2008 Penn Relays Preview

After months of anticipation, it’s finally here--the best weekend in track and field, otherwise known as the PennRelays. It’s always dangerous to play the weather “game”, but the forecast is encouraging.It seems that every edition of the Relays becomes identified with the exploits of an outstanding team or individual.There was the year that Renaldo Nehemiah drove the crowd wild with his performances on Maryland’s relays, and themany years that Villanova and Arkansas dominated the men’s races.Who will make their mark this year. Will it be Yohan Blake, who hopes to lead St.Jago to victory in the boys 4x100and 4x00? Will this be Texas A&M’s year to shine? Coach Pat Henry was at the helm when LSU won the bulk of theirmany titles at Penn, but he’s yet to win at Penn since he took over the head coach’s position at A&M. This year, theAggies will be contenders in all three sprint relays--men and women.Another team ready to grab thee headlines is Texas, which is favored to win the men’s 4x800, 4xmile, and distancemedley relays.LSU has a unique distinction in the individual events. Their sprinters, Richard Thompson(10.00) and Kelly AnnBaptiste(11.06) are scheduled to run the 100 at Penn and each has run the respective fastest men’s and women’s timein the world this year. UPDATE: LSU has scratched its sprinters from the 100. They will still run in the 4x100 and4x200 relays.There was a buzz early on when it was learned that UCLA (women) and USC were coming all the way from L.A. forthe Relays, but the Trojans have been beset with illness and injuries and have decided to stay home.Teams from Jamaica are expected to dominate most of the high school relays, while a team from Ohio, ClevelandHeights, which ran 3:14.06 and 7:40.72 in 2007, could emerge as the top American team in the boys 4x400 and4x800.

Here is an event-by-event look at the 114th running of the Penn Relays. Bib numbers/letters arelisted where available, as well as 2008 bests. Be sure to buy the Penn Relays program--it’s thebest in the sport.Tuesday/Wednesday April 22,23

1-College Men Decathlon 11:00am

The Penn State duo of Chris Morrisey(1) and Shawn Colligan(3)finished 1-2 last year, but Penn’s own Kyle Calvo2) is favored

2-College Women Heptathlon 11:30am

Penn State’s All-Ameerican, Gayle Hunter(1), is the defendingchampion.

Thursday April 243-College Women’s 400-meter hurdles 10:00am

This wide-open field includes South Carolina sophomore KrystalCantey(1) and TCU’s Kishelle Paul(2), who finished 2-3 in 2007,and a Miami freshman trio of Ti’erra Brown(3) and twins Takecia(5)and Tamieka(8) Jameson. The Jamesons ran on Roosevelt H.S.’swinning 4x400 last year. Tameka also ran on the winning 4x800team.

4-High School Girls 400-Meter Hurdles 10:20am

Methacton senior Ryannn Krais(1) came from behind to beatfavored Shana-Gaye Tracey (#2/Manchester/JAM) last year.Tracey has run 58.18 and 58.17 this spring, while Krais ran 58.96at the Taco Bell Inv.. Nikita Tracey (3/Edwin Allen) finished 2ndto Shana-Gaye Tracey at the Jamaican Champs and has a best of58.75 this year.

5-8 High School Girls 4x800 Relay Heats

The 12 fastest teams from the four heats advance to theChampionship Final on Friday (Event #113-12:45pm). It took9:23.03(07), 9:23.30(06), 9:25.46(05), and 9:23.86(04) to qualifyfor the final the last four years.Defender Roosevelt(Md) should again be the leading U.S.contender against Jamaican powerhouses Manchester andHolmwood Tech.

5-”Small” Schools 4x800 10:30am

Manchester(AA), led by Natoya Goule, has already run 8:51.34this year and is the pre-Relays favorite. Goule ran a great 2 :05.90to win the 800-meters at last month’s Carifta Games.Other potential finalists include Bronxville,NY(AB-9:10.04),Garden City,NY(AC-9:10.36), and Voorhees,NJ(AD-9:25.03).

6-”Small” Schools 4x800 10:40am

Jamaica’s Holmwood Tech(BA) ran 8:54.65 behind Manchester atthe Gibson Relays in February. Senior Bobby-Gaye Wilkins ran onHolmwood’s Penn Champions in 2005 and 2006.Edwin Allen(BB) ran 9:03.55 while beating Holmwood at theWestern Relays, which were also took place in February.Pope John XXIII,NJ(BC-9:19.88) and Ursuline,NY(BD-9:22.39) arepossible finalists.

7-”Large” Schools 4x800 10:50am

Eleanor Roosevelt(CA), which returns Dominique Loickhart andanchor Tasha Sanley from last year’s Championship team, ran8:59.37 this past indoor season.Other potential finalists include Suffern,NY(CB-9:09.00),Conestoga,PA(CC-9:11.48), Ward Melville,NY(CD-9:22.52), andCouncil Rock,PA)CE-9:20.3).

Eastern Track--2008 Penn Relays Preview Page 1

Eastern Track

Vol. 32-2008

8-”Large” Schools 4x800 11:00am

Benjamin Cardozo(DA), led by 400-meter hurdles star DelilahMuhammad, ran 9:05.60 to win at last month’s National IndoorScholastics..Westfield,VA(DB-9:07.70), Lincoln-Sudbury,MA(DC-9:16.57),East Meadow,NY(DD-9:22.46), and Boys&Girls,NY(DE) 9:26.03) arepotenntial finalists.

9&10-High School Girls 4x100 Heats 11:10am

The eight fastest teams from the “small” and “large” schoolheats advance to the Championship Final on Friday(Event #127-2:30pm). Heats are run in alphabetical order (by school).It took 47.64(07), 47.48(2006), 47.76(2005-cool), and47.30(2004) to make it into the final the last four years.Don’t blink, or you might miss some hot action in the first heatof the “Small Schools” section, which should include defendingchampion Edwin Allen(AC). Allen returns Kaycea Jones, ShawnaAnderson, and Gayon Evans from last year’s Championship team,and ran 45.26 to win at the Jamaican Champs.Other Jamaican teams looking to make the final are VereTech(YN-45.90), Holmwood Tech(EO-45.73), Manchester(GG-46.02), The Queen’s School(WD-47.25), Herbert Morrison(EI-47.30), St.Jago(JI-46.91), St.Andrew(WT-46.90), and Wolmer’sGirls((ZS-47.13).California’s Long Beach Poly(TN), which finished 4th last year,could again be the top American team, having run 46.27 at theArcadia Inv.Other U.S. teams hoping to make the final includeLandstown,VA(TG), which ran 46.94 this past weekend, EleanorRoosevelt,MD(WO), which ran 1:40.17 behind Landstown in the4x200 at the Nike Indoor Nationals, Elizabeth Seton,MD(KX-47.84), Bethel,VA(OE), and Canarsie,NY(OR).

12-College Women 4x100 Heats 1:00pm

The 8 fastest teams advance to the Championship Final onFriday (Event #114-12:55pm). It took 45.42(07), 45.44(06),45.46(05), and 45.32(04) to qualify for the final the last fouryears.

LEADING TEAMSSeven of the ten fastest collegiate teams in thecountry are entered.

Defender LSU returns Brooklynn Morris, Samantha Henry, andKelly-Ann Baptiste from last year’s winning team. Texas A&M ran aquick 42.97 to beat LSU at the Texas Relays, but the Tigersturnded the tables this past weekend, running an even quicker42.84 to A&M’s 43.38.42.84AALSU42.97ABTEXAS A&M44.03AVG.C. FOSTER/JAM44.20AJU-TECH/JAM44.22ACTCU44.43AFAUBURN44.47AGSOUTH CAROLINA44.57AEMIAMI44.83AHTENNESSEE45.06ALCHARLOTTE45.26APGEORGIA STATE45.36AKNORTH CAROLINA45.44ANGEORGIA TECH45.50ASVirginiaNTAITEXASNTAMPittsburgh

13-57/High School Girls 4x400 Heats

The 8 fastest teams advance to the Championship Final onFriday (Event #158-6:10pm).It took 3:51.35(07), 3:50.80(06), 3:53.90(05), and 3:49.51(04)to qualify for the final the last four years.

Races With leading Teams (and 2008 bests--mostlyindoors)40-HSG 4x400 Relay 3:40pm

St.Andrew Girl’s,JAM(B-3:46.73), The Queen’s School(F-3:47.18)

41-HSG 4x400 Relay 3:45pm

Holmwood Tech(A) has run 3:36.44 and 3:36.50 this season.,Boys&Girls,NY(B-3:46.25), St.Jago/JAM(H-3:47.57). B&G’sNadonnia Rodriques ran 52.85 to win thye 400 at the NationalScholastics at NY’s Armory last month.

42-HSG 4x400 Relay 3:50pm

Vere Tech/JAM(A-3:36.82), Long Beach Poly,CA(B-ran 3:44.22 atArcadia), Landstown,VA(C-3:46.91), Wolmer’s Girls(H-3:55.19)

43-HSG 4x400 Relay 3:55pm

Edwin Allen/JAM(A-3:37.06), Manchester/JAM(C-3:38.77), JackHayward/BAH(G),

44-HSG 4x400 Relay 4:00pm

Defending champion Eleanor Roosevelt,MD(B) had the fastestindoor time in the U.S.--3:45.38, They return Doris Anyanwu andTasha Stanley from last year’s winning team. HerbertMorrison/JAM(C-3:55.48).

56-HSG 4x400 Relay/Philadelphia Catholic 5:00pm

West Catholic(B-3:55.14)

58-College Women’s Distance Medley 5:15pm

Led by anchor Sarah Bowman, the favorite here isTennessee(AA), the winner of last year’s race and this year’sNCAA title.The main challenger to the Lady Vols in this deep race isMichigan(AD), which finished a close 2nd at the indoor NCs, TheWolverines were the stars of last year’s Relays, when they brokelong-standing Collegiate Records in the 4x800 and 4x1500. GeenaGall and Nicole Edwards, 4th and 2nd, respectively, in the 800 andmile at the indoor NCs, are back this year and will be joined buoutstanding frosh Danielle Tauro. Tauro anchored SouthernRegional(NJ) to the prep DMR title last year.Other contenders include North Carolina(AC), with Brie Felnagleon the anchor, Stanford(AE), and host Penn(AF). Stanfordfinished 3rd at the indoor NCs, but they’ll be runnign herewithout Ari Lambie, who ran out of eligibility after the indoorseason. Taking her place on the anchor leg here will be LaurenCentrowitz, a member of the team that set an American Recordhere in the 4x1500 in 2006.Shortly after leading Villanova(AB) to a runnerup finish in lastyear’s race, Frances Koons was diagnosed with a form of kindeycancer. Doctors removed the tumor, but were able to saave thekidney. Koons resumed training earlier this year and ran anencouraging 4:18.75 for 1500-meters at the recent Sun AngelClassic.West Virginia(AZ), 4th at the Indoor NCS, has lost two keymembers to illness/injury and won’t be running in theChampionship section.

Eastern Track--2008 Penn Relays Preview Page 2

59-College Women’s 4x400 Relay-Heats 5:40pm

The 8 fastest teams from events 60-63 advance to theChampionship Final on Saturday (Event #255-5:40pm).It took 3:41.24(07-9 teams), 3:35.98(06), 3:42.40(05-cool), and3:37.17(04) to qualify for the final the last four years.Eight of the ten fastest teams in the U.S. are entered, alongwith a strong G.C. Foster team from Jamaica.

LEADING TEAMS

(i-indoor time)3:29.28AC

LSU

--NCAA indoor champs clocked a fast 3:29.72to run away from Texas A&M and Texas atthe Texas Relays. They improved on thattime by running 3:29.28 at home onSaturday.3:31.33AJ

G.C. FOSTER/JAM

--Schillonie Calvert andAnastacia Leroy ran on the Holmwood Techteam that won the H.S. Girls 4x400 in 2006.3:31.34iAB

TEXAS A&M-

-Clsoe 2nd to LSU at the IndoorNCs. Frosh Jessica Beard has the fastestcollegiate 400 of the year--52.04.3:32.70AD

TEXAS

--9-time winners of this event.3:32.90AG

Penn State-

-Dominique Blake and Shana Coxreturn from last year’s 6th-place team.3:33.34iAA

SOUTH CAROLINA

--Sophs Brandi Cross andKrystal Cantey are the only returnees fromlast year’s winning team. 6-time winners ofthis event3:33.36AMAUBURN3:34.44ARSeton Hall3:34.76AKMIAMI3:34.84AFFLORIDA STATE3:36.31AIUCLA3:37.63AHTCUNTALU-TECH/JAM

60-Heptagonal Women’s 4x400 Relay-6:25pm

Cornell(C-3:46.39i)), the 2-time defending chasmpion, beatPenn(B-3:48.37) to win this year’s Heps indoor title.

64-High School Girls Distance Medley 6:45pm

Warwick Valley,NY(A), the winner of this event in 2005, hadthe fastest indooor time in the U.S.--11:44.44, but they’ll have tokeep their eyes on defending champion Southern Regional(E).Danielle Tauro, last year’s anchor for SR, is now a frosh atMichigan, but she has a worthy replacement in Jillian Smith, whoran the lead-off leg on last year’s winning team. Smith led thenastion’s preps in the mile indoors with a best of 4:48.83Others to look for include Saratoga Springs(B), the winner in2004, Holy Names,NY(C), and Immaculate Heart,NJ(D)

65-High School Girls Mile 7:00pm

Junior Stephanie Morgan(12-Barnesville, OH)) finished 2nd lastyear and had a best of 4:46.31 in 2007.Morgan, who ran 2:10.2 for 800-meters earlier this month,should get a battle from Emily Infeld(3-Beaumont,OH), who ranthe equivalent of a 4:43 mile last year, and frosh ChelseySveinsson(!), who ran the equivalent of a 4:46.35 mile at theTexas Relays.Others to watch include Kristin Reese(2-Carmel,NY), AllisonLinnell(4-Colts Neck,NJ), and Jaclyn Marshall(5-Kings Park,NY).

66-High School Girls 3000m 7:05pm

Kathleen McCafferty (1-Oak Knoll,NJ) won the 2-mile at theNike Indoor Classic with a time of 10:24.53, the fastest indoortime in the U.S. in 2008.Also in the field are Brianna Jackucewicz(4-Colts Neck,NJ), whoset a National Scholastic Indoor 5k Record (16:43.02) as a 7th-grader in 2004; Emily Jones (2), the latest distance star to comeout of The Bromfield School in Massachusettes(Lynn Jennings,Ari Lambie); Melanie Thompson(3-Voorhees,NJ); and ShelbyGreany(5-Suffern,NY)

THURSDAY NIGHT RACES--2008 Qualifying StandardsMEN

IC4ANCAA INCAA II(Auto/Prov.)NCAA (II(Auto/Prov.)OLY.TRIALS(Auto/Prov.)OLYMPICS(A/B)Steeplechase9:16.009:07.009:07.00/9:26.009:07.34/9:23.008:32.00/8:45.008:24.60/8:32.00500014:37.0014:12.0014:10.00/14:45.0014:28.00/14:48.0013:33.00/13:50.0013:21.50/13:28.0010,00031:08.0028:45.0029:45.00/31:05.0030:14.00/31:05.0028:15.00/29:00.0027:50.00/28:10.00

WOMEN

ECACNCAA INCAA II(Auto/Prov.)NCAA III(Auto/Prov.)OLY.TRIALS(Auto/Prov.)World Champ.(A/B)30009:56.24x9:40.00/10:15.00xxxSteeplechase10:55.0410:50.2511:0.00/11:27.0010:44.00/11:13.0010:00.00/10:20.009:46..00/9:55.00500017:26.1416:52.0017:11.00/17:45.0016:55.00/17:35.0015:28.00/16:00.0015:09.00/15:24.0010,00037:40.0033:30.00/35:00.0035:50.00/37.30.0035:48.00/37:40.0032:45.00/34:00.0031:45.00/32:20.00

67-College Men’s Steeplechase 7:20pm

One thing is for sure--there will be a new champion this year,since three-time winner Nicodemus Naimadu (Abilene Christian)ran out of eligibility.Duquesne’s Tom Slosky(2) has the fastest time thisyear(8:51.57), while Arkansas’ Peter Kosgei(1) ran 8:39.94 in2007.There’s a second Peter Kosgei(11) in the field, this one fromHamilton College(NY). With very little running background, hewon the steeple at last year’s NCAA Div.III Championships as afreshman and won the 800 and mile at this year’s NCAA Div.IIIIndoor Championships. Kosgei is a beneficiary of John Manners’Kenya Scholar-Athlete Project, which helps place deservingKenyan students in U.S. colleges.

69-Olympic Development Steeplechase 7:40pm

This could be a good one if the top two seeds show up.Leading the field is 2004 U.S. Olympian Anthony Famiglietti andKenya’s Nicodemus Naimadu(2), the 3-time winner of the PennCollege race(2005-2007). “Fam” set the event record of 8:25.02here in 2004 and just ran 8:26.94 at Mt.SAC this past Friday.(“Fam” is also entered in the 5000)

71-College Women’s Steeplechase 7:50pm

florida’s Lindsay Sundell(1) has run 10:18.21 this season.

73-College Women’s 3000-meters 8:20pm

One of the more unique names at this year’s Relays belongs to19-year old Welsh runner Non Stanford(2), who competes forEngland’s Birmingham University. She ran 9:22.84 in 2004 to winthe British Junior 3k title.

74-College Women’s 5000-meters 8:30pm

Among the leading entrants are Providence’s KatieDiCamillo(1) and Yale’s Lindsay Donaldson(@), who finished 2ndlast year.Princeton’s Ashley Higginson(6) won the Penn H.S. 3000 in2006 and 2007.