Outdoor track hosts Sam Howell Memorial Invitational

After several weeks of tough preparation and a few out-of-state meets, the men's and women's outdoor track and field teams will begin their seasons in earnest this weekend at home in the Sam Howell Memorial Invitational.

This weekend's competition is an annual event hosted by the Tigers which features individuals from several area schools. The meet will be the first chance for the Tigers to compare their early season form to that of their local competition.

Running wild

For many runners, the meet will be their first competition since the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships, concluded at the end of February. Princeton dominated the event, with the men taking the overall championship and the women finishing second in their division.

Since then, individual Tigers have been running wild all over the country.

Two members of the women's track team, senior Emily Kroshus (5000 meter) and sophomore Cack Ferrell (3000m), competed at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Both ran phenomenally, crushing their seed times and exceeding nearly everyone's expectations. Kroshus finished in seventh place in the nation in the 5000m, while Ferrell took 11th in the 3000m.

March was also a great month for the men. After reclaiming the Ivy League title from defending champion Cornell, Princeton went on to receive several individual accolades.

Coach of the Year . . . again

Head coach Fred Samara was named the Mid-Atlantic region's coach of the year by the United States Track Coaches Association. This was the third time Samara has received the honor in the past four years.

Athlete of the Year

Senior Josh McCaughey, a weight and hammer thrower, was also recognized by the association. McCaughey was awarded Athlete of the Year for his spectacular performance at Heps, where he won the weight throw for the fourth consecutive year.

Both teams spent their Spring Breaks in warmer climates, with the men's team in South Carolina and the women's team in California.

While the Tigers all raced while they were away, many of their performances served more as tuneups for their upcoming seasons than as serious competitions. Over the break, several runners entered races in wich they would not usually have competed, testing their versatility as athletes.

For the many runners who haven't raced since the winter, the Sam Howell Invitational will be a valuable opportunity to test their spring form.

Given the strong individual and overall performances of both teams throughout the winter season and the rigorous training the teams have undertaken over the past several weeks, the spring promises to be very exciting for Princeton track and field.