The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Bickford Freshman Dylan Dombrowski high jumps at the Husky Spring Invite.

With the Big East Championship meet beginning May 2nd, head track Coaches Greg Roy and Bill Morgan will be faced with the challenge of getting their team rest while also keeping them sharp over the next week.

"We are cutting back on the heavy training this week in anticipation of the Big East," Roy said.

Both coaches are pleased with the progression that their teams have made and feel that if they can keep their legs fresh, they can make a serious run at the conference titles.

Despite pulling back the reins, both the men and women will be in action in Philadelphia this weekend for the Penn Relays. Perhaps more important than rest will be the ability to maintain the edge they have developed. All of the Huskies will need to be at the top of their game to accomplish that goal.

The format of the Penn Relays is different from other meets. There are more relay races and the distance races garner more of the spotlight. Roy welcomes the change of pace.

"The (Penn) Relays will provide a nice tune up for us and then it's off to Villanova."

High-profile schools from all over the country will turn out for this event. Texas and Florida State are expected to be at the head of the pack while Michigan and Big East rival Georgetown should also be competitive.

With so many relays, both the men and the women will be looking for strong performances from a lot of people. Also, Will Sanders will have the opportunity to have a big day in the steeplechase. Steven Iannaccone has been a steady distance performer and will be looking to make his mark this weekend.

The shorter relay races will feature Basil Campbell and Anthony Burris, who are two of the top sprinters for the Huskies. Mike Rutt will look to bounce back nicely after a shaky run in the 1500 last weekend; he and Brian Gagnon have teamed up all year to be a terror in the distance runs.

For the women, Trisha-Anne Hawthorne has been on fire of late and will look to keep it going. Keelan King and Leah Andrianos should have strong showings in the distance races. Star jumper Tamara Highsmith will get a chance to contribute on the 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams.

While the Penn Relays will not be the prototypical meet, the top notch competition should provide a nice measuring stick for both teams as they move forward.



Contact Mike Barnhart at Michael.Barnhart@UConn.edu.

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