Penn Relays 2023

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Five women's Quakers to look out for at this year's Penn Relays

Members of the women's track and field team have had strong seasons in a variety of events this year

ALLYSON NELSON Sports Reporter

With the historic Penn Relays set to kick off Thursday at Franklin Field, Penn women’s track and field is looking to raise the bar throughout the three-day competition. To prepare for the festivities, here are five athletes to look out for during this year’s Relays.

Coming off of a stellar indoor season where she earned an Ivy League title in the 800-meter run and a trip to the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, Patterson has carried that momentum into the outdoor season. The sophomore continues to cement her place in the Penn record books, as her 800m time of 2:05.30 at the Larry Ellis Invitational on April 14 is now second in program history. She picked up a key win in the 1,500m race at the Big 5 Invitational on April 1 with a time of 4:24.81 — three seconds faster than the second-place finisher. Despite her individual accolades, Patterson will focus on the team events during the Relays as she will compete in the 4x800m and 4x1,500m races.

Abinusawa’s first year in Red and Blue has been nothing short of dominant. During the indoor season, the freshman set a program record in the 60m on her way to winning an Ivy title. The transition to outdoor track has yet to slow her down, as she set another program record — this time in the 100m — with a time of 11.38 at the Virginia Challenge. She’s also shown mastery at the 200m, picking up wins at the Penn Challenge, Big 5 Invitational, and Transatlantic Series. Her 23.97 mark at the Big 5 Invitational sits at seventh best in program history, another addition to her rapidly growing Penn records. At the Relays, Abinusawa will represent Penn in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, and the 100m dash.

Coming into this year’s Relays, Whittaker brings seasoned experience to the track as one of the team’s veterans. The junior has continued to improve after a successful indoor campaign, in which she placed second in both the 400m and 4x400m at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. She’s been a key member of the Quakers’ relay victories during the outdoor season, contributing to the 4x100m relay team at the Transatlantic Series and the 4x400m team at the Virginia Challenge. In addition, she notched her first individual victory of the season with a time of 53.79 in the 400m on April 21. Whittaker will compete in the 4x100m and 4x400 races at the Relays.

In her first season as a Quaker, Oyenuga has made her presence known both on the track and on the infield. After a respectable indoor season with multiple top-10 finishes, the freshman has been on an upward trajectory with the transition to outdoor events. Oyenuga notched her first win of the season at the Big 5 Invitational with her 5.99m long jump victory catapulting her into fourth best in program history. Alongside her work in the field, she has also placed in the top 10 of all her 100m outdoor races this season — including two top-five placements. At the Relays, Oyenuga will participate in the Long Jump College competition.

The outdoor season has been defined by broken records for Ilieva — who has been making waves on the infield. The sophomore pole vaulter set a program record at the Big 5 Invitational on April 1 with a clearance of 4.08m, placing second overall in the event. She didn’t stop there, however, as she shattered her own record two weeks later with a 4.22m clearance at the Transatlantic Series — securing one of her first victories of the season. Her new record puts her solidly above the record heading into this season of 4.07m, which was set by Molly Minnig in 2017. Ilieva will look to potentially raise the bar higher at this year's Relays, and secure another first-place finish.

Bronwyn Patterson (Relays)

PHOTO BY BENJAMIN MCAVOY-BICKFORD Sophomore Bronwyn Patterson runs at the Big 5 Invitational.

Isabella Whittaker (Relays)

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Junior Isabella Whittaker competes at last year's Big 5 Invitational on April 2, 2022.

Nataliia Ilieva (Pole Vault)

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL | Sophomore Nataliia Ilieva vaults at last year's Penn Challenge.

Moforehan Abinusawa (Sprints/Relays)

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

Freshman Moforehan Abinusawa competes at the Penn Challenge on March 18.

Daniella Oyenuga (Long Jump)

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER Freshman Daniella Oyenuga jumps at the Penn Challenge on March 18.

For Ajeé Wilson, Penn Relays is a special kind of homecoming

The

It’s that time of year again, where the top track and field athletes from across the country and around the world gather at Franklin Field to compete at the nation’s oldest and largest track and field competition: Penn Relays. Middle-distance runner and Philadelphia native Ajeé Wilson will be one of the stars to keep an eye on in this year’s rendition of the competition.

Wilson’s history with Penn Relays extends back to her high school days. Wilson attended the Academy of Allied Health & Science — located in Monmouth County, N.J., around an hour from downtown Philadelphia. As a high schooler, Wilson won titles

VIVIAN YAO Sports Associate

in the 800-meter event at the 2011 World Youth Championships and 2012 World Junior Championships, posting the third-fastest time ran by a high schooler behind fellow women’s track and field legends Mary Cain and Kim Gallagher.

“I still remember some of my best memories of Penn Relays were from high school,” Wilson said. “And you know, being in the nosebleeds on Saturday, cheering for the pros, watching Allyson [Felix] race.”

Her track career looked like it would be headed to the collegiate level at Florida State University. However, days before she was set to begin classes and

join the Seminole's program, Wilson changed her mind, deciding to focus on her professional career instead. This decision brought her back to the Philadelphia area, where she would graduate from Temple University in 2016 while training with the Juventus Track Club under coach Derek Thompson.

Such decisions are usually unpredictable at best, with no guarantee of success. But Wilson’s track record (pun intended) since turning professional at the tail end of 2012 suggests that she made the right decision.

At the IAAF Moscow 2013 World Championships, Wilson set the North American and United States junior

record in the 800m en route to a fifthplace finish. The following year, Wilson would win her first U.S. Senior Outdoor 800m title at the 2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif.

Last year, Wilson secured her first World Indoor Championships title with a season best time of 1:59.09 after earning silver medals at the 2016 and 2018 competitions. Wilson can also claim the title of being the secondfastest American woman in the 800m. In total, Wilson has accumulated five world championship medals, eight national indoor titles, and is a four-time national champion.

Despite her consistent successful outings at the national and international level, Olympic success has remained elusive for Wilson. In both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, Wilson would reach the semifinals but fail to advance to the finals. While reaching the Olympic semifinals is a huge accomplishment in itself, Wilson remains hungry for more.

“Championship season is always super exciting any time you get the chance to compete at that level and go for a global medal,” said Wilson. “So any time I get the opportunity, it's exciting. I’m excited this year … to be at the top level … and to peak at the [right] time.”

At this year’s Penn Relays, Wilson will be running the 600m Olympic Development race for the second straight year — setting her up for a head-tohead battle against Jamaica’s Natoya Goule and last year’s 800m winner Sage Hurta-Klecker. Wilson will enter as a narrow favorite for the event, coming into the weekend with the fastest qualifying time among the field.

In preparation for this year’s track season, Wilson has changed up her training regimen.

“The major difference this year is that I’ve been training solo,” said Wilson. “I didn't think I would be a fan because I’m very teammate based … [but] I got to get creative … so I’m excited to get back out there and have a great season.”

The Olympic Development Women's 600m Elite race is set to take place on Saturday, April 29 at approximately 3:45 pm.

two-time Olympian is set to compete in the 800-meter at this year's event

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Ajeé Wilson (right) leads the women's 800-meter Olympic Development race during last year's Penn Relays.

IN PHOTOS: LAST YEAR'S RELAYS

After being canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Penn Relays returned to its inperson self last year. For three days in late April 2022, thousands of students, friends, family members, and spectators gathered at Franklin Field to watch hundreds of high school, college, professional, and Masters athletes compete in dozens of events. Here is the story of Penn Relays’ return, in photos.

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL AND CALEB CRAIN Photo Editor and Sports Editor

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER Fans traveled from across the country and around the world to watch last years’ Relays.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER Destiny Copeland of Indiana Tech competes in the triple jump. Copeland would finish second with a kept score of 12.47 meters.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

The starting line of the college women’s 1500-meter championship, featuring current Penn senior Ellen Byrnes (furthest left).

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Douglas Spencer of the Houston Elite wins the 100-meter dash for the Masters Men’s 75 and older age group with a time of 14.40 seconds.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Crayton Carrozza from the University of Texas at Austin at the finish line. Carrozza anchored the winning team in the 4x1500m relay.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Jamaican Olympian Omar McLeod leaps over a hurdle. McLeod took second place in the 110-meter hurdles, behind only Devon Allen, who set a new Penn Relays record in the event.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL Jamaica College’s Handal Roban runs in the second leg of the High School Boys’ 4x400 Championship of America event on April 30, 2022.

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

Penn graduate Marc Minichello won the college javelin championship last year. He would go on to win an NCAA National Championship before transferring to the University of Georgia last summer.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Penn graduate William Hare splashes down after jumping over the hurdle in the 3000-meter steeplechase.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL Penn graduate Mayyi Mahama secures third place in the hammer throw championship with a mark of 63.65 meters.

1895 1896 1898 1910 1914 1976 2023

A look back at the Penn Relays throughout the years

The first Penn Relays was held in 1895, and it has taken place near Penn's campus nearly every year since

VALERI GUEVARRA Sports Reporter

The first Relays take place on April 21 on the site of Franklin Field, where it continues to be held today. There were about 5,000 attendees with nine 4x440-yard relay races on the schedule with two teams in each. The nine races were divided into three divisions: four high school relays, four for colleges, and one college championship. A wide spread of different colleges attended the Relays including Cornell, Columbia, Harvard, Lafayette, Lehigh, Rutgers, Swarthmore, City College of New York, and New York University. The first college team to win a Relays championship was Harvard.

Entries for the Relays quadruple, and more events are added — including the five-mile relay, which eventually becomes the four-mile relay. The two-mile relay follows the year after.

The major change for this year was the Relays' scope, as the University of Chicago became the first midwestern school. Over the next few years, more track events — and some field events — are added, including sprint events such as the 100-yard and 220-yard dash, and the 120-yard hurdles, as well as the high jump, pole vault, long jump, shot put, and hammer throw.

The meet becomes known as the Penn Relay Carnival, due to the meet's signature carnival-like tent. More changes continued through the next year when college and high school championship events at the Relays became known as the “Championship of America” races. At the time, the Relays were used as a sort of national championship, until the NCAA hosted their first official championship meet in 1921.

With Oxford University’s debut at the Relays, the meet went global. The English school was the first international team to compete and win a race: the four-mile relay. The year after, the meet also became a multi-day affair, spanning two days of competition instead of one — as it had in the years prior.

During the early and mid-1900s, the meet underwent more event additions and also proceeded to be held through the national crises of the Great Depression and World War II. In 1962, the first women’s events were held, starting with the 100y. The women’s Olympic development relay and the high school 440y relay followed in 1964.

The Relays switches to the metric system, causing the event schedule to begin to resemble today's operations. In addition, the following year, automatic timing was integrated into the meet, and the year after, more women’s events were added including the marathon and 20k road race. These events forced the meet to expand into a third day of competition, officially becoming the three-day meet it is now.

This years' Relays will be held April 27-29. Talent from all over the nation — and the world — will step foot upon the historic track at Franklin Field, hoping to prove their might in front of a packed crowd. For the first time, high school events will be held on Saturday, sandwiched between highlyanticipated Olympic Development races featuring athletes like Devon Allen and Ajeé Wilson. The celebrated 127-year-old carnival will be packed with giveaways, development camps, meet and greets, and more.

PHOTO FROM THE DP ARCHIVES

Franklin Field is packed during a Penn Relays in the late 1990s.

Checking in with track and field as Penn Relays fires away

From program records to breakout performers,

GARCIA, WALKER

Sports Editor, Deputy Sports Editor

Women's

The 2023 outdoor season has been nothing short of memorable for Penn women’s track and field, filled with more broken records, podium sweeps, and first-place finishes than one can count. The Quakers’ string of impressive outings proves that with every weekend, every competition, every meet, the team continues to raise the bar they set just days prior.

Quite literally raising the bar is sophomore Nataliia Ilieva. The pole vaulter set a program record with a 4.08-meter clearance at the Big 5 Invitational, just to clear 4.22m two weeks later at the Transatlantic Series. Ilieva had never broken the four-meter mark before this season. Now, she finds herself climbing her way to an Ivy League championship — where she set a personal best last year.

The infield has also seen consistent results from freshman discus thrower Angeludi Asaah, sophomore discus and hammer thrower Kira Lindner, and senior triple jumper Tamara Grahovac. Asaah’s recent 43.88m toss placed her at ninth on the all-time program leaderboard, while the 2023 season has also seen Lindner record personal bests in both discus and hammer. Grahovac has picked up three first-place finishes in the outdoor season already — with numbers trending upward — and looks to pick up a couple more at Penn Relays.

Sprinters and distance runners alike have also made history this season, propelling the Red and Blue to numerous first-place finishes. Junior distance runner Liv Morganti’s 10:09.13 steeplechase finish at the Larry Ellis Invitational shattered the previous program best time of 10:20.41 — achieving the goal she set out for herself last year.

After already etching her name in the record books for the 60m dash during the indoor season, Moforehan Abinusawa collected yet another program record at the Virginia Challenge over the weekend. The freshman clocked a 11.38 time in the 100m to secure her name atop Quaker history — thumping the previous record of 11.56, set in 2017.

With Penn Relays, a long-awaited tradition circled on everyone's calendar, looming right around the corner — and Ivy League Heptagonals just one week after — the Quakers will look to use momentum from an already historic campaign to potentially add Ivy Outdoor and NCAA Championships to the list.

Penn Relays kicks off April 27, with the 127-year-old carnival extending through April 29. It’s clear Penn women’s track and field has the talent needed to compete against the leading collegiate athletes in the nation. Now those talents will be put to the test in front of a rocking Franklin Field crowd: a sight one won’t want to miss.

Men's

There is no bigger event in Penn Athletics than Penn Relays, and as such, there is no greater opportunity for the members of the Quaker track and field team to show off their skills. It has been an electric season for Penn thus far, with jaw-dropping performances and record-breaking marks. Let’s check in with the men’s team as the Relays arrive.

Penn opened the outdoor season with a bang, securing four victories at the Penn Challenge in March. Those in Red and Blue owned the single-lap loop, with freshman Andrew O’Donnell winning the 400m dash with a time 48.94 seconds and junior Liam O’Hara winning the 400m hurdles at 53.55.

Since then, O’Hara has been one of Penn’s most consistent runners, with a fifth place finish at the Duke Invitational and second place at the Transatlantic Series at Cornell. O’Donnell has also been critical in buoying the Quakers’ elite relay teams, with sound contributions in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the Transatlantic Series.

The distance runners for Penn have also enjoyed historic campaigns. At the Raleigh Relays, sophomore Dylan Throop set a new program mark in the 10,000m with

a run of 28:48.59. Not to be outdone, a few weeks later, senior Michael Keehan broke the 3,000m steeplechase record in style, taking gold at the Larry Ellis Invitational with 8:36.79.

In the field, senior Olatide Abinusawa has led the way for Penn’s throwers, with five top-ten finishes, including landing as a runner-up three times. Sophomore pole vaulter James Rhoads and junior pole vaulter Scott Toney have also served as a one-two punch for the Quakers in that event with their consistently elite performances. At last weekend’s Virginia Challenge, Toney nabbed third and Rhoads took fourth, while the pair both tied the third-best mark in program history with jumps of 5.36m at the Transatlantic Series.

In total, Penn’s track and field team is slated to compete in 32 events at the Relays, just a small subset of the hundreds of athletes that will descend upon Franklin Field over the course of the three-day extravaganza. Among that group there will be competitors of all skill levels, from Olympians to high schoolers to 75-year-olds. But among that vast swathe of athletes, only one group will be able to claim home field advantage: the Quakers.

it has been an exciting season for the Quakers thus far

ALEXIS

CARNATHAN

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

Senior Tamara Grahovac wins the triple jump event at the Penn Challenge on March 18.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Freshman Andrew O'Donnell wins the 400-meter dash at the Penn Challenge on March 18.

Devon Allen looks to dominate at Penn Relays

The multi-sport athlete will be defending last year's victory in the men’s 110-meter hurdles

One of the most famous track and field competitions will be starting on Thursday, April 27. Featuring teams and competitors of all ages from across the country, Penn Relays will be as exciting as ever, especially with some top-tier talent competing this year.

Devon Allen, a former Olympian and NCAA star, will be competing this year in the men’s 110-meter hurdles. Allen is no stranger to this event, having won three United States national championships in 2014 and 2018, as well as at the 2016 Olympic Trials. He also won NCAA championships in 2014 and 2016 in the same event.

What makes Allen even more intriguing is his status as a dual-sport athlete. While at the University of Oregon, Allen played wide receiver for the Ducks' football team in addition to being on the track and field team. In his first year as a wide receiver, he caught 41 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns. And in April 2022, Allen signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. After spending training camp with the team, Allen was on the practice squad for much of the regular season but re-signed with the Eagles for next season in February.

“I think, you know, a year on the practice squad gave me some time to develop … contributing a lot more and be able to make plays and help,” Allen said. He also explained how he’s preparing as a professional in two demanding sports. “I mean, the last eight weeks, I've been mostly focused on getting back into track shape, and sprinting.”

Unfortunately for Allen, he will have a quick turnaround as preparation for the NFL season will begin “starting Monday. I'll be back in [Philadelphia] for [the] off-season [program], training for OTAs and so kind of doing the dual sport thing that I did all of last season even leading up into world champs … I did pretty well last year, still competing well and fast.”

Allen is the clear favorite for the Olympic Development men's 110m hurdles and will have a plethora of support in the stands including some of his Eagles teammates.

“This year, especially with OTAs starting this week and most of my teammates being in town, a lot of them have already texted me saying … we're gonna come out,” he said.

The Olympic Development men’s 110m hurdles elite will take place around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, which is the final day of competition. The event, as well as the rest of the Penn Relays, will be broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia and FloSports.

“I just look forward to that atmosphere again and hopefully put a show on for my teammates so they can see what I do in person,” Allen said.

ASHIL SRIVASTAVA Sports Associate

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

Former Olympian and current Philadelphia Eagle Devon Allen celebrates his win in the 110-meter hurdles during last year's Penn Relays on April 30, 2022.

Five men's Quakers to look out for at this year's Penn Relays

Several members of the team, who have neared program records and won events, are set to compete

CALEB CRAIN

Sports Editor

As the hosts of Penn Relays, the Quakers' track and field program is sending a large force to represent the Red and Blue this year — despite the event occurring just one week before the 2023 Ivy League Outdoor Heptagonal Championships. Here are five Penn men's athletes to look out for at Franklin Field this weekend.

Devante Heywood (Sprints/Relays)

Despite being just a freshman, Heywood is already making a mark on the Penn program. At Penn Relays, he will appear in the 4x100-meter relay and 4x400m relay events. But throughout much of the individual season, he has shined in multiple sprint events. At the Big 5 Invitational earlier this month, the Trelawny, Jamaica native won the 200m dash with a time of 21.43. At the Transatlantic Series just a slightly over a week ago, Heywood finished third overall — and eighth in program history — with a 47.32 finish in the 400m. At the same competition, Heywood was part of a winning 4x400m team and a 4x100m relay team that finished second at the event, but sixth in program history.

Another freshman set to make an impact for the Quakers at the Relays is hurdler Shane Gardner. He will compete in the 110m hurdles — an event he won at the Big 5 Invitational with a time of 14.37. He followed that up two weeks later with a 13.99, good enough for second place at the Transatlantic Series. Gardner is also coming into the Relays red-hot as last weekend he completed a performance good for 10th in program history at the Virginia Challenge, even though he finished fifth in that event.

Olatide Abinusawa (Shot Put)

Luke Johnson (Steeplechase)

Another Quaker appearing at the Relays is sophomore distance runner Luke Johnson, who will be competing in the 3,000m steeplechase. Recently, Johnson finished first in the 2,000m version of the event at the Big 5 Invitational. During the indoor season, he placed 10th in the mile at the Rutgers Open. However, his real shining performance this year came during the fall’s cross country season when he came close to a program record with a five-mile time of 25:13.7 at Ivy Heps. Now back to competing in longer races, he is certainly set up for success at the Relays.

Switching from the track to the field, sophomore jumper James Rhoads will be one of four athletes competing in the Red and Blue in the pole vault. For much of this month, he has been on a tear — beginning with a victory at the Big 5 Invitational after clearing 5.16m. He has kept improving in recent competitions as well, notching a score of 5.25m at the Duke Invitational. His 5.36m performance at the Transatlantic Series just over one week ago was good enough for third in program history.

One last Penn athlete to keep an eye on is thrower Olatide Abinusawa, who will be competing in the shot put. In several of his most recent meets, the senior has had consistent 16m-plus throws, and impressive podium finishes. He finished second in the Widener Invitational, Transatlantic Series, and Big 5 Invitational. At the latter, his 16.73m throw stands as one of the best of his Quaker career.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

Freshman Devate Heywood wins the 200-meter dash at the Big 5 Invitational on April 1.

Shane Gardner (Hurdles)

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL Freshman Shane Gardner competes in the 400-meter dash during the Penn Challenge on March 18.

PHOTO FROM PENN ATHLETICS Now-senior Olatide Abinusawa competes in shot put at the 2021 Penn Challenge.

PHOTO BY BENJAMIN MCAVOY-BICKFORD

Sophomore Luke Johnson leads the pack in the men’s 2,000-meter steeplechase event at the Big 5 Invitational on April 1.

James Rhoads (Pole Vault)

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER Now-sophomore James Rhoads competes in the pole vault at last year’s Penn Challenge on March 19, 2022.