In one of the most important meets of the season, the Hopkins men’s track team traveled to Philadelphia to take on various top-notch competitors at the Penn Relays. The Relays lasted from Friday through Sunday as the Jays had several runners compete throughout the weekend.
“I attribute [the success of the team] this year to the leadership,” senior Collin Rozanski said. “Andrew Carey has helped the team tremendously by consistently doing the little things you need to do to be better. The whole team has seen his example and responded to it in a positive way.”
The weekend began with a prestigious victory from senior captain Max Robinson. Robinson competed in the college men’s 5000 meter race on Thursday afternoon, finishing eighth overall in the event, topping several Division I and III opponents. Even more impressive, however, was that Robinson’s time of 14:32.57 topped the previous Hopkins outdoor record in the 5000 meter race. Robinson held the previous Hopkins record in the event but was able to best his former record by .3 seconds. With the new time, Robinson recorded the top time ever for a Hopkins runner on any track. As a result of this impressive performance at the Relays, Robinson was named the Centennial Conference Track Athlete of the Week for breaking the record in the 5000 meter run.
While Robinson provided a tremendous spark for the team at the beginning of the Penn Relays, the success of the Jays continued into Friday and Saturday as the men’s 4x400 relay team provided highlight-reel performances. Rozanski, along with seniors Andrew Carey and Steve Hyland, teamed up with freshman standout Jesse Poore to dominate the 4x400, as the quartet finished with a time of 3:19.93 to win the college men’s Haddleton MAC section on Saturday evening. The four men fell just short of the Hopkins school record but still managed to best the other teams competing in the race.
“We have been very lucky to find four relay members dedicated to the sport this year,” Rozanski said. “In years past, it has been difficult to put together that many people who we felt confident in competing on such a big stage.”
Rozanski continued to explain how successful the four teammates have been at building chemistry in relay events. “[Carey’s] leadership has continued to unite and prepare the four of us for success as shown on Friday and Saturday,” he said. “Jesse really set the stage for us, as he ran a very strong first leg and put us in a position to do well in the later legs.”
The victory in the 4x400 relay adds to the many achievements that the Jays have managed to accomplish throughout the indoor and outdoor portions of the season.
Senior leadership has proven to be critical for the Jays down the stretch as Rozanski, Carey, Robinson, Hyland and senior Julian Saliani have been integral components for the Jays heading into the final stretch of the outdoor season. “The biggest difference this year has been our ability to stay healthy,” said Rozanski. “In previous years, our squad has been plagued by injuries, which prevented us from training and developing as leaders.”
Due to their collective performance at the Penn Relays, the Jays remained ranked for the third straight week, climbing two spots to 13th in the nation in the latest edition of the USTFCCCA Rankings. The committee noted Carey’s impressive performances as one of the largest factors for the climb in the leaderboard, as the senior holds the top qualifying spot in the 800 and third overall in the 1500 meter race, making him one of the fastest distance runners in the nation for Division III track and field. Also included on the report was freshman Andrew Bartnett, who is tied for first in all of Division III in the pole vault after his performance at the Hopkins/Loyola Invitational.
As the regular season closed on Sunday at the end of the Penn Relays, the boys in blue are looking ahead towards the Centennial Conference championships. The championships are set to start on Friday, May 2 in Swarthmore, Pa. As the Jays enter the final stages of preparation and practice for the championships, Rozanski commented on what the Jays need to do in order to be successful at the championships. “This year at the championships, we need to be smart in how we prepare,” he said. “In our sport, we are always treading the thin line between working hard to improve and overworking our bodies, so for that reason, I think that this week leading up the championship weekend will be critical for our success.”
The Jays will look for a second consecutive year of winning the championship when they travel to Swarthmore. With an increase in their national ranking coupled with outstanding performances at the Penn Relays, Hopkins looks prepared and confident heading into the most important weekend of the season.
