Penn Relays

[sebastianc]

There are a couple of posts under Raleigh Relays that address Penn Relays. It is about four weeks away, so maybe we discuss the entire issue.

TFE, the women's DMR is Thursday, the 4x1500 is Friday, and the 4x800 is Saturday. Thus, one doesn't necessaryily have a conflict in running all three relays. However, one could be concerned about running some people all three days. Basd on the results from Raleigh Relays, VU could run a 4x800 without Lipari. Thus she would only have to run Thursday (DMR) and Friday (4x1500). Akande, on the other hand, might have to run all three days. Question is where are Mimic and Neutts? Neutts has run 2:07 and 4:23 and ran legs on relays at Penn in 2011.

Go over to the Penn Relays website and check-out the times from last year. Then you can get a sense of what is needed. Summer Cook might be able to run on 4x1500.

Excattyguy is really right about Oregon. They are deep and talented. Figure Hasay and Phylis Francis will be available, this year. Can Lipari stay with Hasay? How does VU make-up the four sec differential on the 400 leg? And the have added Annie LeBlanc, this year.

VU has some talent. Can they put together the right combination(s) to win?

According to the Oregon website, Oregon is coming to the Penn Relays. Arkansas is not coming nor is Florida. They are both at the new Arkansas Invitational. There is a thread on that subject. All the other top schools seem to be coming. Wonder if ireland will send a team from Dublin City University (DCU) or University College Dublin (UCD)? Get them confused. Which school came during indoor season 2012?

Men do have a conflict because DMR is Friday (2:25 pm); 4xmile is Saturday at 12:55 pm and 4x800 is Saturday at 4:40 pm. So you have about three and a half hours to recover. Is that enough time for the same guys (Williamsz & McEntee) to perform well in both relays? It is possible. In 2005, Michigan won all three - DMR, 4xmile & 4x800 - using Ellerton, Willis & Brennan on all three relays. Where is Mildenhal? And is he better than Tully or Solis?

Keys for men in DMR are Ellison (400) and Fitzsimons (800). Ellispn is really an 800 guy, but he is VU's best 400 man.. Fitzsimons has not shown the dominance you would expect from him. Can he run in the 1:46 - 1:47 range?

 

[sebastianc]

TFE has a nice comment on Hurrican Invitational thread about Solis making it possible for men to compete in 4x800 and 4xmile at Penn Relays. He ran 1:50.03. Very good - especially at this stage of the season. Can he run 1:49? Think Solis has been quite a surprise - indoors and now outdoors. Figure - like TFE - he is fourth leg on the 4x800 along with Ellison, Fitzsimon & Williamsz. Do not have to use McEntee. Figure if they average 1:50, they will run 7:20, which will put them in the conversation. If they average 1:49, they run 7:16 and that may put them close to winning. Average 1:48 and they run 7:12 and they win and threaten the meet record. 7:12 is possible.

This means the 4xmile will be McEntee, Denault, Tully and ? Where is Mildenhall? If no Mildenhall, then somebody has to double-up, which you are trying to avoid, or O'Sullivan? Don't think he is ready. Or a switch: Galato in 4x800 and Solis in 4xmile? Weakens 4x800. So where is Mildenhall? He has run 4:03 mile. Could solve this by running Lampron, but he is being redshirted.

Women are a totally different story. View these meets as auditions. Based on Hurricane Invitational, Akande is not on 4x800 or DMR. Big surprise. Weakness in 400 leg makes it imperative that the other legs are superb. Sorry TFE, Michaela is putting-up very nice times at 400 - for a frosh - but Francis (Oregon) runs 50+ from scratch. That is a 5 sec difference and Oregon's other legs are very good. Piccirillo opens, Lipari closes and Margey runs 800 leg. No Akande.

4x1500 for women opens a buch of possibilities. Where is Mimic? Can Neutts get back to where she was? Is Summer Cook part of the equation? Do you not run Schappert so she will be totally fresh for Saturday?

4x800 looks like Piccirillo, Margey, Schappert & Lipari. That means Piccirillo and Lipari will run on three consecutive days. Can they handle that? Or do you reshuffle things so no person runs more than twice?

Last year, I believe Oregon took 4x1500 and 4x800 with essentailly the same three women. But they did not run DMR.

Best chance for women might just be 4x800 ...
This post was edited on 4/14 11:51 AM by sebastianc

 

[novaclassof90]

Penn state men will be very tough in Dmr and 4x800

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

Something to keep in mind: Payton Jordan is the same weekend as Penn and Hasay and others will probably be racing there. Oregon will likely run the 4x400, which Claudia Francis and Roesler both run in, so they might not be able to run the DMR as a result

 

[whitecat]

I believe our women finished second indoors at the DMR
Indoor Nationals. Do they have a good shot in a couple of weeks?
Some years I come down for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday while
in other years I only come down for Friday and Saturday.

This is interesting; the Cuse is having a social in the Penn area
on Saturday morning. My son (Cuse/Newhouse '90) is planning
to attend.

 

[LSU-Nit]

Villanova women's DMR is seeded #1, ahead of Michigan, at Penn Relays. We'll see what happens.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

That's only because they won it last year. Their bib should be AA.

 

[LSU-Nit]

Also, Mathew Mildenhall is done competing for Villanova -- no longer in the mix.

 

[LSU-Nit]

Ah! That may be correct, Andrew -- didn't think of that. The Michigan anchor ran the kick out of Lipari at NCAA indoors, so let's see if Lipari can provide some payback this time.

 

[sebastianc]

Is Mildenhall still atending school? Doesn't he still have eligibility? If so, why is he not running? Did he quit the team....? If so, why?

What is the story with Mimic?

An in-shape Mildehall would have enhanced VU's chances of winning 4xmile. Doesn't that bother teammates if he still has eligibility? Mimiic is less important.
This post was edited on 4/19 10:25 AM by sebastianc

 

[sebastianc]

People, you want to go over to the Penn Relays website to view parts of Wednesday's press conference. Gina and Marcus both spoke. You will get a much better picture of what VU plans to do for Penn Relays.

Gina suggests that three people - Piccirillo, Lipari and Akande - will be on all three relays with Schappert added for 4x1500 and Margey for 4x800.

Men will be in all three. 4xmile apparently is Denault, McEntee, Tully & Williamsz. Someone from this quartet (probably McEntee or Williamsz) will also be running on 4x800.

Varonica Johnson split 53.8, last week. So it is a choice between her and Michaela Wilkins.
This post was edited on 4/19 3:57 PM by sebastianc

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

It's much easier to triple for woman than it is for a man based on the schedule.

 

[LSU-Nit]

Bogdana Mimic is on the shelf for outdoor season with stress fracture.

 

[sebastianc]

That I understand. Too bad for Bogdana since it is her last semester at the school.
This post was edited on 4/23 8:29 AM by sebastianc

 

[LSU-Nit]

Seb Coe: Mildenhall seemingly had eligibility left, but shut it down for good after Cross season. Here's the record according to team website:

Cross Country
2008: redshirted
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012: competed 4 seasons

Indoor Track
2009: redshirted
2010, 2011, 2012: competed 3 seasons

Outdoor Track:
2009: redshirted
2010, 2011, 2012: competed 3 seasons

He's allegedly not running at all right now -- not injury related, I don't think.

 

[sebastianc]

LSU-Nit, on the surface, Mildenhall's behavior seems odd. It is all about helping your team win - if possible. He is there on probably a full ride and he doesn't want to run? Mildehall is a quality runner and, if in shape, could have been an asset on the 4xmile. Maybe there is more to it ...

 

[novaclassof90]

Middle distance/distance is tough to train for. Sometimes guys/women just hit the mental wall and are done with it. Knew a guy who was a sub 4:10 HS miler back in the mid80s from State College, Pa. He used to go head to head in HS with Vandegrift. I met him his jr. year at penn state. By that time he was totally done, wanted no part of training. In about 2 years, he had gained easily 100 lbs. He was happy as a clam.

 

[sebastianc]

For those attending the Penn Relays on Saturday, you want to get there by 11am. Event #441 - HS Boys' 4x400 - is scheduled for 11:15 am and includes EA Elmont (NY). The recent VU signee, Ayo Obadare, will anchor. It is around this time that the teams start running sub-3:20s - i.e., the faster teams are in action. You want to see what he can do and how he looks.

 

[sebastianc]

The new scheduled starting time for the Men's 4xMile is now 12:45 pm. Thus, the VU men have an additional ten minutes to recover for the 4x800 (4:40 pm).

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

Michigan women are no longer on the start list of the DMR.

 

[whitecat]

Obadare ran 48.66 scratch in the NY Relays.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

Dominance.

 

[novaclassof90]

1 down. 4x1500 will be a lot tougher. Oregon and Mich are running and rested.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

I think they should run the 4x1500 in reverse order. Lipari to Akande to Piccirillo to Schappert

 

[novaclassof90]

May be a good idea. No sense having a strong anchor if you are out of the race. Though I would probably go strong on legs 1 and 4, then next strongest on 2, then 3. Problem is having a strong leg vs. a bunch of weak ones may result in not getting full benefit of her if she runs with the pack and only kicks. Tough call. I like Lipari on anchor. Start with Akande and then go Piccirilo and Shappert.

 

[novaclassof90]

4x1500

Michigan
Oregon
Villanova

 

[excattyguy]

Nova got blown out on the third leg. Lipari never had a chance. Schappart ran wel leading offl. Akande ran a great second leg.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

The third leg was Anne Kesselring and Rebecca Addison, both seniors, both multiple time all Americans.. Pretty unfair draw for Angel Piccirillo.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

The average age of the two teams that beat Villanova was higher than the age of the oldest girl on Villanova's relay.

#9 all time with Four girls who are younger than 21 isn't too bad.

 

[excattyguy]

TheFoyeEffect posted on 4/26/2013...

The third leg was Anne Kesselring and Rebecca Addison, both seniors, both multiple time all Americans.. Pretty unfair draw for Angel Piccirillo.


That's my point!!! Nova needed one or two in the senior class to be contributors this year. Don't count Mimic being hurt; she is a 5th year redshirt anyway.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

It feels like Cas Loxsom has been at PSU for a decade.

 

[novaclassof90]

Loxsom was the difference today judging from the split times. His 800 split was almost 3 full sec. faster than Fitzsimmons. Assume anchor had to go out hard to get back into the race and then Creese dusted us and Oregon on the anchor. Loxsom and Creese are two VERY talented guys to have on the back end of your DMR team.

My alma maters go 1 and 2, not bad!!! Glad we at least beat the Ducks.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

David Rudisha could have run for Villanova and it wouldn't have mattered. Nobody was beating Creese today.

 

[excattyguy]

Malone came from way back to finish second in the mile in 4:05.59, a new PR.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

Originally posted by excattyguy:

TheFoyeEffect posted on 4/26/2013...

The third leg was Anne Kesselring and Rebecca Addison, both seniors, both multiple time all Americans.. Pretty unfair draw for Angel Piccirillo.


That's my point!!! Nova needed one or two in the senior class to be contributors this year. Don't count Mimic being hurt; she is a 5th year redshirt anyway.

Piccirillo's split was within a second of Mimic's 1500m personal best, which was run on the 395 meter track at Swarthmore.

 

[novaclassof90]

Big difference also that Michigan bypassed the DMR. All four were fresh, 3 of our 4 ran yesterday. Tough turnaround for a frosh like piccirillo. But she still ran pretty well. Mich and Oregon are tough.


Creese is a flat out stud. PSU has talent all over the middle distances. Watkins didn't even run a leg on Dmr. Kidder, Loxsom and Creese are all tough.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

I don't really think that's the case. Villanova's girls all ran remarkably close to their respective personal bests.

 

[excattyguy]

Oregon women's 4x800 looks daunting. Oregon has 6 women with the following PRs: 2:02.15, 2:02.09, 2:03.41, 2:04.88, 2:04.83, and 2:05.28.

 

[excattyguy]

Nova beat Oregon and set a new collgeg record doing it. Lipari outdueled the Oregon runner down the stretch and ran 2:02+ which is a big PR (relay split or not). Margey and Akande ran well, and Picirrillo put some distance between her and the Oregon runner on their leg. Akande and Lipari took on the two big Oregon runners. It was a great race to watch.

 

[novaclassof90]

4x800 is really big time. Impressive time to beat a really good Oregon team.