Is this the year of the Seminole?
Bob Braman’s Florida State men’s team are the reigning NCAA champions, and this winter they were second in the indoor meet. But?the Seminoles have never won a men’s championship at the Penn Relays.
This year they have put together another powerhouse on the track, and they will be a threat to win any event they enter:
4x100, 4x200 ? The Seminoles have four different sprinters who have placed in NCAA sprint finals in the last year, led by a superstar, Walter Dix. Dix (Coral Springs, Fla.) has won NCAA championships in the 100m and the 200m, and he broke the American Junior record in the 100m two years ago, running 10.06. He is joined by Greg Bolden (Morrow, Ga.), the 2005 Div. II 100m champion for Albany State, who has run 10.15; Michael Ray Garvin (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.), a defensive back on the FSU football team, who has run 20.75 for 200m, and an outstanding freshman, Charles Clark (Bayside/Virginia Beach, Va.), the U.S. Junior 200m champion last year at 20.92. Clark has run 20.57 this spring. Also in the FSU sprint stable is Cedric Nabe (10.29 100m best), a native of Geneva, Switzerland. Nabe was runner-up in the 100m in the Swiss national championships five years ago. At Texas Relays they ran 39.24 in the 4x100.
4x400 ? The Seminoles, who have run 3:04, plan a squad of Hubert Mitchell (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 47.15 best; Tywayne Buchanan (Wolmer’s Boys, Jamaica), 47.05; Clark and Ricardo Chambers. Chambers, who was born in Jamaica and later graduated from Dwyer H.S. in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., has run 44.71 and was NCAA indoor 400m champion last month in Fayetteville, Ark.
4x800 ? Australian Andrew Krummins (1:47.16), Englishman Tom Lancashire (1:45.76) and Yanks Tommy Noyes (1:49.04) and Kenny Jesensky (1:50.49). Krummins, from Melbourne, used to play Australian-rules football. Lancashire, from Bolton, ran in the 2003 World cross-country for England.
Sprint Medley Relay (SMR) ? A powerhouse team of Dix, Garvin, Chambers and Lancashire. The meet record is 3:12.88 by Abilene Christian in 1995, the collegiate record 3:12.13 by Arkansas in 2000 and the world best 3:10.76 by the Santa Monica TC in 1985.
4xMile ? Lancashire is joined by fellow Brits Mark Buckingham (3:46.67 1500) and Luke Gunn (3:46.41) along with a Scot, Andrew Lemoncello (3:47.52). Lancashire, who has run 3:38.92, was NCAA runner-up in the outdoor 1,500m last year, while Lemoncello placed fourth in the steeplechase (8:30.12).
Distance Medley Relay (DMR) ? The Seminoles did not enter.
Who can challenge such depth and talent?
4x100 ? Dennis Shaver’s LSU Tigers are reigning Penn Relays and NCAA champions. They lost Kelly Willie to graduation and the phenomenal Xavier Carter to the professional ranks. Marvin Stevenson and Richard Thompson are back, joined by Trindon Holliday and freshman Armanti Hayes. They have run 39.64 so far this season.
Tennessee has NCAA 200m runner-up Rubin Williams along with two great newcomers, Evander Wells (20.43 already this spring, the fastest time for a collegian this season) and Kyle Stevenson (20.80). Coach Bill Webb’s Volunteers were second to LSU at last year’s Relays and second again at Nationals. They have run 39.65.
Other contenders are TCU (third at Penn, fourth at NCAA), Texas A&M (sixth at NCAA), U-Tech of Jamaica, Clemson and Texas (fifth at NCAA). A&M has run 39.49.
Clemson is led by this year’s indoor 60m champion, Travis Padgett, U-Tech by Nesta Carter, A&M by Chris Dykes (third indoors in the 200m) and the Longhorns by Jamaal Charles and Trey Griffin.
Texas won last year’s consolation final in 39.66.
TCU has won the event nine times at the Relays, LSU six times, Tennessee four.
4x200 ? LSU is defending champion. They have entered a team of Hayes, Thompson, Melville Rogers and Siraj Williams. Rogers ran at the Relays in high school as a member of the Transit Tech/Brooklyn 4x400.
U-Tech won this event in 2003, anchored by the current world record-holder in the 100m, Asafa Powell. A year earlier the winning team, Tennessee, was anchored by the 2004 Olympic champion, Justin Gatlin.
Among the challengers will be Rutgers, which broke the collegiate indoor record this winter. The Scarlet Knights use the team of Rob Waters, Marcel Coleman, Jahmone Duhaney and Mike Demko.
Others to watch include Mississippi State, Abilene Christian, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, St. Augustine’s, Hampton and Lincoln.
4x400 ? LSU won Penn a year ago in 3:02.21, then won the NCAA in 3:01.58 with a team of Reginald Dardar, Willie, Rogers and Carter. Now Dardar has moved from lead-off to anchor and is joined by intermediate hurdler Isa Phillips, Austin Benton and Williams. Last year was only the second win ever for the Tigers in the 4x400 at the Relays. LSU is the early-season outdoor leader this spring with a time of 3:04.64.
The new team to watch is Coach Don Weber’s Kentucky Wildcats, an upset winner of this year’s SEC indoor 4x400. Kentucky fields a squad of Nathan Browning, Justin Harrison and Venezuelans Jose Acevedo (46.62 400m best) and Luis Luna (45.82). Kentucky has won once at the Relays, the 1996 sprint medley. They have run 3:06.29 this spring.
Coach Pat Henry’s Texas A&M team, which has qualified for the past two NCAA meets, uses A.C. Robinson, Dykes, Justin Oliver, Morquise Cleveland and Bryant McCombs. McCombs ran at the Relays for Old Bridge HS (N.J.). A&M has run 3:05.98 this spring.
Lincoln, from suburban Philadelphia, has an outstanding squad this year comprised of Bobby Young, Francisco Santos, Lance Wigfall and Corey Wright. Lincoln, a Historically Black College, has never won a Relays championship race. The first victory ever by an HBC school at the Relays was in the 1942 4x100, won by Xavier of New Orleans. One of the stars of that team was Herb Douglas, the honorary Relays referee for 2007. Douglas, who now lives in Philadelphia, had gone south to New Orleans, joined by several other Pennsylvanians, recruited there by the legendary Ralph Metcalfe.
Two other potential finalist teams from the Northeast this year are Essex County College and Albany. Essex, coached by Mike Smart, has a squad of Kevin Bowen, Grenadan Joel Redhead and Jamaicans Kamar Ellis and Dwight Mullings. Albany, coached by Roberto Vives, uses Pat Weider, Junior Burnett, Gered Burns and Joe Greene. Greene was an NCAA semifinalist in the 400m hurdles last year as a freshman.
Others to watch are TCU, last year’s runner-up; South Carolina, the NCAA indoor runner-up; Mississippi State, St. Augustine’s and Wake Forest.
Sprint Medley Relay (SMR) ? Texas Tech, which has won this race the last two years at the Relays, is not competing this season. In their absence, Florida State is a heavy favorite.
The leading challengers appear to be:
· Auburn: hurdler Reuben McCoy will run the 400m leg with Felix Kiboiwyo as the anchor.
· Albany: Weider, Burnett, Greene and Burns. Burns is a 1:48 half-miler.
· LSU: has two 1:48 half-milers to choose from, Reuben Twijukye of Uganda and Jamaal James of Trinidad.
· Kentucky: expects to use Gordon McKenzie, Acevedo, Luna and 1:50 half-miler Stephan Smith.
· Arkansas: J-Mee Samuels, Mychael Stewart, Clemore Henry and Brian Roe. Henry, a freshman, ran at the Relays last year for Transit Tech.
Others worth watching include North Carolina Central, anchored by the freshman Karjuan Williams, who ran 1:49 last year; Miami/Florida, anchored by 1:47 half-miler Tim Harris; Seton Hall, anchored by 1:48 half-miler Rob Novak; Norfolk State, anchored by Dominic Luka; George Mason, anchored by Mike Pachella, and Oklahoma, anchored by Logan Jones.
Sacred Heart (Fairfield, Conn.) also has entered a squad, giving fans a chance to see a surprising new sprinter, Arman Dixon. Dixon is a junior from Beacon, N.Y. and was an NCAA finalist indoors in the 200m, running 20.80.
4xMile ? This is a wide open race, with a number of contenders. A year ago it was mostly a two-team race, with Arkansas passing Iona on the final straightaway, denying the small Catholic school from Queens, N.Y., its first-ever win at the Relays. Both schools’ anchors ? Josphat Boit (Arkansas), Richard Kiplagat (Iona) ? in that race have graduated, but both schools are back with strong squads.
Coach John McDonnell’s Arkansas Razorbacks plan to use Adam Perkins (3:38.54, 1500m best), Peter Kosgei (3:47.25), Colin Costello (3:45.25) and Daniel LaCava (4:03.94 mile). Perkins was an NCAA scorer last year in the mile. Last year’s victory by the Razorbacks was the lone victory for them at the 2007 Relays, following the 2006 meet when they were shut out. The Hogs have of course dominated the Relays over the past generation, winning 42 men’s Championship of America relay races in the last 25 years.
Coach Mick Byrne’s Iona Gaels have Andrew Ledwith of Ireland, Abraham Ng’etich (3:45.41) of Kenya, Mohamed Khadraoui and Brit Tim Bayley (3:41.66). Bayley, a member of last year’s runner-up squad, was second in the NCAA outdoor 800m last year.
Michigan returns three-fourths of last year’s third-place squad, along with Andrew Ellerton (3:58 miles best), who was a member of the team that won at the Relays in 2005 and set the existing meet record of 16:04.54. Fellow Canadian, Mike Woods (3:39, 1500m best) ran on both the 2005 and 2006 teams. Justin Switzer (3:48) and Lex Williams (4:01) are also back this year.
Oregon, which has never won a race at the Relays, enters a solid squad of Andrew Wheating (3:48), Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott (4:02), Michael McGrath (3:59.25) and A. J. Acosta (4:00.37 indoors this winter). Acosta, a freshman from Oceanside, Calif., was the nation’s leading high school miler last season. The Ducks’ coach, Vin Lananna, won Relays championships in the past when he was the coach at Stanford University.
Texas has a stable of milers to choose from and will be anchored by Leonel Manzano, the NCAA mile champion two years ago, when he was a freshman.
Wisconsin, NCAA indoor team champions this winter, has a squad of three freshmen and one senior NCAA champion. The frosh are Jack Bolas (Chapel Hill, N.C.), Brandon Bethke (Lake Forest, Calif.) and Craig Miller (Lebanon, Pa.). The senior is Chris Solinsky (Stevens Point, Wis.), a 3:57 miler who won NCAA distance titles outdoors in 2006 and indoors in 2007.
Other teams worth watching include Providence, Georgetown, Pitt, Virginia, Princeton, American and Tennessee. Providence is anchored by New Zealander Max Smith, Georgetown by Andrew Bumbalough and Pitt by Sam Bair Jr.
By winning the 4xMile and two other races in 2005, Michigan passed Arkansas on the all-time men’s Relays list of victories, moving into third place with 42 victories. The Hogs returned the favor last year, winning the 4xMile, while Michigan was shut out, leaving the two schools tied at 42. Only Penn and Villanova have won more.
Distance Medley Relay (DMR) ? Texas’ win over Arkansas a year ago was deemed a giant upset. This year, Coach Bubba Thornton’s Longhorns are the favorites. They expect to use a squad of Jake Morse, Joe Davis, Jacob Hernandez and Manzano. Manzano won the NCAA indoor mile championship last month and ran 3:56.6 on the anchor 1,600m last year to win the race for Texas, 9:33.10 to Arkansas’ 9:33.49.
Arkansas plans to use two members of that squad ? Costello on lead-off, Brian Roe in the 800m ? along with Henry in the 400m and Perkins anchoring. Arkansas has won this event 15 times in the last 24 years.
Michigan, which won in 2003 and 2005, was third a year ago. Coach Ron Warhurst’s Wolverines have a squad of Switzer, Ellerton, Williams and Andre Barnes. Over the years, the maize and blue have won the event eight times at the Relays, dating back to 1944.
Coach Marcus O’Sullivan’s Villanova Wildcats, which have won the DMR an astonishing 22 times ? the last time in 2001 ? returns its same lineup of a year ago: Sean Tully, Elvis Lewis, Drew Eckman and Rob Curtis.
Georgetown, coached by Ron Helmer, has a squad of Matt Debole, Stanley Lagrenade, freshman Alex Bean and Bumbalough. Georgetown has six wins in the DMR at the Relays, the last time 1990.
The Ivy League has a number of excellent squads, including Princeton, Columbia, Cornell and Penn.
Willy Wood’s Columbia Lions have a squad of Zach Richard, Erison Hurtault, Jonah Rathbun and Liam Boylan-Pett. Hurtault, a 45-second quarter-miler, and Boylan-Pett, a 3:45 1,500-meter runner, both won Heps titles this winter.
Fred Samara’s Princeton Tigers, the Heps team champions indoors, plan to use Michael Maag, Richard Stewart, Kurt Kuehne and David Nightingale. Stewart and Nightingale also won Heps individual titles.
Penn is anchored by Tim Kaijala, Cornell by Jim Wyner.
The last DMR victory by an Ivy League school was by Yale in 1961. The last victory in a championship race at the Relays by Princeton was in 1940, by Columbia in 1938.
Other teams worth watching include Oregon (team of Wheating, Marcus Dillon, McGrath and Acosta); American (Steve Hallinan, from Cardinal O’Hara H.S.; Dan King, Dustin Emrani and Brendan Fennell), coached by Matt Centrowitz, who happens to be an Oregon alum and whose son, Matthew, plans to attend Oregon in the fall; Providence, Pittsburgh, LaSalle (anchored by Sean Quigley), Fairleigh Dickinson (anchored by Samuel Chelanga), Iona (anchored by Bayley), Adams State (Colo.) (anchored by Aucencio Martinez, a 3:40 1,500-meter runner), and Coach Scott Simmons’s Virginia Intermont College, featuring Elkana Chepsiror and David Cheromei.
Shuttle Hurdles Relay (SHR) ? Tennessee is defending champion. The Vols also won in 2005 and two other times this decade. Their anchor of a year ago, Aries Merritt, turned professional after winning the NCAA championship.
Two of the contenders in the event this year have never won a Relays championship. They are Purdue (Keith Hopkins, Rickey Pinkney, Brian Kaluf and Lance Moe) and Hampton, featuring Andrew Peresta and Terry Thornton. A Hampton student was the first member of a Historically Black College to win an event at the Relays. That occurred in 1931 when George Williams won the javelin.
Also in the mix is LSU, featuring Alleyne Lett, an outstanding decathlete who was second in the indoor hurdles this year and teammate Ryan Fontenot.
Cornell, anchored by Ivy champion Saidu Ezike, won this event in 1934, 1937 and 1951. The Big Red also won the 4x400 in 1951?the last time an Ivy League team won that event.
4x800 ? Oral Roberts returns the four runners who won it a year ago: Adrian Foster (1:50) and Shaun Smith (1:46) of Jamaica, James Wanjiku (1:52) of Kenya and Prince Mumba (1:46) of Zambia. Villanova, second to ORU by three tenths, also returns its squad, of Dan and Sean Tully, Mark Korich and Eckman.
The Villanova Wildcats’ last win in the event was in 1992.
Other teams to watch in this wide-open event include LSU, Mississippi State, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Cornell, Penn, Georgetown, Columbia and Michigan. Georgetown has won this race four times in the last 10 years. Seton Hall won it in 2000 which was the Pirates’ sole win at the Relays since 1986.
by Jack Pfeifer
