Women prep for Heps

Before the season championships. After the last significant meet of the season. The February Festival, hosted by Princeton, takes place during this awkward dead time in the women's indoor track season, in which everyone's mind is focused on the coming several weeks of Heptagonals, IC4As, and the NCAA championship.

The February Festival took place last Saturday, just a week before the all-important Heptago-nal Championships. Since it lies so close to Heps, the massive season-ending tournament, the Festival has a looser, more open structure than typical indoor meets. The events are non-team scoring, and all of twelve universities and several track clubs participated in the festivities.

The goal for many was to qualify for either the IC4A or NCAA postseason meets, while others just enjoyed the opportunity to perform in from of their friends. Athletes can compete in either of those postseason events only by attaining a certain pre-announced standard.

"A lot of athletes were there to meet [the IC4A qualifying] standard, as well as for nationals," sophomore Chelo Canino said. "It was a nice, low-key meet to get in a big performance, and all your friends are there watching, too, which is great."

New blood

Canino placed first in the pole vault, setting a new school record with a height of 3.75m. Other winning performances by Tigers included freshman Brooke Minor's taking of the high jump title with a leap of 1.65m, and freshman Randy Buzzall's first place finish in the 800m.

Also, sophomore distance runner Emily Kroshus continued her outstanding season by taking first in the 3000m event.

Sophomore Betsy Kennedy and freshman Chanel Lattimer both placed as well for the Tigers, taking second place in the shot put and 200m dash, respectively.

Coming out of Saturday's events, the team will spend the coming week training for Heps, in which they are poised to succeed. Though the Tigers have done poorly in recent seasons, most notably finishing last after the 00-01 season, a recent crop of talented freshmen has allowed Princeton to stage a comeback from the cellar.

"I think the team looks great going into Heps," said senior Lauren Simmons. "Everyone is performing great and we are deeper in the events than we have been in years. If everyone performs at their best I think we can win the meet."

Stone

Simmons, who has been a steady achiever for Princeton all season, was recently named the ECAC athlete of the week and will be a big factor in the Tigers' bid for victory this coming weekend.

"The team will definitely be better than the last two seasons," Canino said. "It's a great, cohesive team. It's nice having everyone supportive and behind you."

And so, confident and prepared, the Tigers stride into the postseason.

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Whether the team will perform up to the level required to seize the championship is yet to be seen, but at this point there seems no reason not to be optimistic.