Track & Field: Tigers travel to Florida for spring break trip

With winter snowstorms and paired indoor league titles both securely in the past, the men’s and women’s track and field teams journeyed to Florida to open the outdoor season last week. The Walt Disney World Invitational was the main competition for the week, and some field athletes also showcased their skills at the National Training Center Throws and Jumps Challenge. Princeton athletes provided strong performances across the board, with several stirring victories.

Sophomore Kashif Smith, freshman Sebastian Steffen, sophomore Ivan Charbonneau and sophomore Austin Hollimon took first place in the 4x100m relay.

Steffen, a qualifier for the German national team, went on to take second in the 200m event. His personal best time of 20.86 seconds would have earned him the Ivy League title a year ago.

Junior co-captain Mike Eddy, the reigning Ivy League champion, did the Tigers proud by taking second in the 400m. Hollimon, the Ivy League runner-up who gave exhilarating performances in the 400m throughout the indoor season, was unable to compete in his individual event due to a strained back.

Senior Tom Zozokos took third in the 400m hurdle event, while sophomores Dave Slovenski and Derek Hynes tied for first in the NTC pole vault competition.

The Princeton women clinched victory in the 10,000m competition, with senior Alexa Glencer taking first, followed immediately by senior Reilly Kiernan. Kiernan is a former associate editor for news at The Daily Princetonian.

Represented by freshmen Abidemi Adenikinju and Erin Guty and sophomores Eileen Moran and Danielle Glaeser, the Tigers placed second in the 4x100m women’s relay. Moran and Adenikinju also won in the 4x200m relay, joined by sophomore Sarah Houtmann and freshman Joie Hand.

On the field, junior George Abyad finished with a solid first in the discus at the Disney Invitational, followed by sophomore Patrick Park. The Tigers continued to go one-two in the hammer throw, with freshman Conor McCullough and junior Craig Pearce finishing first and second, respectively. McCullough’s 65.79-meter throw did more than just take the competition: The national high school record holder’s throw reached the 2008 USA Track & Field Olympic "B" qualifying standard. McCollough and Pearce went on to repeat their Disney performance at the NTC hammer throw competition, while senior Ian Fox won the NTC high jump.

The women performed strongly in both meets’ field competitions, dominating the podium in both the pole vault and the hammer throw competitions.

In the hammer throw, junior thrower Emma Ruggiero took both opportunities to place first, while junior thrower Thanithia Billings took second place at Disney. Sophomore thrower Alyssa Pehmoeller placed second at NTC and third at Disney.

The women pole vaulters, though underclassmen, opened their outdoor season formidably. At NTC, freshman Tory Worthen took first in the pole vault, followed by sophomore Lydia Arias and freshman Lauren Tauscher.

Overall, the competitions over spring break bode well for the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field season.

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“The Orlando trip was very successful, despite several days of chilly weather,” Eddy said. “Everyone competed well, and I think we really set the tone for the season.”

Princeton's exciting future, fortunately, will not be a flight away for most of the season. Both teams are looking forward to a string of home meets, culminating in the Outdoor Heptagonal Championship meet in May.

Both the men’s and the women’s teams are coming off victories at indoor Heps, and they are looking sustain this momentum through the spring.

“Our goal for the year, is, of course, to win the outdoor Ivy track and field title,” Eddy said, “and I think we have the personnel and determination to take it.”