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(12/12/96 10:00am)
Over winter break, the women's swimming team will be training in Tampa. True, they will be in Florida, and true the weather should be pleasant, but can it be considered vacation? Penn coach Kathy Law- lor-Gilbert describes winter training as "very, very, very intense." Most would be turned off by such a vacation, but the swimmers and divers are ready to face the challenge. It is hard to imagine this year's training being worse than last year's. When the rest of the East Coast was inside trying to keep warm, the swimming team was trudging through the snow on Penn's vacant campus to go to practice every day. So, although the women will admit that the level of training is miserable, they hope that being in Tampa will make it more bearable. Over break the swimmers train up to five hours a day. Such a schedule demands that they be in optimal shape upon arrival. In Tampa, the focus for Penn will be extensive and demanding training. The Quakers will have double practices everyday, along with dry land exercises to work on flexibility and strength. The swimmers feel that the Christmas training will be advantageous. Spending so much time focusing only on swimming, with no academic distractions, should greatly enhance their ability to train hard. The different environment will allow the team to avoid the monotony of the everyday Penn practice and will increase the team morale. For the divers, the focus is slightly different. At the beginning of the season they focused on trying to do dives that they can at least participate in meets -- there's not enough time to prepare for competitive dives. With no pressure to perform, they are working on improving basic skills. The Quakers will be perfecting their dives, and a few will be trying to learn new dives so that they can be more versatile. "We're always looking to train so that we can learn harder and more difficult dives, but we can't do this until we have mastered the basics," Penn diving coach Phillip Bergere said. "They must learn to overcome fear so that they can learn new dives. Once we get back from Christmas break we can settle down and get into tougher dives." In addition to training, the Red and Blue will be participating in two meets during break. On January 5th, they will compete against Miami and North Carolina State in the Ibis Invitational meet. The meet will be fun and challenging, but Penn will be training right through and do not regard it as a big meet. Its primary purpose is to give Penn a chance to see where they are in their winter training regimen. "Competing in such an intense time of training really shows your true grit, who is tough and who is not," sophomore backstroker Lauren Ballough said. "As a team, I think we have a positive attitude going in that we can get a lot of work done." Just before returning to school, on January 11th, the Quakers will be competing against Dartmouth, a team which is well-matched with Penn. Assistant coach Mike Schnurr believes that it will be a tough meet and that Penn's women will battle all the way. Dartmouth has the advantage of being at home and Penn will just have gotten off of a plane from Florida and then a bus from Penn. After the Colgate Invitational, though, the Quakers are used to swimming on the road and are well-prepared for later competitions. "I also am particularly looking forward to Dartmouth, which is shortly after we return home from Florida," freshman Jamie Taylor said. "Dartmouth is going to be a huge meet -- it could be our first Ivy league victory in years and I am looking to go up to New Hampshire and give the Big Green a severe beatdown." Winter training really sets the tone for Easterns in terms of how far the swimmers swim in workouts and how well the divers master the basics, as well as how much strength both can acquire. According to the coaches, the work between now and January 15th is what will carry Penn through Easterns. "With all of the hard work over Christmas training, everyone will be ready to race in the upcoming meets," co-captain Christy Meyer said. "Honestly, it really is just a lot of hard work and the help of our teammates gets us through every day of training." True, break will be challenging and strenuous, but the progress made, the experience gained, and the lessons learned will be well worth it. "They are learning to swim tough and to swim tough when they're tired and not feeling so well. This is a huge and valuable lesson to learn. Attitude and toughness is key, it's all about digging down deep." Lawlor-Gilbert said.
(12/09/96 10:00am)
Personal bests are not enough to life Quakers over Ivy favorite Yale, who won the invitational. The women's swimming team had a strong showing at the the Colgate Invitational last weekend. The competition was stiff, and it was the biggest competition that the Quakers had faced all year. Yale, considered a contender for the title of NCAA champion, was especially challenging, but Penn put up a good fight. Additionally, the cut-throat battle between the Penn and Yale men's teams intensified the entire atmosphere of the meet. The swimmers felt that this charged competition led to better swims all around. A lot of races were really close and Yale certainly did not blow the Quakers out of the water, although they finished first in the meet. The Invitational was broken into three sessions, one on Friday and two on Saturday. The way this meet is structured, four women per team swim in each event. With four teams competing this makes for two heats of eight per event. Friday night began with freshmen Dani Joslin and sophomore Lauren Hibbert swimming in the first heat of the 1650-yard freestyle. The mile is a particularly grueling event that requires much strength and stamina. Joslin does not consider this one of her best events, but held up well amidst tough competition. Hibbert, who used to be a breaststroker, swam the event for the first time. She had suffered a knee injury and because the breaststroke kick involves so much bending of the knee, she was forced to swim new events. "[Hibbert] hung in strong for the first 500 yards with two very good, very experienced distance swimmers from Yale," said sophomore Kelly James. "It's hard to be brave in the face of a new event, especially the mile, but Lauren went out after it and that's what it takes to swim fast." Freshmen Jamie Taylor and sophomore Gretchen Price swam the second heat of the mile. These two have proved dependable in distance events and, as usual, didn't fail to turn in strong, tough performances. Taylor, in fact, placed second. The mile was followed by the 400-yard individual medley. The 400 IM, also a distance event dependent upon endurance, was swum by sophomores Kelly James and Lauren Wald, and freshmen Jen Walsh and Heather Wilder. The four turned in good performances and were generally pleased with their swims. James recorded a personal best time (4:50) in an event she doesn't often get to swim. The second day was a lot more intense. The whole team competed in two two-hour sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning session consisted of six events, covering all four strokes and a relay. The freshmen performed particularly well. Jen Walsh placed second in the 200 butterfly, Caroline Shipps placed second in the 50 freestyle, and Jamie Taylor placed third in the 500 free and fourth in the 100 free. The afternoon session included six events as well -- the 200 free relay, 200 free, 100 fly, 200 breast, 100 back, 200 IM, and 800 free relay. Freshman Jen Walsh placed second in the 100 fly. Shipps placed third in the 100 freestyle and the medley relay team of Lauren Ballough, Alycia Kaufman, Kelly James, and Caroline Shipps fared well, too. "Our relays were notably good with many individuals swimming beyond what they may have thought they were capable of in individual events," James said. Although fatigue was starting to show by the end of Saturday's events, the Quakers didn't let up. They swam strong until the last event of the day, the 800 free relay. In fact some swimmers even had one of their strongest swims of the meet in that relay. "Although [the Invitational] was rough and seemed really long, I think we were ready to go for it and we swam well," freshman Heather Wilder said. "Some were disappointed with their swims, and some weren't, but overall it showed that the team was strong and that we have a great shot at swimming fast once we are shaved and tapered at the end of the season."
(12/05/96 10:00am)
Penn will have its first road meet, visiting Colgate this weekend. After defeating Swarthmore on Monday, the Penn women's swimming team is looking forward to this weekend's Colgate Invitational. The freshmen, in particular, are looking forward to the race because it is their first away meet. "It's good to be swimming in someone else's pool. It's a change of view and not so much like practice," Quakers breaststroker Heather Wilder said. "It's good because it's the last meet before break and finals. We can just go for it and see where we're at." The upperclassmen on the team have long doted on the talent of the freshmen, claiming that what they bring to the team has made up for the talent lost to graduation last spring. The Colgate Invite will feature Penn, Yale, Marist and the host Red Raiders. Since there are so many teams, the meet will be divided into three sessions, one tomorrow and two on Saturday. Additionally, there will be two heats for each event, a first for Penn swimmers this season. Such a spread-out schedule will allow the swimmers more time to rest between events. Penn, Marist and Colgate will shave for the meet, trying to get their best possible times. "It's good that we're going to shave because I think that it's a good opportunity to make us feel fast in the water," Wilder said. "And since we're coming down in yardage [from practice], it will be particularly effective." "We got some really great freshman swimmers this year, including past national qualifiers," Quakers backstroker Jenn Triolo said. "I think that some of them have a chance of winning this weekend." Freshman Jenn Walsh, for example, was a junior national qualifier in the 200-meter breaststroke, the 200 butterfly and the 400 individual medley. Also, Jamie Taylor won the 1,000 freestyle at last year's Eastern Championships. Penn coach Kathy Lawlor-Gilbert gave the team a pep talk about good attitude. A positive attitude along with the proper training is key, she said. "She's right; attitude is everything," Taylor said. "When I get into the pool, I have to think, 'I own these girls.' " Although Lawlor-Gilbert's relationship with the team was not always ideal in the past, this year's team now credits much of their success to her. "She has stood by this women's team when they had no more than a dozen swimmers and competition was an embarrassment, and she is still able to greet each and every workout with the most positive attitude I've ever seen," Quakers backstroker Lauren Ballough said. "She has done a lot of great things for us just in the one-and-a-half seasons I have been here. She recruits kids that she thinks would be an asset to our team chemistry -- not just fast swimmers. Although our record doesn't reflect it, we are improving." Many freshmen have recorded personal bests within their first season at Penn. Taylor, for example, has cut her 500 free time by almost five seconds. In just the first two meets, the relay teams have matched last year's season bests. "They're an outstanding group and really hard trainers," said Lawlor-Gilbert of the freshmen. "The other teams will definitely present a challenge. Brown won Easterns last year and is expected to repeat, but Yale may topple them. Yale is a very, very, very strong team."
(12/03/96 10:00am)
The Garnet offered a chance to race in a relaxed atmosphere, giving Penn a good start after the break. For the Penn women's swimming team, yesterday's meet against Swarthmore was a warm-up for the Colgate Invitational this weekend. The Quakers won the meet, 172-140, and were especially proud of their team effort. "It was a lot of fun and a chance to race in a fun atmosphere," Penn co-captain Christine Meyer said. "When we come back from Thanksgiving break, it's tough to get into the groove again. This meet allowed us to get in the water and realize where we are. We are getting ready for our big meet this weekend." The atmosphere at Penn's Sheerr Pool was indicative of the race itself. There were few spectators, and those who did attend cheered only occasionally for their friends' events. Every once in a while, those shouts interrupted by words of encouragement by teammates. In general, though, it was as if two teams were sharing a practice pool, not competing in an official meet. The contest was, in fact, different from most. The divers did not participate at all, and the swimmers swam events which they usually do not race. For example, Alycia Kaufman who is usually a breaststroker, swam the 500-yard freestyle. Additionally, there were some unofficial events which Penn entered with one too few swimmers. Such a relaxed atmosphere allowed the swimmers to focus on their individual strengths and weaknesses. The event was so low key, in fact, that no one seemed bothered by the fact that a faulty clock resulted in inaccurate times. Penn had a strong showing and came in first in all 10 events except the 800 freestyle relay. Particularly notable was the 1,500-yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Dani Joslin and freshmen Alycia Kaufman and Jamie Taylor each swam 500 yards of the tiring distance event. Joslin started strong, and Kaufman continued her lead and widened the gap between herself and the two Garnet swimmers. Taylor furthered increased Penn's lead and finished one-and-a-half laps before the first Swarthmore team and nine laps ahead of the second. "The girls really said it all," Quakers coach Kathy Lawlor-Gilbert said. "This meet gives them the opportunity to get ready to compete this weekend -- it's a really tough one. Some kids are really sick, so they just wanted to swim one event just to get back in the water." Penn's expectations for yesterday's meet were broad. The team was concentrating more on long-term goals than on specific performances for the Swarthmore meet. In a meet at which there was minimal pressure, the Quakers hoped to get back into swimming mode, to have a good time and to start to get focused for the Colgate Invite. "We all got to swim different events. We also had some fake or unofficial events. They, like the meet, were to have fun and practice," Penn sophomore Jennifer Triolo said. "We had a lot of faith in each other and pulled together as a team."
(11/26/96 10:00am)
Although crushed by Cornell, 93-38, Penn was pleased with its improvement from last year. Although Cornell beat Penn in every individual event en route to a 93-38 rout on Saturday, the Quakers women's swimming team was pleased with its performance. Even though they didn't get the victory, the Quakers proved they are much stronger than last year. "Although the women's team lost by what might seem a sizable number of points on Saturday, the team put up its strongest fight against Cornell in the past few years, and it was just a tease of what the women's team has to offer," Penn freshman breaststroker Heather Wilder said. Strong performances were turned in by many Quakers in the losing effort. Sophomore Johanna Minich, a new addition to the diving team, came in first for Penn in both diving events. In the pool, the team's individual medley relay clocked the team's fastest time in recent years. Additionally, Penn had a strong showing in the 200-meter backstroke, paced by Lauren Ballough (fifth place) and Jennifer Triolo (second place). "We definitely scared Cornell, who changed their lineup around a lot after the first two events when they realized our great improvement," Triolo said. Another highlight of the meet was the winning of the 500 freestyle by freshman Jamie Taylor, who swam both the 500 (first place) and 100 freestyle (second place) and was the first Penn finisher in both. Her swim was particularly impressive because she beat the Cornell swimmer who won that event last year at Easterns by nearly four seconds. "You should have seen the look on the Cornell coach's face as she saw her Eastern champ get trampled by her," Penn freestyler Bridget Adams said. Possibly the greatest highlight, though, was the 400-meter freestyle relay team. Four underclassmen, Triolo, Heather Rouse, Caroline Shipps and Jamie Taylor, beat the Big Red. Cornell's top relay team, incidentally, consisted of all seniors. The Quakers' next challenge will be today against Princeton. The Tigers are among the nation's top teams, and they carry 40 women on their squad (twice as many as Penn). Princeton is expected to again be at the top of the Eastern Conference this year. "Princeton is red hot. We have our hands full as far as outcome," Penn coach Kathy Lawlor-Gilbert said. "I'm going to move people around in their second and third events. When you're a coach and you know that the other team is so much stronger that you can't affect the outcome, you use it as a learning experience. It will show them where they are in their events as well as their training."
(11/22/96 10:00am)
The Penn women's swimming team has its opener this Saturday at Cornell. Confident that they have made great strides both physically and mentally since last season, the Quakers are eagerly awaiting this race. It is the first step to their 1996-97 goal -- to win an Ivy League meet. Last year, although they did win three of their eight meets, the Quakers were consistently defeated by the members of the Ancient Eight. Last year, Penn was defeated by the Big Red in its season opener. But despite the similar circumstance, the swimmers and divers do not seem to be particularly worried. "Last year it was a very intimidating meet, but this year, because of our added size and experience, we should do O.K.," sophomore backstroker Lauren Ballough said. "They are a great team, and a good opportunity for tough races and top times." The Quakers are also not overly worried about this race because they view Saturday's meet as merely a chance to test the waters and get back into racing form. After last year's opener, Penn improved its times fairly consistently. The Red and Blue believe this season will be more successful than last, and Saturday's meet against the Big Red will be an good indication of the direction in which the Quakers are headed. The swimmers and divers declared that a win would definitely bode well for the upcoming season and would boost morale. "All the divers have been working hard, are looking good, and are excited for the meet," freshman diver Alayne Rowan said. With such a young team, this meet is especially important for the freshmen. Their first appearance in collegiate athletics will give them much-needed experience and help assuage the intimidation they may initially feel. Although Penn graduated three seniors and has none on the team this year, the talent of the freshmen should compensate for anything that was lost. Lawlor-Gilbert was hesitant to mention particularly strong swimmers and divers. Since it is the beginning of the season, she doesn't feel prepared to comment on either the team or her expectations for them. Cornell and Penn are evenly matched teams. Both are considered to be at an intermediate level when compared to their competition. On a purely technical level, they have similar strengths. Consequently, each event in the competition will be extremely tough. Ultimately it will come down to the little things -- the starts and the turns. "A lot of fast swimming as well as the strength and determination that I see during daily practice," responded Lawlor-Gilbert, when asked what she hoped for on Saturday.
(11/21/96 10:00am)
The women's swimming team is optimistic about the 1996-1997 season despite not having any seniors on the squad. The Penn women's swimming team looks forward to its upcoming season, hoping to rebound from a disappointing 3-8 year in which the team did not win an Ivy League contest. "With an upbeat attitude and new outlook, I believe that we stand to improve significantly, win more meets, and swim more effectively," sophomore backstroker Lauren Ballough said. Penn is coached by Kathy Lawlor-Gilbert, who has has been Penn's coach for both men's and women's swimming for 14 years. Having experienced numerous seasons, both successes and failures, she is not discouraged by the 1995-1996 season. Last year, she feels, should have no effect on the upcoming. The coach is hesitant, however, to set out strict expectations for the season. "With such a young team, I'm cautious about what I say in print. It's not that I don't have faith in them, but swimmers, in general, put a lot of pressure on themselves," Lawlor-Gilbert said. "I don't want to set out a list of expectations and then have them feel that they have disappointed me. I will add, though, that they're a hard-working, hard training team and their intentions seems clear by the way they practice." The swimmers themselves seem very optimistic about the upcoming season. Technically, they will focus on the little things: turns, starts, and aggressiveness. In terms of numbers and talent, they gained more than they lost in terms of the outgoing seniors compared to the incoming freshmen. Overall, they expect to take a step up from last season. "We're going to win a couple of Ivy League meets this year," said sophomore Jen Triolo, both a freestyler and backstroker. "We're a strong team, we have a great freshman class, and we're ready to compete," said sophomore Jen Triolo, who both a freestyler and a backstroker. There are no seniors on the team this year, and the juniors have taken over the leadership roles. Kourtney Krom, one of the co-captains, has great faith in this year's team. The Quakers have had consistently challenging workouts, and successful time-trial practices have given them hope for the upcoming season. "We have much more depth this year," Krom said. "The freshmen are extremely talented, the returning sophomores are building on their talent, and the juniors have done a great job of assuming leadership roles." However, the team has been criticized as one that cannot manage to stay afloat. But this year the Quakers are resolved to erase their reputation as a drowning team. Their dedication, determination, and hard work-outs should help their performances. When her swimmers expressed concern that they had a negative reputation and only heard negative comments about their meets, Lawlor-Gilbert immediately silenced them. She emphatically disagreed with the criticism, and encouraged them to be optimistic and focus on their talent. "Any person who knows the training schedule and the kind of effort that you put in has to be brain-dead to say that you are unsuccessful," Lawlor-Gilbert told her team.
(11/18/96 10:00am)
The Penn women's cross country assistant coach Cricket Shaklee promised the Quakers that last Saturday's race would be the icing on the cake of their season. Indeed, the ECAC championship was not only the highlight of the season, but was the best race that the Penn runners ever raced. Five runners entered for Penn -- freshmen Kacy Corbett and Anita Kumar, sophomore Rita Garber, junior Kristen Duyck, and senior Lorie Roth. The day's biggest disappointment was that freshman Stephanie Bell did not participate because she didn't feel well and was injured in practice the week before. Each of the five runners beat their personal records by at least 20 seconds. Garber, who improved her best time by 47 seconds, said that "we were all thrilled with the results, and Lorie was simply glowing." Although Penn (744 points) did not place well, coming in 29th out of 33 teams, the team was pleased with its performance, and was excited to be running with such stiff competition. Out of 221 runners, Penn placed 90th (Garber), 137th (Duyck), 163th (Corbett), 174th (Kumar), and 180th (Roth). The first-place finisher completed the 3.1-mile course in a mere 16 minutes, 27 seconds and will go on to compete in the NCAA championships along with the other top finishers in the ECACs. Rather than fearing their competition, coach Shaklee told her runners to think of the race as being stress-free. In fact, the best teams like Villanova (37) and Georgetown (77), which finished first and second only encouraged the Quakers to run their fastest. Sometimes Penn doesn't even participate in the Championships because of the high caliber of the competition. This year, however, not only did they send five runners, but they entered them in the most competitive race. The ECACs consist of three levels of races: Varsity A, Varsity B, and JV. The Quakers were pleased to run with the Varsity A, and realized that if they had run in the Varsity B, they all would have place about 80 places higher. "It was a great race, great temperature, and great course. Everyone [broke their personal records] and since they were only five of us, the intimidation wasn't there," Kumar said. "We all ran together because we knew that for such a fast race we all had to motivate each other to run our best." On Friday the team ran the course for practice. Overall, they were pleased with the conditions at Franklin Park. The course is almost flat except for one hill about 1.5 miles into the race and then a downhill immediately afterwards. The first 150 meters of the race was an open field -- all 221 participants were headed for the same point, a sharp turn. Everyone ran in a pack to the first turn, slowed down, and then used speed to spread out after the turn. "I thought it was a positive meet for us and a really good way to end the season," Garber said. "For me, it's the meet I've been waiting for all season. I haven't felt this good about a race since our first [at Fordham]. I think it was a good decision for Cricket to put us in the most competitive race because it pushed us more. We wouldn't have run as fast with lesser competition." The Quakers thought it was exhilarating to run with the best in the country and although it was particularly cold on Saturday, they felt prepared for their race. They realized the value of the experience and were proud just of having made it to the ECACs. For three out of five of them, it was their first cross country season, and for all, it was their first appearance at ECACs. "It was our best meet of the season by far -- we all beat our [personal records] by at least 20 seconds," senior Lorie Roth said. "What was so nice about the race was that Cricket was so laid back. She told us to 'Just go out there, run, and have fun.' The reason why it's so great is that we're all really positive about next season [indoor track]."
(11/15/96 10:00am)
The Penn women's cross country team seems to have been hexed this year. The annual East Coast Athletic Conference meet takes place tomorrow at Franklin Park in Boston and determines who will go on to run in the NCAA meet on November 25. It is the Quakers' last race of the season, and they will be running without two of their top runners. Perhaps because of a disappointing showing at Heps, only team captain Michelle Belsley ran at the ECACs last year. This season, however, the coaches have chosen the top seven runners from Heps to run. Belsley, as luck would have it, is injured, and junior Kirsten Gregory will not be running due to a death in the family. That leaves six runners -- sophomore Rita Garber, junior Kristin Duyck, junior Lorie Roth (eighth at Heps) and freshmen Stephanie Bell, Kacy Corbett and Anita Kumar. "They are a very young squad, and we are looking for nothing other than for the young kids to see what it's all about," Penn coach Betty Costanza. "It looks bleak on any type of scoring. It should be a bit overwhelming for them, but hopefully they will run well." The purpose of this race is to have more experience. None of the six runners have ever run at the ECACs before, and half of them are freshmen. This is an extremely competitive race and includes some of the top runners in the region. It seems that the coaches' focus is on experience, and they look at the ECACs as just another race. The team was granted a week off before Heps, but recently its hasn't had much practice time off. The Quakers are relieved because there doesn't seem to be any pressure to perform, but competition of such high caliber is still very daunting. "We are a great team, however, we really need to work on our racing ability," Kumar said. "With three freshmen running at ECACs, it is going to be rough. But if we can figure out how to race as well as we used to, we will do great." Another setback for the Quakers is the course itself, which is not well-suited to team's abilities. The flat, quick course rewards speed more than endurance and is best for fast teams who have particularly strong half-mile runners. Penn's top three competitors (Bell, Duyck and Garber) are all distance runners. Although Bell is intimidated by the competition and worried about the effects of the weather, she feels confident that the team will race better than it did at Heps. "We are going to have to work extra hard because it will be cold. It's the end of our season, and I'm sure that people are going to feel the effects of training," Bell said. "I think if we try, we can do really well. A lot of us were sick at Heps, and I think that we are better prepared than we were for Heps." This season has been a rough one for the Quakers, but despite the injuries and the illnesses, they remain optimistic. Tomorrow's meet will give them experience for future races and allow them to demonstrate the improvements they have made this season. "In the beginning of the season, [assistant coach Cricket Batz Shaklee] said that this race would be the icing on the cake," Roth said. "It's a huge meet, and we have the opportunity to run with some of the best in the nation. I think we're all excited to end on a good note."
(11/06/96 10:00am)
Every W. X-C runner willEvery W. X-C runner willrun track, but they willEvery W. X-C runner willrun track, but they willcompete in a variety ofEvery W. X-C runner willrun track, but they willcompete in a variety ofdifferent events. When looking ahead to the indoor track season, the Penn women's cross country team is not daunted by its inconsistent performance. And an eight-place finish at last weekend's Heptagonal Championship has done little to discourage the Quakers. "Although our season may have been somewhat inconsistent, it ended on a really positive note," Penn senior Lori Roth said. "Everyone really stepped up at Heps and ran to the best of their abilities. We are all looking forward to see how our hard training during cross-country will pay off on the track." Not only are the Quakers a young team, but they also suffered injuries and illnesses at the beginning of the season. By their third race of the season, the Lafayette Invitational, they were at full strength and had made the transition to collegiate running. For two meets, the team pulled everything together, but the Navy Invitational was a regression. After two weeks off, Penn was ready for last weekend's Heps. Although they came in second-to-last place, the team believes that it met its goals. The Quakers ran a strong, tight front pack, and everyone beat their season-best times on a notoriously slow course. Judging by this improvement, Penn looks forward to the upcoming track season. "We've been harping all season on the talent of the freshmen. But I think we really need the new attitude and enthusiasm to go along with the experience of the upperclassmen, though I think that it will be really interesting to see how we adjust to the track season because there's more of an opportunity for specialization," Penn sophomore Rita Garber said. "Incidentally, the track recruits are supposed to be amazing too." The inconsistency of the cross country team does not necessarily reflect on the performance of the track team. The cross country team is young and somewhat inexperienced last year, but its enthusiasm and teamwork will be an asset to the indoor track team, the defending indoor Heps champion. "The cross country season has been excellent preparation for our upcoming track season, not only physically, but also to build the distance runners up as a team," Quakers freshman Kelly Cuomo said. "As reigning Heptagonal champions, the winter track team's success can largely be attributed to the scope of talents on the team." The cross country runners, for the most part, will make up the distance portion of the track team. They will run as the 10,000 meters, the 5,000, the 3,000 and the 1,500. Additionally, many of the fall runners also compete in the shorter middle-distance events. Every member of the cross country team will run some event for the winter track team following the Eastern Championships. Cross country and track are two completely different variations of the sport of running. Each sport has distinct physical demands. Cross country courses are typically 3.1 miles of hills. Running through fields and trails with consistent ups and downs demands both strength and endurance. Track is a different story. The terrain is standard, and only the lengths of the races vary. The power of the cross country runners combined with the depth of the track team should make for a successful season. "As for what to expect in the track season, I feel that the track season is very intense, just as cross country was, and the competition will be tough," Penn freshman Melissa Audette said. "The focus on the season will be much the same as cross country. Hard work, determination and intensity will result in victories."
(11/05/96 10:00am)
Finishing in 19:02,Finishing in 19:02,Belsle and Garber tiedFinishing in 19:02,Belsle and Garber tiedfor 40th place overall. The Penn women's cross country team didn't know quite what to think about its eighth-place finish at the Heptagonal Championship on Friday. Finishing in second-to-last place, the Quakers did end up one place better than last year. But despite the poor results, they felt as if they successfully executed their race strategy. "The race went out hard and never let up," Penn junior Linda Packard said. "We hadn't seen that level of competition since the Paul Short Invitational [three weeks ago], but we responded well as individuals, and the pack held together. We've been trying all season long to create a tight front pack, and we finally put that into practice this week." The team looked to senior captain Michelle Belsley to lead the team out strong and depended on sophomore Rita Garber to follow Belsley's lead. Such a start would inevitably create a strong pack. Belsley and Garber did not let their teammates down. They began the race at a quick pace and refused to let their teammates fall behind. Belsley and Garber finished in a tie for 40th place out of 75 runners with times of 19 minutes, two seconds. Although Belsley placed ninth at last year's Heps, she and Garber both beat their best times of this season by at least 25 seconds. Following such a strong lead, the team was able to create a faster pack than it had all season. Freshman Stephanie Bell was the next Penn finisher, coming in 46th place, 15 seconds behind her two teammates. Kacy Corbett finished soon after that, and was followed by juniors Kristen Duyck and Kirsten Gregory. Freshman Anita Kumar, senior Lorie Roth and Packard brought up the rear for Penn. "The race was better than last year, and the pack really stayed tight," Corbett said. "Everyone made a great effort to work together, and this is obvious by how close we finished. Michelle and Rita were good at taking it out hard, and the rest of the team followed." Every Penn veteran improved upon their time from last year's Heps. The freshmen, too, ran faster than they had in races earlier this season. That improvement is particularly impressive since the course in New York's Van Cortlandt Park that hosts the Heps is known for being particularly slow. It has a lot of hills and inclines that usually create poor times. The only problem, it seems, was Penn's competition. Dartmouth (28 points), which captured its third consecutive Heps title, was ranked No. 5 in the nation last week. The Big Green was followed by a Princeton team (77) that seemed unshaken by the graduation of its top two runners. On the other hand, Penn (222) has been daunted by inexperience all season. "It's hard to know what to say. We came in next-to-last place, but we still did better than last year," Garber said. "As a team, we did better -- our times were faster -- than last year. We all had good races, but we didn't place that well. What's important is that people felt better about their races."
(11/01/96 10:00am)
Today in New York's Van Cortlandt Park, the Penn women's cross country team faces its biggest challenge of the year -- the Heptagonal Championships. The Quakers will face all of the Ivy League schools as well as Navy. Not only will the Heps determine the league champion, but it will be an indication of the progress the Quakers have made this season. It has been a rough season for the team. At the beginning of the year, the Quakers suffered from numerous injuries and illnesses and were never able to run at full strength. Their biggest deficit was the absence of team captain and leader Michelle Belsley. Although her absence allowed younger members to step up, the team really lacked unity without Belsley. Penn struggled to create strong packs, but has not been consistent in competition. In one race, the Quakers would have one or two front runners and then a distant, but strong, middle pack. The next race, Penn would be successful in moving that pack up, but the front runners would have slowed down. Finally, at both the Lafayette and Lehigh invitationals, Penn succeeded in doing both, and the top five Quakers finishers were all within at least 25 seconds of one another. At its last meet at Navy, Penn's strong pack fell apart at the end. In the last two weeks, Penn has concentrated on building speed and endurance, as well as a pack mentality. They have, however, been tapering their practices so that they are not overworked. The Quakers are familiar with the course and have successfully implemented their race strategy against some of these teams before. The runners who consistently finish at the top for Penn -- Kristen Duyck, Kacy Corbett, Rita Garber, Stephanie Bell, Kristen Gregory, Lorie Roth and Anita Kumar -- will all counted on to step up so that they can run in a close pack.
(10/29/96 10:00am)
Senior Dan Malasky kicked a 36-yard field goal in the secondSenior Dan Malasky kicked a 36-yard field goal in the secondovertime to lead Quakers past Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. Seeing her run, it is hard to believe that Penn freshman Stephanie Bell began running cross country only little more than a year ago. Despite her inexperience, the Long Island native has garnered numerous awards for her achievements and has astounded coaches and teammates. "She's an outstanding athlete and is very dedicated to running," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "She came here with some very fine credentials and has done a super job of being very consistent and of learning. You know it's a relatively new sport for her." Having played soccer and lacrosse her first two years in high school, Bell decided to pick up track in the spring of her junior year. She was inspired by her father, who was a successful runner in his college days at St. John's. "My dad was a great role model for me," Bell said. "He was a runner, but he also never gives up at anything and encourages me to do the same." But things went downhill for Bell when she suffered a minor injury in the spring of her junior year and decided to quit running. Bell would have forgotten completely about cross country had it not been for a form letter that all spring track runners received, encouraging them to go out for cross country in the fall. Remembering her father's advice, Bell decided to give running a second chance. Her tenacity paid off. In one year, she achieved what many experienced runners had long aspired to. In the fall, she placed third in the state in the Class C (small school) division and was first in the county in cross country. In winter track, she placed first in the county in the 3,000 meters and second in the 1,500. Finally, last spring she came in first in the 3,000 and 15,00 in the county championships and was the New York state champion in the 3,000. Although she had been extremely successful, Bell was still disappointed with her running experience. She ran with a neighboring high school because her own did not have a team and really felt that she was missing out on the team experience. When looking for a college, she was particularly interested in finding one with a strong cross country team. "I liked the other schools I visited, but, when I came to Penn, I knew this was where I wanted to go," Bell said. "I liked the coaches and the running program and the team. Also, the atmosphere was appealing. People are smart but know how to have fun. And the city life had lots to offer." Bell's teammates have noticed the hard work that she has put in and her fast learning curve. "The more confidence she develops, the more she will continue to improve," Penn freshman Kelly Cuomo said. "It is also exciting to think about how she will enhance our track team in the distance events after coming off such a positive cross country season." What attracted Bell to running was its continuity. Unlike other sports where it's stop and go every minute, Bell enjoys the steadiness of running. She finds that the competition in running gives her more satisfaction than in other sports because everyone on the team contributes equally to the team's success. "I didn't have a team in high school, so it's really important to me," Bell said. "I'm not just doing it for myself." Bell feeds off her teammates to reach her full potential. As a relatively inexperienced runner, their encouragement and advice is beneficial for her. "She's done an outstanding job of stepping up, showing her talent and establishing herself as a very promising cross country distance runner in this conference," Tenisci said. "We're very proud of her and pleased with her progress. She's doing a very, very nice job." "She had an excellent race last week at Navy," Quakers sophomore Rita Garber said. "She really just ran aggressively from the start and led the way, which is just what the team needs. We're really excited to have Stephanie, along with all of the other freshmen, to give the team such strength and youth." Perhaps what makes Bell such a successful runner is that she is laid back and makes it a point to enjoy life and focus on the present. Her goals for this season are to come away with experience, which is a vital component of racing strategy. What is most important to her, however, is the time spent with her teammates and the sense of accomplishment that running gives her. "I don't want to relive anything. The point in life is to go forward and experience new things, not to regret things you did in the past," Bell said. "The same applies to running. If you screw up, big deal, there's always next time, and you learn from your mistakes."
(10/29/96 10:00am)
Stephanie Bell has translated herStephanie Bell has translated herall-state track pedigree into crossStephanie Bell has translated herall-state track pedigree into crosscountry success at Penn. Seeing her run, it is hard to believe that Penn freshman Stephanie Bell began running cross country only little more than a year ago. Despite her inexperience, the Long Island native has garnered numerous awards for her achievements and has astounded coaches and teammates. "She's an outstanding athlete and is very dedicated to running," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "She came here with some very fine credentials and has done a super job of being very consistent and of learning. You know it's a relatively new sport for her." Having played soccer and lacrosse her first two years in high school, Bell decided to pick up track in the spring of her junior year. She was inspired by her father, who was a successful runner in his college days at St. John's. "My dad was a great role model for me," Bell said. "He was a runner, but he also never gives up at anything and encourages me to do the same." But things went downhill for Bell when she suffered a minor injury in the spring of her junior year and decided to quit running. Bell would have forgotten completely about cross country had it not been for a form letter that all spring track runners received, encouraging them to go out for cross country in the fall. Remembering her father's advice, Bell decided to give running a second chance. Her tenacity paid off. In one year, she achieved what many experienced runners had long aspired to. In the fall, she placed third in the state in the Class C (small school) division and was first in the county in cross country. In winter track, she placed first in the county in the 3,000 meters and second in the 1,500. Finally, last spring she came in first in the 3,000 and 15,00 in the county championships and was the New York state champion in the 3,000. Although she had been extremely successful, Bell was still disappointed with her running experience. She ran with a neighboring high school because her own did not have a team and really felt that she was missing out on the team experience. When looking for a college, she was particularly interested in finding one with a strong cross country team. "I liked the other schools I visited, but, when I came to Penn, I knew this was where I wanted to go," Bell said. "I liked the coaches and the running program and the team. Also, the atmosphere was appealing. People are smart but know how to have fun. And the city life had lots to offer." Bell's teammates have noticed the hard work that she has put in and her fast learning curve. "The more confidence she develops, the more she will continue to improve," Penn freshman Kelly Cuomo said. "It is also exciting to think about how she will enhance our track team in the distance events after coming off such a positive cross country season." What attracted Bell to running was its continuity. Unlike other sports where it's stop and go every minute, Bell enjoys the steadiness of running. She finds that the competition in running gives her more satisfaction than in other sports because everyone on the team contributes equally to the team's success. "I didn't have a team in high school, so it's really important to me," Bell said. "I'm not just doing it for myself." Bell feeds off her teammates to reach her full potential. As a relatively inexperienced runner, their encouragement and advice is beneficial for her. "She's done an outstanding job of stepping up, showing her talent and establishing herself as a very promising cross country distance runner in this conference," Tenisci said. "We're very proud of her and pleased with her progress. She's doing a very, very nice job." "She had an excellent race last week at Navy," Quakers sophomore Rita Garber said. "She really just ran aggressively from the start and led the way, which is just what the team needs. We're really excited to have Stephanie, along with all of the other freshmen, to give the team such strength and youth." Perhaps what makes Bell such a successful runner is that she is laid back and makes it a point to enjoy life and focus on the present. Her goals for this season are to come away with experience, which is a vital component of racing strategy. What is most important to her, however, is the time spent with her teammates and the sense of accomplishment that running gives her. "I don't want to relive anything. The point in life is to go forward and experience new things, not to regret things you did in the past," Bell said. "The same applies to running. If you screw up, big deal, there's always next time, and you learn from your mistakes."
(10/21/96 9:00am)
Saturday's race at the Navy Invitational was a wake-up call for the Penn women's cross country team. By placing fifth out of eight teams, the Quakers' optimism took a beating. After a defeat at Princeton, Penn felt it was consistently improving. At the Paul Short Invitational, the stiff competition had been intimidating, but overall the Quakers ran well together. Now, however, the Quakers realize that if they doesn't pull things together soon, a strong showing at the Heptagonal Championship on November 1 may be jeopardized. The Quakers (127 points) were beaten by Mount St. Mary's (50), Navy (54), George Mason (86) and St. Joseph's (95), but more significant to Penn was the weak finish of its pack. In the last two races, the top five finishers had all been within 25 seconds of one another. On Saturday, however, Penn's top five runners were only within 41 seconds of each other. Penn assistant coach Cricket Batz Shaklee had hoped that the runners would have recuperated over fall break and would be rested and healthy for the race this weekend. She felt that the biggest problem in the last race was fatigue. The runners themselves strove primarily to race in a strong front pack. They believed that their pack running had been getting stronger and stronger with each race. The Navy Invitational did not meet anyone's expectations. "Cricket told us to run in packs, and I think that the pack running went really well," Quakers freshman Leanne Shear said. "It's extremely motivating to hear encouragement from your teammates. We were all shouting and cheering each other on, but then we sort of lost steam." No one seems to be able to pinpoint exactly what the problem was on Saturday. The conditions weren't great, especially considering that the course was very hilly. "A lot of it maybe had to do with the weather. It was cold and windy, and the course was strange," Penn freshman Stephanie Bell said. "I think that even before the race we were defeated. We were focusing more on the weather than on the race." As a result, the Quakers did not have particularly strong finishes. Bell finished first for Penn and 15th overall, with sophomore Rita Garber only six seconds behind her. Garber was followed by captain Michelle Belsley, freshman Kacy Corbett and junior Kirsten Gregory. Like the last invite, the Quakers started off strongly. They had a fast group of front runners with another pack close behind. During the race, however, the packs drifted apart. By the time the Quakers reached the finish line, they were too scattered. In order to score the points, Penn needs to place well, more runners need to be in the front pack at the finish. Even if the middle pack is large and strong, it won't make any difference if the top five finishers aren't all fast and close together. "We definitely have more potential than we showed on Saturday," Shear said. "We just need to pull it all together for Heps." The Quakers have next weekend off which allows them even more time to focus on the upcoming championships. "Right now, we want to work on regaining our confidence and improving our speedwork while we're tapering," Penn junior Lorie Roth said. "I don't think Lehigh will affect everyone for Heps."
(10/17/96 9:00am)
Last weekend's Paul Short Invitational didn't turn out as well for the Penn women's cross country team as the Quakers would have hoped, but it was good practice for the Heptagonal Championships which loom only two weeks away. Although Penn had an above-average finish, 13th out of 32 teams, the Quakers' lack of teamwork was a disappointment. "It was a really fast race, and, although we didn't pull it together as much as we would have liked, we still ran respectably," Penn junior Linda Packard said. The Quakers' goals for the past couple of meets have been to focus on boosting their confidence and on striving to work together as a team. At the Lafayette Invitational, they successfully executed their pack-running plan, but on Saturday the Quakers were unable to realize their goals. "In the beginning of the race, the whole team was in the front, but by the end we scattered," Penn freshman Anita Kumar said. The competition at the Paul Short Invitational was the most difficult that the Quakers will face all season. Many teams, namely Penn State, Massachusetts and Georgetown, are among the best in the nation and all stand a chance of winning the NCAA championship. Penn assistant coach Cricket Batz Shaklee stressed that as a young team with 10 freshman, Penn had very little, if any, practice running against such fierce competition. "There was a lot of really good people there," Quakers freshman Stephanie Bush said. "It was the best competition I've ever run against, and that can be intimidating. There were some of the most high-caliber athletes. You can be totally physically prepared, but mentally you're a wreck." Senior Michelle Belsley, running in her second race of the season is clearly on the rebound and was able to break the 19-minute barrier. Leanne Shear's performance was especially impressive since she is one of the 10 inexperienced freshman. She was plagued with a sprained ankle at the beginning of the season, and this was her first race back. Initially, the coaches had feared that she wouldn't be back this season at all. Next up for the Quakers is Saturday's meet at Navy, where they will face some of the most challenging hills all season. "In general, I think we need to work more on teamwork," Bush said. "That fell apart last weekend. It helps motivate you to do your best when you're near someone." During the next two weeks, Penn will be tapering the workouts to avoid burn-out before Heps. "We're looking to step up with the top five just a notch higher than we have been," Batz Shaklee said. "We have incredible depth, with a 21 to 30 second spread between the top five runners -- the scorers -- but we need some front runners."
(10/11/96 9:00am)
She was never sure exactly what it was, but now it's gone. With a mysterious virus she contracted in Europe over the summer behind her, Penn women's cross country captain Michelle Belsley is finally able to run again. Penn is looking forward to building on last weekend's second-place finish at the Lafayette Invitational at the Paul Short Invitational tomorrow at Lehigh, and a smooth return by Belsley will surely be a key. "This is a really big meet, so it's a good time to get psyched up and run well," Penn sophomore Rita Garber said. "There will be some really prestigious schools there, some stiff competition. "The field will be big enough, though, that there will be some not so good schools as well. It will be interesting to see where we place in that mix." The Paul Short Invite, with 31 teams, is the biggest race of the season, but not the most important. It allows the Quakers to compare themselves to some of the top runners in the East. Saturday's race will be a particularly important one for Belsley. Due to the virus, she has been unable to practice on a consistent basis. Last weekend was the first opportunity she had to race all season. Although she believes that her race was mediocre, she did finish 12th overall. "That race should not define my running abilities, nor is it close to where I should be in six weeks," Belsley said. "Hopefully, soon I will be back on track and at the same point or better than I was last year." Tomorrow's race will allow Belsley to assess where she is in terms of her training. Her overall goal for this year is too qualify for the national championship meet, which she barely missed last year. Right now, though, Belsley is focusing on remaining healthy and avoiding injuries. "For the remainder of the season, I will train hard physically, but more importantly, I need to overcome the mental aspect of running," Belsley said. "Coming out of an illness in the middle of the season is very difficult mentally, but I have a great team that supports me. We all work together very well." That teamwork has been the key to the team's success this season, especially at Lafayette. The scorers, the first five Penn finishers, were all within 21 seconds of one another. Although the speed and placement of the pack depends on individual performances, the pack runners depend on one another for strength. "Team cooperation is very crucial when you are running three miles up treacherous terrain, wondering if you will ever reach the top of the hill," Belsley said. Belsley praised the positive and energetic atmosphere on this year's team. In particular, she noted the attitude of the freshmen who remind her a lot of herself when she was a rookie. "I am very proud of all of the freshmen that are stepping up this year," Belsley said. "They possess very dominant attitudes towards racing and are unafraid to go against anyone. That is very important in cross-country." In particular, Belsley expects freshmen Stephanie Bell and Kacy Corbett to step up for the race at Lehigh. With a new, young base, the captain feels that the team will perform better than it has in a long time. "I expect that the team will run really well together on Saturday, finishing once again with a small timespan between the pack runners," Belsley said. "They're a really talented and energetic group who will be extremely successful thanks to their teamwork."
(10/07/96 9:00am)
Quakers perfectly execute pack strategy as four runners finish within 21 seconds Saturday's performance at the Lafayette Invitational proved to be the most successful outing this year for the Penn women's cross country team. The Quakers finished second out of nine teams and had little to complain about. With a minimal number of injuries and illnesses and captain Michelle Belsley back racing, the team worked together to create an almost indomitable pack. Finishing as runner-up to Bucknell did nothing to damper Penn's spirits. "The team overall finished really strongly," Penn freshman Kelly Ann Cuomo said. "Our top runners are all in such a tight pack -- this is so key in a cross country race. In the beginning, we were having trouble and struggling with things, but I felt like we overcame everything. I feel like we're getting back into the swing of things." Junior Kristen Duyck was the first Penn finisher, coming in eighth overall. The remaining four scorers -- Belsley, Kacy Corbett, Stephanie Bell and Rita Garber -- all finished within 21 seconds of Duyck. A tight pack was exactly what the Quakers were hoping for going into the race. "We ran this meet a lot better than [at the Princeton meet] and had a much tighter pack up front," said Quakers senior Lori Roth, who finished 20th overall. "Overall, our hard practices are really starting to pay off. "The meet went really well. I think a lot of people made really good breakthroughs and reached another level." While the Lafayette Invitational was a success, the team still has room for improvement. Although the pack was fast and had a strong finish, not all of the runners had good individual races. The proximity of the top finishers, however, can do nothing but help the team as a whole and encourage those runners who don't feel as if they were at their best on Saturday. "This weekend's meet was great preparation for next weekend's big meet at Lehigh," Corbett said. "This meet showed us all how we stood up next to some good competition and personally I think we looked pretty good. Our pack time was incredible. Now we just have work on moving the whole pack up a little bit more. "Michelle had an impressive first meet back, and, as she gets stronger and back in her top form again, the whole team will get stronger." At this point, the Quakers can look forward to further successes. Having overcome sickness, injury and a lack of confidence, Penn is looking forward to its next meet with heightened optimism. With a continuation of challenging practices and an increased focus on moving the pack up, the runners hope that they can build on Saturday's performance in each of the upcoming races. "Several people had sub-par performances," Penn junior Linda Packard said, "but other individuals showed a willingness to move up in the group, which is encouraging." "The spread on the first five finishers was just [21] seconds, and the spread on the top nine was under one minute. When we're all on for the same race, we'll be unstoppable."
(10/04/96 9:00am)
The circumstances seem ideal for the Penn women's cross country team to have a breakout meet at the Lafayette Invitational tomorrow. Penn captain Michelle Belsley will be able to compete for the first time this season -- the course is considered one of the best in the areas, and the Quakers will not know who their competition will be until they arrive at the starting line at 11 a.m. "It is a great course, probably the best in the area," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "It's very flat, very even and perfect for cross country." The team has had a rough start to the season. Their biggest hindrance was Belsley's sickness. Belsley has been plagued by a virus ever since she returned from Europe in the summer. Not only the captain, but also the team's strongest runner, Belsley's absence shook the team. "Hopefully, this weekend will go very well," Belsley said. "I will be running this weekend. I think that this meet will have a positive outcome for the whole team. Rita [Garber] is looking very strong, as well as Kristen [Duyck] and Linda [Packard]." Despite these seemingly numerous setbacks, the beginning of Penn's season has not been full of disappointment. They finished sixth out of 15 teams at the Fordham Invitational, and, at Princeton, although the team finished last, everyone improved their times. Tomorrow, though, is the Quakers moment to shine. "All I can say is that I hope to be able to run with more confidence," Garber said. "Also, we've been trying to build more on using our teammates effectively -- running as a pack and pushing each other to do well." Penn's competition will consist mostly of local teams, such as Moravian and Bucknell, but exactly who else will be there is unknown. With Belsley back, the Quakers' confidence bolstered, and a smooth course ahead of them, Penn should be looking at a successful weekend. "The team is solid and tightly packed. Our expectations are high, but so is our outlook," Penn freshman Dana Catanese said. "The Princeton meet was a reality check and slightly disappointed for all of us on an individual level. Each of us is stepping on the line with a lot to prove."
(10/01/96 9:00am)
Penn sophomore cross country runner RitaPenn sophomore cross country runner RitaGarber lets her feet do all the talking Penn sophomore Rita Garber has been dubbed a "silent wonder" by Quakers assistant women's track coach Tony Tenisci. "She's very shy, and yet she runs very strong," Tenisci said. "You wouldn't think she had that much fire in her. She's learning every day and getting better and better. She's amazing." Eight years ago, however, being on an athletic team was the farthest thing from Garber's mind. "Even though I was a tomboy when I was younger, I was really, really bad at team sports -- always the last one picked," she said. "I hated gym class, and sports became a mental block. I enjoyed running -- it's not too complicated, and it involved other people." So, in seventh grade, the first year team sports were offered at her school, Garber joined the cross country team. During her first season, she finished consistently in the middle of the pack, but was never tired when she finished. Determined to forget her fear of not finishing, Garber decided to jump out quickly to the head of the pack in her last seventh grade meet. It turned out that she didn't get tired, and she finished in second place. "I was pretty happy with that. I came out of nowhere," Garber said. "It's what I could do, so I did it." Although her high school team was not very successful, Garber was, individually, a powerhouse. In addition to being named most valuable female athlete in cross country, winter track and spring track, she acted as the cross country team captain during both her junior and senior years and as track team captain during her senior year. Her high school coach, Walter Watson, believes that a large part of her success was due to a strong work ethic. "She's quiet, but a natural leader in the sense that she is a good runner and someone to look up to," Watson said. "She works hard and doesn't skip practices and makes her best effort at meets. Other teammates watch that and can relate to it." Intimidated by the recruited athletes, Garber wasn't sure if she wanted continue her competitive running career at Penn. Finally, she decided to walk onto the team two weeks into the season. Her NCAA eligibility didn't even come through until the beginning of the indoor season, so she wasn't able to compete in cross country. "I was on the verge of quitting a couple of times," Garber said. "No one gave me any indication of when I could compete. I'm really glad I stuck with it. It gives me personal satisfaction. "What I have here that I didn't have in high school is a strong team. We have a lot of team support and unity." Garber's teammates are equally enthusiastic about her presence on the team. "Rita epitomizes what distance running is all about," Penn freshman Lisa Marshall said. "There are no short cuts in cross country. She uses that to her advantage by utilizing her strong work ethic on the training runs. "Despite all of her hard work, she is one of those rare people who you will never hear complain." But Garber is far more reluctant to discuss her success. She never mentions that she has been the first Penn finisher in all three meets this season. Instead, she compliments her teammates and coaches. "I don't know what I would do if I didn't run," Garber said. "It's like I didn't even choose to run -- it's been in my life so long." Garber's teammates and coaches would also be lost if Garber chose not to run. "Rita may be quiet, but you don't need to shout to lead by example," Quakers senior Annie Brown.
