PENN RELAYS PREVIEW (MEN)

It is the end of April and my favorite weekend of the year. It is Penn Relay time!!!!

The Penn Relays always brings a certain level of excitement and anticipation for many track and field fans. This year that is especially true with it being an Olympic year. Although the professional athletes take majority of the television time I would like to preview the colleges and high school championship of America races. (Relay events only)


Sprints

The sprint events are always a crowd pleaser. Whether it is a dropped baton, amazing relay leg, sensational anchor or amazing time many simply are fascinated with the challenge the sprint relays bring.

The collegiate men's 4x100 relay is especially interesting this year. Auburn stunned the world on March 31 at the Texas Relays with a time of 38.30. That is one of the fastest opening collegiate times ever. The Tigers will look to eclipse the Penn Relays record of 38.68 set by TCU. The closest team to the Auburn University time wise is the University of Florida which has a season best of 38.67. Unfortunately the Gators will not be competing at the Penn Relays so the main challenge will go to Texas A&M and Florida State.

The School boys 4x100 relay does not have a great recent history for the United States. With the lack of a strong southern presence the United States has to rely on schools from California, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio to produce top schools for the event. Last season showed how much progress is needed in this event for the United States. Only one team from the United States qualified and they finished last. This year there is potential that no American team will qualify. Long Beach Poly has been the best high school program for America and may be the sole representative come Saturday. For Jamaica, Kingston College leads the way with a time of 40.17 and talented champion Delano Williams will look to lead Munro College to the title.


The 4x200 relay is an odd relay and not ran very much at the top level. However when it is ran it is certainly a sensational event. Texas A&M currently leads the NCAA ranks with a best of 1:21.21 and will look to defend their title. Auburn is also listed in this event with the same 4x100 relay quartet and LSU has a strong squad as well.

In the grand finale the 4x400 relay only one team in the NCAA has stood out all year with a early time and that would be USC. Not South Carolina but Southern California. USC again will not compete at this years Penn Relays. Missisippi State currently ranks 2nd ahead of LSU and Texas A&M. Those three have times with in hundreths of a seconds of each other. Miss St in 3:03.12, LSU 3:03.20 and Texas A&M in 3:03.16. This should be a real barn barner and a great way to end a always phenomenal meet.

The High School Boys race should be interesting as well. The Boys and Girls of New York lit up the track all indoor season long and have yet to run a strong contingent outdoors. It will take at least a 3:11 performance to claim the title. Jamaica brings a strong core of teams including defending champions Munro College and Jamaica Champs winner Calabar which ran a 3:10.19. Hopefeully and eventually an American program in one of the warmer states that compete at the Penn Relays will finally develop a program that can be a consistent threat and win some of the relay events, but for now the Jamaicans will continue to dominate. 

The Shuttle Hurdle Relays is one of my favorite events. Like the 4x200 relay is not ran often and even less so at the College level. Clemson brings a strong quartet of hurdles that include three sub 14 second hurdlers and they are fresh of their strong performance at the Florida Relays. Clemson is really trying to the claim the title of Hurdle University under coach Lawrence Johnson. 



 Distance
 
The Distance events are great to see as well. Traditional distance powers Oregon, Michigan, Villianova, Indiana and Oklahoma will look to bring home titles in respective distance events. However growing power Texas A&M is having a record breaking season in their distance events and will look to represent their university proudly at relays.

The Penn State and Texas A&M bring two very strong 4x800 relay teams. Texas A&M can be considered the early favorite after claiming the title at the Texas Relays with a time of 7:15.99 breaking a meet record that stood for 25 years. Penn State is led by senior star Casimir Loxsom who has a personal best of 1:45.28.

The 4x800 High School race is Boys and Girls race to lose. With a solid 7:41 performance indoors a sub 7:40 performance is all but imminent. Expect for this program to be mentioned a lot this weekend. 

In the 4xmile Texas A&M had another strong showing at the Texas Relays (4x1,500) and will look to capitalize on that performance. However their conference mate, for the last time, Oklahoma brings three sub 4 minute milers to the table and will look to not only claim the 4xmile but the Distance Medley Relay as well.