If past performances are a good indicator, the Cornell track teams should perform well this weekend. In the past two weeks, the men’s and women’s teams have managed a string of impressive accomplishments. They have demolished six school records and posted at least ten new ECAC/IC4A qualifying scores.
Women’s head coach Lou Duesing said he was not at all surprised by the Red’s success.
“They expect excellence from themselves. They know the records that Cornell has set in the past, and they want to match them,” Duesing said. “They want to represent.”
This weekend, more than 1,000 runners, jumpers, and throwers will crowd Barton Hall for the Marc Deneault Memorial Invitational. The competition is dedicated to the memory of track team member Marc Deneault, who was killed in an auto accident two years ago.
This meet will be the Red’s final showing before it hosts all eight Ivy teams for the Heptagonal Championships on Feb. 23 and 24. The men and women will use this weekend’s events to fine tune their skills for the highly-anticipated championships.
“Most of our guys are just preparing for Heps,” said men’s head coach Nathan Taylor.
Cornell is allowed to take 33 individuals to next week’s competition – about a third of the team.
“We have 25 definite guys,” Taylor said. “Everybody else is competing for the last eight coveted spots.”
Performances this weekend will be especially important for athletes still hoping for a spot on the Heps squad.
“Some races will be especially exciting, like the hurdles, the 400m, and the 800m,” said Taylor.
Although most of the teams coming this weekend are Division III schools, the competition should still be intense.
“We’re going to see some pretty good teams coming in and some talented individuals as well,” Duesing explains. “With 22 teams, it should be a good competition. You’re gonna get a taste of just how good the Cornell runners are.”
Archived article by Meredith Long