Harris second in world in high jump, m., w. track competitive at Heps

Both the men's and women's track teams recently completed their seasons. The Tiger men came in first in the indoor season at the season-ending Heptagonal Championships and second in the outdoor, while the women placed third in both meets.

The men were six-time defending champions in outdoor Heps, and the women, despite a recent slump, have come back into prominence after the last year.

The men's team was actually disappointed with its second place result in outdoor Heps. Fielding a very talented team favored to win, the Tigers lost by a scant three points to Penn. In fact, the victory was decided in the very last race of the meet, the 4x400m relay, in which Princeton set a school record but still failed to beat the Penn runners to the finish line.

One result that proved impervious to disappointment was the season-ending escapades of high-jumper Tora Harris '02. Harris became the second best high-jumper in the world after jumping an astounding seven feet, seven inches to win Heps. Harris also won the NCAA title in the indoor season.

The Tigers also fielded powerful individual performances by Liam Morton '02 and sophomore Josh McCaughey '04. Morton, a team leader, lost a finger partway through the outdoor season and then went on to set a personal record less than a month later.

McCaughey, a specialist in the hammer throw, won the event at Heps and represented the Tigers during the indoor season at NCAAs. He placed ninth overall.

Though the team will lose several of its key athletes, including Harris and distance runner Wes Stockard '02, the Tigers look to return next fall prepared to defend their indoor title and retake the outdoor title they last won in 2001.

The women also had a stellar season, taking third place in both indoor and outdoor Heps. Though the year was envisioned as one of rebuilding, the Tigers came out of the gates strong and surprised much of the Ivy League.

After finishing seventh in last year's indoor Heps, the Tigers made a statement with their bronze medal that a new era in Princeton women's track had arrived.

Much of their success can be attributed to several talented individual performers. Team captain Lauren Simmons '02 was spectacular throughout in her chosen event, the 800m. She won both Heps, both Eastern College Athletic Conference tournaments, as well as countless other races in between. At the Duke Invitational, Simmons ran the twelfth fastest time in the country with a remarkable time of 2:05.23.

Fellow captain Catherine Casey '02 also chalked up a few performances of note while providing an example for the Tigers. With a time of 16:33.46 at the Stanford Invitational in March, Casey provisionally qualified for the NCAAs.

Though the team was lead by its seniors, a skilled cadre of the Class of 2005 helped revitalize a team that last year was considered to be at the bottom of the Ivy League ladder. Brooke Minor, Marian Birhle, Leslie Warren, and Chanel Lattimer all made big contributions to the team, giving the Tigers a scoring threat in areas they may not have possessed the year before.