Men's Track Poised to Repeate Last Year's Standout Performance

According to senior co-captain Aaron Merrill, Cornell currently boasts one of the best men’s track teams the school has ever seen.
“I think we have a very good chance of winning both Heps and IC4As again this year,” he said. “If the guys on the team reach their goals, this could potentially be the best team Cornell has ever had.”
While those statements may sound bold, the roster is littered with individual Heps champions and has strong performers in every event.
Senior co-captains Adam Seabrook and Merrill have each won the 400-meter hurdle event at Heps in the past. Senior Saidu Ezike is a two-time Heps champion in the high hurdles.
Merrill also contributes in the high hurdle events. Freshmen Andrew Corridore, Matthew Colley and Jeremy McCarver bring youth to the hurdle squad.
Despite losing NCAA triple jump champion Ray Taylor ’07, the Red is still loaded with talented leapers. Senior co-captain Muhammad Halim is the team’s top horizontal jumper. He is the defending Heps champion in the long jump, even though the triple jump is probably his strength. He owns Heps records for the triple jump both indoors and outdoors. Juniors Aaron Gadson and Gary Jones, a transfer from Arkansas, sophomores Mike Kippins and Duane Teixeira and freshman Julian Remouns also will contribute in the horizontal jumps. Each has the potential to approach or surpass 50 feet in the triple jump.
In the high jump, indoor school record holder junior Garrett Huyler returns to lead the squad. Junior Jim Smith and sophomores Jay Pierce and Josh Kirkpatrick are the other top jumpers on the team.
Senior Sage Canaday, junior Zac Hine, sophomore Charlie Hatch and freshman Adrien Dannemiller have each had strong seasons with the cross country team and should continue their success as the primary distance runners on track.
Senior Aaron Arlinghaus, a Heps champion, and classmate Ian Ward are the team’s top competitors in the steeplechase.
In the middle distance events, seniors Jimmy Wyner, Mike Smayda, Jay Harding, junior Andy Miller and sophomore Owen Kimple are poised to continue Cornell’s recent success in middle distance events.
Senior co-captain Adam Seabrook, who is the school record holder at the 400, is joined by junior Macrel Van Eden and Kippins who are expected to excel in sprints.
Cornell also brought in a large contingent of talented freshman to add depth to the sprinting squad. Senior Jordan Lester, a Heps champion, classmate David Mengel and junior Nate Crabtree are among the team’s fastest at distances of 200 meters and below.
Junior Eric Roneker and sophomores Brian Cortina and Scott Jeffee have stabilized the Red in the throwing events. The trio is expected to excel together for the next two seasons. Senior Rommel Medina looks to go out with a bang in his final season throwing for the Red.