a formidable showing against Brown, the Red and Blue have improved both their reputation and standing.
The Quakers, who are currently two games above .500, are looking to post their first winning record in eight seasons.
"There is no doubt that this was a big weekend," senior captain Brian Barone said. "We looked at it as an opportunity to gain respect."
(01/22/01 10:00am)
The Penn women's swimming team faced two very different teams at Sheerr Pool this past weekend and ended up with two very different results.
The Quakers (4-3) began the weekend by trouncing Navy, 173-127, on Saturday, but finished it by falling to Ivy League powerhouse Brown on Sunday, 227-63.
Although the Midshipmen brought a six-year winning streak against the Quakers up I-95 with them, Navy proved to be no match for a much-improved Penn squad.
"We were just a much better team," Penn coach Mike Schnur said. "We just dominated each event."
Penn's success was attributed to a number of factors, including training at a camp in Florida over winter break. The Quakers returned in better shape and refreshed attitudes.
In addition, the Quakers benefitted from their solid freshman class, who have continually turned in fast times throughout the season.
Penn jumped out to an early lead by taking the 400-meter medley relay, the 1,000 freestyle and the 200 freestyle.
"We came out immediately and showed them just how strong we are," senior captain Cathy Holland said. "I think we intimidated them and they just backed off."
Later in the competition, the Quakers used the Navy meet to experiment a bit with their line-up.
As Schnur realized that his team would win comfortably, he began to switch his athletes around, putting them in events that they rarely swim.
"We moved the line-up around a bit because its always good to do different events," Schnur said. "You gain a lot of experience by racing in events that you don't normally do."
Even in events they had never swam before, the Penn women showed their stamina and talent.
While sophomore sprinter Jessica Anders was the winner in the early 200 freestyle, winning the event with a time of 1:56.33, she also proved herself strong in a later long distance event.
The native of Elkins Park, Pa., took second place in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:18.56.
"In these meets we learn sometimes who can swim other events," Schnur said. "Our women can do well in events that their primary focus."
On Sunday, the Red and Blue faced the formidable Brown Bears.
Brown, who placed second in the Ivy League Championships last year, showed that it is still a dominant team.
The Quakers weren't expecting to top their league rival, but still sought to demonstrate the improvement of their team since last season.
"Its easy to go into a meet like Brown and bag it," Holland said. "But we always get up there and race no matter how you're feeling or who you're racing against. You put in the best swim that you can."
The Quakers were able to turn in a few good performances against Brown. Freshman Ashley Rader claimed first place in the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.90. And fellow freshman Linda Fescoe took second in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.50 seconds.
In an event that often gets overlooked in Penn swimming matches, Katie Laatsch also claimed a second place finish in the one-meter diving event.
"I think in three to four years we will be able to compete with Brown and Princeton," Fescoe said. "We're getting strong recruits and we're building a much stronger team."
Schnur admits that it will take considerable work to catch up to teams like Brown, but is optimistic about the future.
"It will be a lot of work," Schnur said. "But it can and will happen."
(01/17/01 10:00am)
After spending a week basking in the Florida sunshine, the Penn women's swimming team showed that hard work pays off, as they competed well down south and in their return match against Army.
Coach Mike Schnur and his squad traveled to Florida during winter break for a week of intense training. Unlike most tourists, the Quakers didn't go to sit around the pool or lay out on the beach. This trip was about hard work and preparation for the upcoming months.
The Red and Blue trained at least four hours a day in the pool and an additional hour daily on dry land.
"It was definitely hard work," Schnur said. "It was more yardage than we've done all season, but it paid off."
The sunshine and fresh air were all the more enjoyable when compared to the cramped quarters in the pool at Gimbel gymnasium.
"When you are training outdoors, it means you're breathing better, you're swimming faster and you're getting the opportunity to be in a new place," Schnur said. "Plus, it allows the coaches to make the team work harder."
That hard work has already paid dividends, as the Penn women have already shown dramatic improvement.
In Florida, the team had a chance to swim against four competitive teams -- Nebraska, Purdue, Virginia Tech and Florida Atlantic. Against these tough, Division I scholarship squads, the Quakers demonstrated just how far they have come.
"We battled these teams and really attacked them," Schnur said. "Some of our teams in the past would have just given up, they wouldn't have even tried."
Instead, The Red and Blue placed first in the 200-meter freestyle relay and beat Florida Atlantic.
"We competed well and we didn't get blown away,"captain April Fletcher said. "Seeing really fast swimmers and competing on that level is always fun. It was definitely motivational."
In addition, the team was able to bond over the trip.
"Being in a hotel together meant that we really had to do everything together," captain Cathy Holland said. "I think that helps to facilitate even more team bonding than we would have had back here."
The Penn women returned to Philadelphia for a few last days of training and then headed to West Point, N.Y., to face Army, whom they defeated 145.5-97.5.
"We had never won up there before," Schnur said. "It was nice to have our first opportunity for that."
The team did not rest between training and the Army meet, meaning many of the swimmers entered the meet tired.
Freshman Becky Shore had an impressive meet, placing second in the 1,000-meter freestyle and the 400 individual medley. She also took first in the 200 breaststroke, an event she has only swam once this season.
Fellow freshman Kathleen Holthaus place first in both the 500 and 1,000 freestyle events.
"People really stepped up for this meet," Fletcher said. "We didn't have any trouble beating them."
The Red and Blue will now concentrate on the last part of the swimming season. Instead of long distance workouts, the squad will focus more on speed in its races.
"We're basically looking towards the end of the season," Holland said. "We're working on speed work after all this hard training we've put in."
As far as the Ivy League Championships, the Quakers expect to improve.
"We'll move up in the standings," Schnur said. "Last year we were last, and we're not going to do that again."
(12/14/00 10:00am)
Instead of eating hordes of holiday treats and lounging in front of the television, the Penn swimming teams will be putting in extra time in the pool over the next month.
The Red and Blue swimmers will go home for a grand total of seven days over winter break.
In past years, the Quakers have returned to Penn two weeks early to train. This year, the team will head to Boca Raton, Fla., to boost their fitness level.
"We need to maintain and improve our current level of conditioning," men's captain Brian Barone said. "We have to build up our strength so that we're ready to go next semester."
The Quakers will spend eight days in Florida. However, the trip is not for basking in the warm sunshine. This time of the year is one of the most crucial for the swimming teams.
"The purpose of this trip is to get back into shape," women's captian April Fletcher said. "We've been resting because of our big meets with Columbia and Harvard. This is the last big spurt of really hard training."
Coach Mike Schnur will use this time to prepare his teams for the entire second semester of competition. This is the last lengthy time period for consecutive training in the Quakers' schedule.
"In Florida we will do nothing but work out," Schnur said. "There are no class conflicts, so the team can really focus on swimming. They will be in the pool for four hours every day."
Although it may seem rigorous, the training schedule is all about intensity intermingled with some fun.
"Its hard work, but if you're in Florida, it's not really all that bad," Fletcher said. "People are really pumped up to keep training and then see what they can do next semester."
The trip to Florida also serves as a chance for the team to grow closer as a unit without the distractions of academics and differing schedules.
"This is a great team bonding experience," Schnur said. "The freshmen really get to know the upperclassmen. We become one team."
Both the men and women are already focusing on their meets next semester. The teams will start the second part of their season against Army in West Point, N.Y., on January 13.
But the most important meets on both schedules -- the meets Penn hopes to prepare for through this trip -- are the Ivy League and EISL Championships in late February and early March, respectively.
(12/14/00 10:00am)
Instead of eating hordes of holiday treats and lounging in front of the television, the Penn swimming teams will be putting in extra time in the pool over the next month.
The Red and Blue swimmers will go home for a grand total of seven days over winter break.
In past years, the Quakers have returned to Penn two weeks early to train. This year, the team will head to Boca Raton, Fla., to boost their fitness level.
"We need to maintain and improve our current level of conditioning," men's captain Brian Barone said. "We have to build up our strength so that we're ready to go next semester."
The Quakers will spend eight days in Florida. However, the trip is not for basking in the warm sunshine. This time of the year is one of the most crucial for the swimming teams.
"The purpose of this trip is to get back into shape," women's captian April Fletcher said. "We've been resting because of our big meets with Columbia and Harvard. This is the last big spurt of really hard training."
Coach Mike Schnur will use this time to prepare his teams for the entire second semester of competition. This is the last lengthy time period for consecutive training in the Quakers' schedule.
"In Florida we will do nothing but work out," Schnur said. "There are no class conflicts, so the team can really focus on swimming. They will be in the pool for four hours every day."
Although it may seem rigorous, the training schedule is all about intensity intermingled with some fun.
"Its hard work, but if you're in Florida, it's not really all that bad," Fletcher said. "People are really pumped up to keep training and then see what they can do next semester."
The trip to Florida also serves as a chance for the team to grow closer as a unit without the distractions of academics and differing schedules.
"This is a great team bonding experience," Schnur said. "The freshmen really get to know the upperclassmen. We become one team."
Both the men and women are already focusing on their meets next semester. The teams will start the second part of their season against Army in West Point, N.Y., on January 13.
But the most important meets on both schedules -- the meets Penn hopes to prepare for through this trip -- are the Ivy League and EISL Championships in late February and early March, respectively.
(12/11/00 10:00am)
Coach Mike Schnur, who has been involved with Penn's swimming program since 1984, cannot remember the last time the Penn women's swimming team defeated Harvard in the pool. But the last time the Crimson finished ahead of the Quakers in the final Ivy League standings was in the 1983-84 season.
Either way, it has certainly been a long time.
But that drought is over, as Schnur led the Red and Blue to a 167-133 victory over Harvard yesterday.
As Penn heads into another rigorous cycle of training, the win is just the motivation the team needs to stay focused.
"I don't think anybody on this team ever conceived that we would beat Harvard this season," Schnur said. "This was definitely the best win that I have ever been a part of."
Harvard has notoriously trounced Penn in the past years, winning by huge margins.
And those margins haven't exactly spawned any love, as the Quakers upperclassmen hold a bit of a grudge against the Crimson.
"Last year Harvard ran up the score on us and basically laughed in our faces," junior captain Devin McGlynn said. "So we came out to show them that we are a good team and they can no longer push us around."
The Quakers are continually proving to their Ivy League foes that they are a changed team. With the help of a quick freshman class, Penn has already demonstrated its improvement over past years.
"This win was absolutely amazing," senior captain Cathy Holland said. "I think this points to all of the good things going on with our team and is an indication of our improvement."
As they did last weekend against Bucknell and Binghamton, the Red and Blue turned in a set of fast times. Three more school records were broken.
Rader set a new Penn record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:06.68, breaking freshman teammate Jennifer Block's one-day-old record. Block set the record in Friday's meet against Columbia and finished less than one second behind Rader yesterday.
Freshman Linda Fescoe posted a new record in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.99. Holland claimed her third record of the season in the 200 breaststroke in 2:23.04, with Block once again close behind.
"We are all at about the same level," Holland said. "I am just as happy when the other girls break records too."
Penn had another strong showing last Friday against Columbia. The Red and Blue ended up just 66 points behind the Lions, 183-117.
"Columbia is a fairly tough pool to swim in, but we swam amazingly well," Holland said. "It was exactly what we wanted to do. Everyone posted their best times and we really competed with them."
The Quakers are enthusiastic as they head into the spring semester. The Quakers hope to continue their success in the Ivy League and also defeat their upcoming, out-of-league foes.
"Knowing that we beat Harvard give us the confidence we need," Rader said. "Now we're excited to start next semester."
