REGIONAL RECAP

(Fred Kerley- Texas A&M)

This past weekend the Eastern and Western Regional Preliminary Rounds took place. We cannot call them championship meets since they are only used for qualifying. Still there were quite a few noticeable performances and quite a few disappointments. Some of which are in my opinion the result of the regional competition. To be fair injuries are a part of sport and so are mentally weak athletes, every collegiate sport has a qualifying competition before nationals why should track and field be any different.

RECORD BROKEN

Senior Fred Kerley of Texas A&M is having perhaps one of the best seasons in 400-meter history. He has been so dominant all season long using his speed with his, big frame to put up some impressive times. He broke the NCAA record with a time of 43.70. Quincy Watts of USC held that record for 25 years. It is one of the oldest records in NCAA history. His time places him in the top 10 in world history and this year’s number one. It remains to be seen if he lowers his record any further.

OREGON STRUGGLES

This season’s Lady Ducks remind me of the Texas Longhorn team of 2004. In 2004 then head coach Beverly Kearney had assembled one of the greatest teams in NCAA history. They looked virtually unstoppable. They had three to five quality athletes for every sprint and or hurdle event. They were great in the relay events as well. When they got to Nationals they crashed and burned. Even there record setting 4x400 relay, which still stands today, dropped the baton early in the race and finished 6^th.

What I saw from Oregon this past weekend reminded me of that. Yes, it is disappointing as we head into the National Championship but is all a part of competition. Their record setting 4x100 relay will not go onto Nationals. They were disqualified at Regionals. This leaves LSU without a true challenger in the 4x100 relay and gives them a clear path to re-claiming the record solely. Oregon also will be without Hannah Cunliffe who was a no show for the 4x100 relay, 100 and 200. They Ducks are still favorites but they will arrive significantly weaker than expected.

MISSING IN ACTION

Hannah Cunliffe of Oregon is not the only headlining athlete who will not be competing at Nationals. There is Eli Hall of Houston. Hall had the fastest time in the NCAA at 200 meters and one of the fastest times in the NCAA at 100 meters before the meet. He was a no show for the final preliminary round of the 100 and for any heats of the 200 and it was likely due to injury.

Also missing is sprinter Just’N’ Thymes of USC, sprinter Kunle Fasasi of Florida, high Jumper Tequan Claitt of Western Kentucky, long jumpers Ja’Mari Ward of Missouri and Charles Brown of Texas Tech. Their absences certainly change the team battle races on both sides but even without these stars there will still be a bevy of talent competing at this year’s meet.

TEAM BATTTLE GETS TIGHTER

With the Oregon women taking a significant hit this weekend and Florida and Texas A&M men looking like they may tie again this weekend certainly changed the perceived outcome of the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

On the women’s side LSU leads with the most entries totaling 19. With their bevy of sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers to add to that two great relays this maybe Dennis Shaver’s best assembled team since he has been a head coach and puts him in great shape to win the team title.

Texas A&M lead the entrants on the men’s side with a total of 18. Texas A&M is a well-rounded program, great in the sprints and relays but also great in the field events and middle distance. The Aggies enter the meet as the number 1 team and will likely end that way. 

NCAA West Regional Preview

(Deajah Stevens-Oregon)

The West Regional competition like the east is loaded with great talent from multiple conferences. The SEC, Big 12, Pac-12 and even the Big 10 are well represented here. This is also just a qualifying meet the goal is simply to get to nationals. To that like the east you must be one of the top 12 individuals from this region. Qualifying will be challenging but the best will shine their way through it. This post we will look at the five most interesting events of the weekend.

WOMEN

200 Meter Dash

Deajah Stevens is one of the many talented sprinters at Oregon. Perhaps worth noting none of the women in their elite 200-meter group are seniors. So, if no one turns pro you will see them again next year doing even more damage. Stevens is perhaps the best chance we have to possibly see a collegiate sprinter run sub 22. She is dangerously close to breaking Dawn Sowell’s collegiate record of 22.04 with her personal record of 22.09. With it only being a qualifying meet do not expect it to happen here, but potentially at nationals. I still expect her to give quite the teaser. 

400 Meter Dash

Senior Chris Ann Gordon of Texas by way of Jamaica and Kendall Ellis of USC. Both programs have been great over the oval the past few years with Texas being historically great going all the back to the early 90’s. Gordon is truly the next batter up coming out of Texas while Ellis has been helping USC blaze a new trail in the event. Both have run under 51 seconds with Gordon posting a time of 50.64 and Ellis with a time of 50.66. Both are returning All-Americans and conference champions. If we are lucky enough to see these two compete in a heat, we may see a new personal best from both. 

800 Meter Run

Raevyn Rogers has dominated the 800 since arriving at Oregon as freshman. Now as a junior she hopes to defend her national title for the third time. Rogers set the NCAA record early in the year and has been known for her very strong kick at the end. Although her form not traditional it gets the job done. Every time she steps on the track she is a threat to break a new record.

Pole Vault

Arkansas has developed quite the reputation with their great pole vaulters. Both Alexis and Victoria Weeks have championship hardware to their name with Alexis returning as the defending champion. This year though they will face off against to pole vaulters who have surpassed 15 feet for the season while they are still trying to get over 14-9. Annie Rhodes a Senior from Baylor is one of two competitors has jumped over 15 feet and the chief challenger to the Arkansas dynasty. Number two ranked Emily Grove of South Dakota is also in the field. With four great competitors at one region we could potentially quite the mark heading into Nationals.

4x100 Relay

Oregon has broken the NCAA record in the 4x100 relay twice this season and seem to be on the verge of becoming the first team under 42 seconds in Collegiate history. With a great quartet in McKenzie Dunmore, Deajah Stevens, Hannah Cunliffe and Arianna Washington it’s quite possible that we see a new NCAA record sooner rather than later.

MEN

100 Meter Dash

You must remind yourself this is still just a qualifying meet. That is being said because when an athlete is in good position to qualify they tend to shut down early. However, in the 100 there is no true way to tell. This allows for a truly competitive race against some of the nation’s best. In this field is senior Brandon Carnes of Northern Iowa. Northern Iowa routinely has put out quality sprinters over the years, which is quite impressive since they are in the Mid-West and remain cold until about late May. He has the fastest entry time with a personal best of 9.97. He will face off against Houston’s Eli Hall who has ran under 20 seconds in the 200 and still looking for his first sub 10 second performance in the 100. With a time of 10.00 it is clear he is more than ready.

400 Meter Dash

Senior Fred Kerley of Texas A&M nearly broke the NCAA record two weeks ago at the SEC Outdoor Championships. He almost ran under 44 seconds when he coasted to the finish line. With this only being a qualifying meet he may do that again. But something tells me if he feels that he is close enough to sub 44 and set a new NCAA record he just might do it.

800 Meter Run

True freshman Emmanuel Korir has been in the headlines all year long. He has been at the top of the NCAA in the 800 and has even run 44.6 in the open 400. That level of speed gives him a great advantage against of their 800 runners. Korir has already run 1:43.73 in the 800 and is dangerously close to the NCAA record set by last year’s true freshman star Donovan Brazier. It would be a real treat if we could see the NCAA record broken again this year.

  

Javelin Throw

Ioannis Kryiazis of Texas A&M perhaps has the farthest lead on his national competition than anyone. He is a huge piece of Texas A&M’s national title aspirations. He is currently ranked number one in the NCAA with a throw of 288’9, a thirty-foot lead. He likely will not break the NCAA record this weekend but he will dazzle with his throws. He is perhaps the best opportunity to see the NCAA record broken. They record has stood since 1990 ironically from a Texas thrower named Patrik Bolden.

Triple Jump

An event that has grown in popularity over the years is the triple jump. A lot of that growth in the United States is because of the many programs designed to improve jumping performances by American youngsters and the Olympic Gold medalist Christian Taylor. Felix Obi of Baylor has been sitting in the back seat amongst the nation’s best for the past three years. Now as a senior he is one step closer to finally earning a national title. Obi is ranked number two in the nation with a season best of 54’8 ¼ and can use this as a launching pad for his championship campaign. 

NCAA East Regional Preview

(Christian Coleman-Tennessee)

The post season is now in full swing and next up is the regional championship. I admit I am still no fan of the regional concept in track and field. I honestly believe it is a waste and another wasted opportunity for athletes to heal up and get better. This is only a qualifying meet there essentially is no regional championship. 

This preview post is all about the Eastern Region. This is a very tough regional qualifying meet and there will be a few top tier athletes who will not be heading to Nationals. Below are the five biggest events that I’ll be watching at this weekend’s East Regional meet.

Opinion: My hope for the future is that the NCAA will change this and match the same selection process at the Indoor meet. What makes the Indoor meet so great is the fact it is the best 16 athletes per event and top 12 relays. I think with an outdoor process it could be the best 24 athletes and the best 16 relays. Alas we are left with the current format.

Women

100 METER DASH

Enter Aleia Hobbs of LSU. She proved the hype about her win she ran a 10.85 in the 100 at the SEC Relays wind legal. It is the second fastest time in NCAA history and the fastest low-altitude. School record holder Dawn Sowell still owns the NCAA record with a time of 10.78. Hobbs is the first athlete since the early 90’s to challenge the time.

400 Meter Dash

Senior Shakima Wimbley of Miami leads an outstanding Miami group that is currently ranked 1-2-3 in the region. Wimbley had a minor hiccup early in the outdoor season put returned to form at the ACC Championships where she clocked in at 50.40 a new personal best an NCAA leading time. Wimbley was the indoor champion and if she qualifies to nationals will be the favorite to win it all.

5,000 & 10,000 Meter Run

Anna Rohrer of Notre Dame is having a great freshman season and seems to be well on her way to being the next great distance runner from Notre Dame. She enters the 5,000 as the number three ranked entrant and the 10,000 as the number one ranked entrant. She is attempting quite the impressive double so young but with her performances this year we cannot be surprised if she qualifies as the top entrant in both events heading to nationals.

100 Hurdles

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn surprised everyone except herself last season win she won the 100 hurdles at the NCAA Championships last season. It was expected that Cindy Ofili of Michigan would win and finally get the Outdoor title that her sister got so many times before. Quinn stepped up an took the crown and has looked pretty solid so far this outdoor season. She enters at the number two entrant behind Devyne Charlton of Purdue but she perhaps is still the favorite to arrive at Nationals number one with her blazing speed.

Triple Jump

What will Keturah Orji jump next. She never ceases to amaze and has been at the top of this event since she was a freshman. Orji has broken the NCAA and American record multiple times and already seems to be in great shape heading into the championship season. She leads the NCAA with her mark of 46’11 ½ more than a foot farther than her closest competitor. Orji has kept a low profile this outdoor season only having competed twice, expect for her to be ready for a big mark either this weekend or at Nationals.

MEN

200 Meter Dash

The question is how many guys in this race will go under 20 seconds. Although it is only a qualifying meet there are still only 12 spots available for this regional. This region is full of quality 200 meter runners so there will be no shutting it down at the end of the race. Christian Coleman enters at the top guy with a time of 19.97 and recently joined a rare club being a man who ran under 10 seconds and 20 seconds in the same meet on the same day. Coleman is having a career year and has not lost since the SEC Indoor Championships running the 200. Coleman will use this as another opportunity to prove that he is the best.

5,000 Meter Run

Justyn Knight of Syracuse lit the collegiate distance world on fire a few weeks when he beat Edward Cheserek of Oregon at the Payton Jordon Invitational in the 5,000-meter race. His time properly placed at the top of the NCAA rankings where he has remained since. He has more than 20 seconds on the rest of the field. With Cheserek out of the NCAA’s with a back-injury Knight is in perfect position to win the national title.

400 Hurdles

Senior Eric Futch of Florida is the defending NCAA Champion in the 400 meter hurdles. He was recently beaten at the SEC Championships by Kemar Mowatt of Arkansas. He also ranks number 3 in the NCAA. Although he is the defending champion he has a climb to make to return to the top spot. First things first beat the guy who is ranked number one this weekend in North Carolina junior Kenny Selmon.

Hammer Throw

Senior Rudy Winkler of Cornell is the latest Ivy League prospect competing for a national title. He was mentioned quite a bit this indoor season and has translated his indoor success outdoors. He is ranked 2^nd in the NCAA and 1^st in the region. Winkler can use this competition to draw closer to the number one competitor who has more than 7 feet lead on him.

4x100 Relay

There are so many great teams in this event. There are three teams listed with times under 39 seconds they are LSU, Florida and Western Kentucky. LSU is the defending NCAA Champion and have yet to lose this outdoor season. LSU looks to add more relay hardware to their impressively historically trophy case. They should enter nationals at the top seed after this weekend. 

Conference Championship Weekend Recap

8,539!!!

(Lindon Victor-Texas A&M)

I believe that this is the season of breaking records. This year every weekend a national record has either been broken or under threat to be broken. This past weekend was Super Conference Championship Weekend and a lot of top tier performances were had. But again, we are identifying another new NCAA Record. In this recap, we will discuss the top five performances from a packed weekend.

WOMEN

5. The fifth spot will be given to three individuals, all field event athletes who moved to the number one spot in their respective events at their conference championships this past weekend. Annie Rhodes of Baylor became the second athlete this season to go over 15 feet winning the Big 12 title with a mark of 15-1 ½. Shadae Lawrence of Kansas State winning the discus with a throw of 205’4 to claim the Big 12 Conference title.  She is currently one of two athletes who have thrown over 200 feet. Then Finally Irena Sediva of Virginia Tech claimed the Javelin throw at the ACC Championships with a mark of 192’6.

4. Hanna Green (Virginia Tech)- Green has been a mainstay in the 800 on a conference level and a national level. This year her senior year Green has seemed to turn things up a notch. She has not ran the 1,500 meter race at the Conference Championship before and was attempting a 800/1500 double. The ACC is full of great 1,500 runners and this season proved to be a tough group. However Green proved superior winning with a time of 4:15.08, she followed that up by winning the 800 in 2:01.28. Green has yet to beat Raevyn Rogers and will have a tough time of it later in the season. But she certainly proved herself a worthy competitor by pulling off an impressive double.

3. Sage Watson (Arizona)- Watson had quite the indoor season running the 400 meters. Watson an Olympian for Team Canada in the 400 meter hurdles led the NCAA Indoors at one point during the season. She has been mostly quiet this outdoor season sitting behind the two studs at USC in Amalie Iuel and Anna Cockrell. At the Conference Championships, she proved herself to be the best of the three winning the event in a time of 55.01. Watson has clearly filled the void left by Georganne Moline and hopes to claim the one thing missing from Moline’s record and that is a national championship.

2. Shakima Wimbley (Miami)- After having a rough start to the outdoor season in the 400, Wimbley turned up the heat at the ACC Championships. Against a challenging field where she entered not ranked number 1 Wimbley vaulted to the top spot with a time of 50.40, a new conference record. She led Miami on a 1-2-3 finish to prove their dominance in the event. Wimbley returned just a few hours later to compete in the 200 where she would dominate the field again with a time of 22.54.

1. Deajah Stevens (Oregon)- I honestly thought this position would be held by Ariana Washington after the season she had last year and the fact that she is defending NCAA Champion at 100 and 200 meters. Instead it has been her teammate all Outdoor season who has simply dominated. Stevens an Olympian who ran for Team USA in the 200-meter dash set the NCAA ablaze this indoor season with a 22.28 preliminary race. Unfortunately, she took a few steps outside the line and was disqualified along with her NCAA and American record. If the Pac 12 Championships are any indication the 200-meter record that has stood since 1989 is in serious jeopardy. Stevens blazed the field to a time of 22.09 which is the second fastest time in NCAA history. However, her time is the fastest at normal low altitude. She’ll be on her home track again in a couple of weeks we may perhaps see her dip under 22 seconds.

MEN

The men’s list was quite difficult formulating to five, there are few top performances were left of this list. The five listed are perhaps the most impactful.

5. Eli Hall (Houston)/Christian Coleman (Tennessee)- We’ve heard Christian Coleman’s name all year long. Hall’s name has been mentioned but not as frequently. The two have been at the top of the 100/200 meter rankings all season long and both put on quite a show this past weekend. Hall dominated on his home track winning the 100 and 200-meter dash at the American Conference Championships. His times were 10.19 for the 100 running into a slight headwind and the 200 with a time of 19.96. His 200-meter time just barely crept of the allowable mark but still pushed him to number 1 in the NCAA.

Coleman also doubled winning the 100 and 200-meter dash at the SEC Championships running under 10 seconds and 20 seconds. His winning times were 9.97 and 19.98, both times were wind legal. It is fair to say that I expect for both to have quite the match up at the NCAA Championships later this outdoor season.

4. Kenny Selmon (North Carolina)- Selmon may have been forgotten through all the noise coming from the SEC fans. With a myriad of top ranked 400 hurdlers in the SEC Selmon who competes in the ACC perhaps went ignored. Well this past weekend he reintroduced himself to the NCAA. Selmon claimed the ACC title with a time of 48.76.

3. Devon Williams (Georgia)- Williams primarily focuses on the decathlon. He is currently ranked 2^nd in the NCAA in the event. At the SEC Championships, he decided to test his skill set against the top ranked freshman Grant Holloway in just the 110-meter-high hurdles. Holloway has led the SEC for majority of the season. Williams however was not only able to beat one on one but also able to tie for the number 1 ranking. His time of 13.37 is the best wind legal time in the NCAA this season. It remains to be seen if he will compete in both the decathlon and the 110 hurdles or just simply one event. He will enter the meet ranked high in both events.

2. Fred Kerley (Texas A&M)- Kerley continues to amaze this season. The 6’2 sprinter has developed quite well since high school and continued his dominance on the season this past weekend. He ran a time of 44.09 which is the 2^nd fastest time in NCAA history while easing up to the finish line. It is fair to say that he would have easily dipped under 44 seconds and broke the NCAA record. In the finals while running in the rain he was still able to hold on and win clocking in at 44.30. Kerley now owns the SEC record and is great position to claim the NCAA record.

1. Lindon Victor (Texas A&M)- It seems that every time this man lines up in the Decathlon he breaks the NCAA record. Victor has already broken the Decathlon record this season and he just did it again at the SEC Championship. Victor scored a total of 8,539 points and now has over a 180-point lead against Devon Williams. It was a bit disappointing to not see the two compete against each other this past weekend but there will be plenty of time left for that later in the year. Victor will be huge for Texas A&M in regards to the team battle.

Final Say: I must say that this season has been quite fantastic. Every weekend something exciting has happened, records have never been broken at this magnitude nor have any of them been under this level of threat before. I honestly believe that one more long standing record will be broken before the season ends.

Next Post: Our next post will be NCAA regional preview. I am still not a fan of this regional format and hope soon they get rid of it. Once the declarations have been made we will have a better understanding of what to expect come National Championship time. 

Weekend Recap

10.85!!!

(Aleia Hobbs- LSU)

(Franklin Field-Penn Relays)

It is as if this season is hell bent on breaking every available record in the NCAA Division 1 Record Book. There have been impressive and record breaking performances every week and this week continued this trend. I also will include in this post an opinion on my first Penn Relays experience and guarantee you it will not be the last, I will most certainly be back next year. This post will follow our traditional format of the top five performances of the past weekend.

Women

5. Shakima Wimbley (Miami)- Shakima Wimbley is most likely not having the outdoor season she expected. She has yet to throw down in the 400 like she did this past indoor season. However, she has been quite sensational in the 200 meter dash. This past weekend amongst Olympian Tori Bowie she ran the fastest collegiate time of the outdoor season with a time of 22.47. It remains to be seen if she will try the long sprint double or if she will even run the 200 at all.

4. Kellion Knibb (Florida St)- Knibb by way of Jamaica has recently joined a long list of talented throwers from Florida State. This past weekend I witnesses Knibb launch the nation’s new number 1 mark with a throw of 203’8 amongst a quality field. She is currently the only athlete with a mark over 200 feet and has 6 feet on her closest competitor.

3. Elinor Purrier (New Hampshire)- Purrier has been mentioned with the best milers and 1,500 meter runners in the nation every time we draw close to the championship season. She is a small school athlete with big time talent. Amongst a stellar field at the Penn Relays Purrier ran the number two ranked time in the NCAA this season in the 1,500. Her time of 4:11.90 was just a few tenths of the national leading mark. Just as expected going into the championship season Purrier is a name we expect to hear more of.

2. Quanesha Burks (Alabama)- Burks clearly seems to have returned to championship form. This past weekend at the Inaugural SEC Relays Burks competed against Sha’Keela Saunders of Kentucky who won the Indoor National Championship in the long jump and defeated Burks. Burks launched a season’s best to beat Saunders with a mark of 22’7 ¾. She has been so close to jumping 23 feet this may be the season to do so.

1. Aleia Hobbs (LSU)- Perhaps the most stunning performance of the weekend was Hobbs NCAA leading mark in the 100 meter dash. Dawn Sowell of LSU has the NCAA record with a time of 10.78 which was ran at high altitude, she also owns the NCAA record at low altitude with a time of 10.93. Well that was until this past Saturday at the SEC Relays were Hobbs launched a time of 10.85 to win the 100 meter dash. Perhaps the best part of her time is not only being it wind legal but it was the best time ever at low altitude for a collegian and the new world number 1.

Men

5. Brian Williams (Ole Miss)- Williams seems to be the next throwing star to come from Connie Smith’s stellar program at Ole Miss. Williams launched the discus this past weekend 210’4 at the SEC Relays. His mark moved him to the number one spot in the nation and cemented his status as a legitimate threat to win this event.

4. Kemar Mowatt (Arkansas)- Mowatt is one of the fast 400 hurdlers in the nation speed wise. He proved that last season earning a spot on Arkansas 4x100 relay team that clocked a time of 38.49. Mowatt this year has noticeably approved his technique and endurance. He was a talented 400 meter runner that needed more tuning in the hurdles. He has gotten that now with his nation leading mark of 49.09 ran this past weekend at the SEC Relays. Eric Futch the defending champ from Florida will most certainly have his hands full.

3. Keandre Bates (Florida)- This talented jumper continues to impress and improve. He has had a knack for showing up at big moments. Against a quality field at the Tom Jones Memorial on his home track he began the new NCAA leader in the triple jump with a mark of 54’9 ½. His mark is not a personal best which should be a testament to his talent. Bates could very well complete the jumping double.

2. Christian Coleman (Tennessee)- It seems anytime he competes we hear his name. Coleman set the field ablaze at the SEC Relays this past weekend in the 100 meter dash. What is perhaps more impressive is that in that same race Lawrence Crawford of Mississippi State clearly false starts. Coleman still able to catch him clocked in at 9.93. Although his time was wind-aided it is his first time under 10 seconds this outdoor season. For now, he sits atop the 100 meter list where he should be.

1. Emmanuel Korir (UTEP)- What a season this talented freshman is having. He has already run under 45 seconds in the open 400 and has now ran the second fastest time in NCAA history in his signature event the 800. Korir clocked a time of 1:43.73 at the Brutus-Hamilton Challenge on the campus of Cal-Berkeley. What is perhaps even more impressive is the dominant fashion in which he won. Korir defeated the field by more than 8 seconds. No other athlete went under 1:51 in that race proving just how impressive he ran.

RELAYS OF THE WEEK

Women- LSU 4x100 Relay. A team of Mikiah Brisco, Kortnei Johnson, Jada Martin and Aleia Hobbs just tied the NCAA record that Oregon set this year. This returns the NCAA record back to LSU for the first time since 2009.

Men- Texas A&M 4x400 Relay. It seems that no one will be able to defeat this year they will go undefeated indoors and out. Their time is weekend of 3:00.74 kept them in the number one position and gave them more than a two second lead on their closest competition.

PENN RELAYS

This past weekend I ventured to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to attend the Penn Relays. I must say it was perhaps one of the greatest experiences of my life. At the end of the meet on Saturday I was utterly exhausted. The support for the Jamaican times by the Jamaican people is good as advertised, perhaps better. They support their own in every event, shouting their name and in unison showing love and support. That is something that is most certainly missing amongst the fans of USA Track and Field. Jamaican athletes have long since turned this meet into their own and proved that to me personally this past weekend.

I expect 2018 to be even better amongst the professional athletes since there will be no World Relays. However, I am curious to see how it will ever be possible for the American High Schools to compete. Majority of the high schools competing are from the Northeast and on rare occasions do we see a team from California. Calabar boys set the field on fire with their 4x100 relay time of 39.00. That time defeats every American college that competed this weekend. The women from Edwin Allen were just as impressive with a time of 43.96 become the first high school under 44 seconds. With no high schools from Florida, Texas, Georgia or Louisiana it seems that this string of dominance will continue unless there are some changes. I also hope that many SEC teams will eventually return to the Penn Relays to add more competition to the Collegiate fields. 

I cannot wait until next year and the years beyond that. I, like many other Americans who make this annual trek will be there every year I am physically able to do so. Thank you, Penn Relays, for an amazing weekend.