Fast and Fore-ious: Junior sprinter Fore Abinusawa brings heat and harmony to Penn track and field
7 8 10 11 12 14 15 13
How women’s track and field coach Chené Townsend is shaping champions
A visual history of Penn Relays crowds
Junior thrower Angeludi Asaah has found community at every turn on her way to the top
Senior distance runner Dylan Throop has one lap to go with Penn track and field, and his faith will lead the way
Professional athletes to keep an eye on at the 2025 Penn Relays
For Jamaican high schools, Penn Relays offers more than just a chance at championships
Meet three Class of 2029 student-athletes racing at the Penn Relays
How Penn coach Steve Dolan’s vision is shaping the future of track and field
Races to look out for at the 2025 Penn Relays
Several marquee relays headline the schedule, including the return of a 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist
TYLER RINGHOFER Deputy Sports Editor
As with any carnival, this year’s stacked lineup of events at the Penn Relay Carnival is sure to be filled with fireworks.
Every year, the Penn Relays showcase some of the best track and field talent across all levels — from elementary to high school to collegiate athletes and even international competitors. The highly anticipated event offers a unique platform for rising stars, seasoned veterans, and Olympians alike to shine in the City of Brotherly Love.
With so much action happening on the track, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the excitement. But which events should you be keeping an eye on?
High School Boys 4x400m Championship of America
Start time: Friday, April 25, 3:50 p.m. What could be more electrifying than a rematch of the best high school track athletes around the world?
In what is shaped up to be one of Penn Relays’ premier events, the High School Boys’ 4x400-meter relay championship final is set to be a rematch between Maryland’s Bullis High School and Jamaica’s Kingston College. The event has long been one of the most thrilling and crowdenergizing races at the Penn Relays, drawing some of the loudest and most passionate cheers from the stands.
In 2024, the standout school from the Caribbean bested Bullis in the event, winning with a time of 3:11.86. What was even more impressive was that the win came against 2024 Paris
Olympics breakout star and gold medalist Quincy Wilson, who split the fastest 400 meters in high school history in the semifinal. With a time of 44.37 seconds, Wilson helped carry his team from sixth to first to win the heat.
In the final, however, a botched exchange handoff to the third runner proved to be the Achilles heel for Bullis, and they settled for third despite an impressive 44.69-second split from Wilson.
That race marked Kingston College’s third consecutive victory in the event, and the 17th-straight win for Jamaican teams in the 4x400m. This year, Bullis will have a chance to seek revenge and reignite their rivalry with Kingston College, hoping to end Jamaica’s dominant streak — with more drama surely in store.
Olympic Development Women’s 800m Championship of America
Start time: Friday, April 26, 3:50 p.m.
A 2020 Penn graduate is back and competing in her signature event. Nia Akins, a 2024 Paris Olympian, ran the 1,500m race at last year’s Penn Relays, where she placed fifth — but she didn’t compete in the 800m, the event in which she truly shines. Her specialty was on full display in Paris, where she represented Team USA on the Olympic stage.
Now, with a Quaker homecoming on the horizon, fans will be watching closely to see if Akins can reclaim the spotlight and make a run for the podium. She’s sure to be a hometown favorite — and one of the top contenders in the field.
College Women’s 4x400m Championship of America
Start time: Saturday, April 26, 2:40 p.m.
As one of the Penn Relays’ most highly anticipated events, 2025 is shaping up to deliver yet another thrilling showcase of speed, strategy, and elite teamwork in the women’s 4x400m relay.
In 2024, the legendary Arkansas Razorbacks dominated the field with a world-leading time of 3:26.40 — a performance that not only shattered the meet record but also set a new collegiate standard. Several members of that team went on to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics later that summer, cementing their status as stars. With that kind of legacy, the hype surrounding this year’s race is more than justified.
Men’s and women’s high jump
Start time: Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m.
While much of the spotlight is on the action happening on the track, it’s important not to overlook the
excitement unfolding in the field events. One name to watch is Penn junior Kampton Kam, who recently shattered a 30-year-old Singaporean national record in the high jump. His leap of 2.25 meters at the 2025 South Florida Invitational surpassed the previous mark by 0.03 meters — a significant achievement and a testament to his rise in the sport.
Kam returns to Franklin Field with momentum and a chance to etch his name into Penn Relays history. He’ll be joined by elite high jumpers like Vashti Cunningham and Vernon Turner, making this year’s high jump field one of the most competitive and exciting in recent memory.
A United-States-vs.-the-world vibe
A recurring theme at the Penn Relays — and one that will be especially noticeable this year — is the international flavor of the competition. It’s always exciting to see top athletes from around the globe converge on Franklin Field. From national teams to powerhouse schools overseas, the meet takes on a true United-States-vs.the-world feel.
These head-to-head matchups often deliver showdowns and earth-shattering performances. With big names and electric finishes expected, one thing’s for sure: You’ll want to be watching when the baton drops.
A Penn student’s guide to the 129th Penn Relays
A comprehensive look at why Penn students should attend this historic track and field meet
KRISTEL RAMBAUD Senior Sports Reporter
If you take your time on your walk over to David Rittenhouse Laboratory, you may have noticed a historical marker right outside Franklin Field. However, you probably walked right by it without a care in the world.
But you should care.
The Penn Relay Carnival is one of the most storied and revered events in the track and field world. Founded in 1895, it has remained a constant in the track and field schedule and attracts competitors from all levels — ranging from high schoolers to Olympians. The 2025 Penn Relays will take place on April 24-26 and typically attract over 100,000 spectators from around the world over the course of three days of competition.
You, too, should be one of the thousands cramming yourself into a seat at Franklin Field. Rain or shine, Penn Relays is a must-see event. The energy is infectious, with thousands of supporters
crammed on the bleachers to witness greatness. Seeing a filled Franklin Field should be on everyone’s bucket list.
I understand the trepidation. I can already hear you saying, “Oh, I don’t like track and field,” or “I don’t really know what’s going on.” Look no further, I’ve got all the answers to your questions.
Who even competes?
In short, everyone.
High schools from all over the country compete. It’s not just schools in the Philadelphia metropolitan area; it’s also schools as far as Colorado and Florida, including the sports powerhouse IMG Academy. There are even teams coming all the way from Jamaica to compete.
I know most college students scoff at the idea of spending their time watching high schoolers run, but you can truly see some of the next great track stars there. Take last year, for example. While you were pretending to do work in Pret a Manger,
Quincy Wilson ran a 44.37 split in the 400-meter race, catching national attention just a few months before he made headlines in his Olympics debut.
There are also several college teams that come to compete at Penn Relays on their quest to hoist the Toyota Wheel. Of course, this includes your very own Red and Blue. Some names and performances to look out for include junior thrower Angeludi Asaah, who broke the school record for shot put with a posted score of 16.52m at the Transatlantic Series, and junior high jumper Kamptom Kam, who broke the Singapore national record for the high jump with a height of 2.25m. On the track, junior hurdler Shane Gardner holds the school record for the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.68, and sophomore sprinter Ryan Matulonis is one of Penn’s fastest competing in the 400m race.
The Olympic Development events are also must-see moments as professional athletes take to the track.
Throughout the years, all-time greats from Usain Bolt to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have run around Franklin Field.
But you can’t forget about the most unique event to Penn Relays: the Masters events. These are events for adult competitors and are divided by age groups, with some for 50-year-olds and others for participants ages 80 and older. They run everything from the 5-kilometer racewalk to the 100m dash. Where else will you see everyone from 14-year-olds to 90-year-olds run 100 meters?
When are the events?
Penn Relays takes place over the course of three days from April 24-26. The events run all day starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday and Friday and 7 a.m. on Saturday. On Thursday, the college men’s 10,000m race will start as late as 10:30 p.m. Friday’s last event is scheduled for 9 p.m., and Saturday’s is scheduled for 6 p.m. However, these scheduled times and are subject to changes or delays on competition day.
The bulk of Thursday’s events will feature high school events and participants. The day will also feature some Masters events, including the 4x100m relay, as well as some collegiate championship events. The night will conclude with the college women’s and men’s 10,000m races.
Friday — On Day — continues with high school and college events. Saturday — Toyota Day — will conclude with most championship races.
The Olympic Development events will also take place on Saturday.
What’s all this about the United States vs. Jamaica?
Be prepared to see a lot of green, black, and yellow during Penn Relays.
Throughout the history of Penn Relays, Jamaica has had a dominant presence across the high school events, sending multiple schools that have a winning pedigree. Their win streak has been consistent, often sweeping the Championships of America events when competing. They are perennial powerhouses in events like the 4x100m, 4x400m, and 4x800m relays.
Penn Relays attracts thousands of fervent Jamaican supporters every year. It’s electrifying to hear them cheer on their athletes together as they swerve and bend that corner towards the finish line. The pandemonium is one you need to be a part of and witness at least once.
STUDENT TICKETS
free on April 24-25 $10 on April 26
How do I get in?
Currently, student tickets to Penn Relays are free on Thursday and Friday with a valid PennCard. Student tickets for Saturday are available at Franklin Field on the day of and are $10. Penn faculty and staff are also eligible for free or discounted tickets depending on the day. Tickets for members of the public start at $26 for general admission for Thursday and Friday. However, ticket prices increase for Saturday and most of the seats become designated as reserved seating except in the upper level. For the whole weekend, the seats by the finish line are reserved and are in a higher tier of pricing.
Should I go?
Look, I’ll be the first to admit that the thought of buying a ticket is not very appealing to Penn students, especially given that it comes with a substantial cost for a sporting event on our campus. And I get it, most of you don’t keep up with track and field. But you’re just a short walk away from one of the biggest annual track events in the world. Penn Relays happens rain or shine and has existed for over a century.
It’s a piece of history — and I think that it’s worth it to be part of that at least once.
The first day of the 2024 Penn Relays.
Penn Relays has a legacy of Black excellence
The nearly 130-year-old event teems with rich Black culture on and off the track
AVERY BROBBEY Sports Associate
On the RogersO’Hern Lyons Oval/Track in Franklin Field, the brick wall below the bleachers is adorned with the gold and black plaques of the Penn Relay Carnival Wall of Fame. The newly recognized 2025 inductees include four individuals and two relay teams — one of which is the 1950 4x400-meter relay team from Morgan State, a historically Black university.
The 1950 relay team, comprised of Sam LaBeach, Bob Tyler, Bill Brown, and George Rhoden, set a new event record at Penn Relays, earning them Morgan State’s first victory at the event. The foursome’s dominance on the track garnered the HBCU’s team nationwide attention as they continued to break records at meets across the United States. According to the official induction site, Morgan State went on to win the 4x400m four more times over the next three decades. These four men put Morgan State on the map, setting the tone for Black track and field athletes from coast to coast.
Track and field meets have always built community, especially for Black spectators, athletes, and coaches. The Penn Relays are no different.
For nearly 130 years, the Penn Relays have transformed Franklin Field into a locus of community, competition, and culture. As the oldest and largest track and field competition in the country, the competition has brought together athletes from all walks of life, ranging from the youth of nearby Philadelphia middle schools to Olympian track and field idols.
The track is not the only area of the Penn Relays that feels electric. A festive atmosphere of cultural belonging and undeniable pride permeates in the stands, under each team’s tents, and even in the streets surrounding Franklin Field, upholding the Penn Relays’ 1910 given name of “Carnival.” Thunderous support from Penn Relays fans for Jamaican high schoolers and remarkable Black professional athletes is one of the numerous ways that the Black community has woven into the fabric of the event.
The spirit of Penn Relays has
endured the tumultuous political climate of the United States throughout its rich history. While the nation battled racial segregation and injustice, the track shined brighter with resistance, perseverance, and pride for Black athletes. Notably, the Penn Relays have been open to Black athletes since their first race, but discriminatory turmoil attempted to force its way into the sport nonetheless.
Former Penn Relays Director Dave Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 2020 that he had come across an archival letter from the 1910s, which he described as “the most significant document [he] think[s] [he’s] ever seen regarding the Penn Relays.” This letter contained the remarks from a Penn Relays official to a university administrator who threatened to remove his team from the competition if African American athletes were permitted to run.
One athlete who understands the impact of racial bias on the Penn Relays is Willis Nelson Cummings, a 1919 School of Dental Medicine graduate.
“Negroes were not allowed to participate in football or basketball or anything but track.
… They didn’t take a picture of the 1918 track team because, with me as the captain, they would have a Negro sitting in the middle of the picture,” Cummings told The Daily Pennsylvanian in 1979. “They also threw out one of my varsity letters and didn’t mail me the other one until 1935.”
A Jamaican athlete is pictured beginning his relay race on April 27, 2024.
testament to the unyielding pursuit of greatness that Black athletes have carried through the test of time.
Another pioneer of this legacy was John Baxter Taylor, the first African American to win a gold medal at the Penn Relays. After being raised by formerly enslaved parents, Taylor attended the Wharton School for two years before transferring to the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1905. As an athlete, Taylor earned great acclaim on Penn’s track and field team.
between Penn’s three high rise dormitories — was often pulsing with music, people, and connection for the Penn Relays festivities.
at Franklin Field.
“As a Black athlete, being able to cultivate a community for traveling Black athletes [from around the world] to enjoy Philly with them ... is one of my favorite parts of Penn Relays.”
ANGELUDI ASAAH junior thrower
His quarter-mile expertise garnered him recognition as one of the best in the collegiate world, and he traveled to the 1908 London Olympics following his graduation from Penn to compete in the 1,600m relay, earning Olympic gold with his teammates. Though he died months after his grand triumph, Taylor is a beacon of Black pride for Penn Athletics and an idol for many Black athletes today.
“If you did not make it to a party on the Friday of the Penn Relays, then it was a cabaret. … A University of Pennsylvania sponsored dance on campus, also on Friday evening, was attended by many Black Penn Relay partygoers,” Alonzo Kittrels, the director of administrative services at The Philadelphia Tribune, recalled of his Penn Relays experience as a college student. “We attended these affairs all dressed up and danced to the favorite dances of the times.”
According to Team Jamaica Bickle, the leading organization for support services to Caribbean athletes, “ESPN estimates that … approximately 50%” of Penn Relays spectators each year “are Jamaicans/ Caribbean nationals. Others estimate the number is closer to 70%.”
Nevertheless, excellence shone through the cracks. Cummings was the first Black captain of a varsity team at Penn — and in the Ivy League — and he graduated sixth in his class out of 259 students. His story, like so many others woven into the history of the Penn Relays, is a
The Black community off the track complements the Black excellence on the track. The city of Philadelphia comes alive when the lights of Franklin Field beam. A vibrant party tradition has lingered for Black Penn Relays spectators, and every spring produces more lasting memories for attendees.
Parties in the city and on campus were the talk of the town, with people finding any way to show up and show out. High rise field — the field
Black greek life, also considered the Divine Nine historically Black sororities and fraternities, has been embedded in Penn Relays celebrations for decades. With the influx of Black spectators, alumni, and athletes that attend the Penn Relays year after year, Black sororities and fraternities became accustomed to hosting more social events at the time of the event to bring the Black community together through stepping, strolling, and saluting the Black experience. This year, the Intercultural Greek Council will be hosting the annual Penn Relays Triple “S” Show on April 26 in Irvine Auditorium.
At its heart, Penn Relays is a gathering place for worldwide Black communities. No group is more noteworthy than the Jamaican powerhouses whose gold, black, and green team colors proliferate in the crowd every April. Their pride is represented by their roaring cheers, rhythmic music, and the overall boisterous, joyful energy that pervades Franklin Field — hence, their flag was the first foreign flag to be flown
The support for Jamaicans is deserved. Since Jamaican high schools were first introduced to the Penn Relays in 1964, their dominance has seized track enthusiasts’ attention. Jamaican athletes, including eighttime Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt and Olympic medalist Roneisha McGregor, have been crowd favorites that greatly influence the renown of the Penn Relays.
Black excellence is far from waning, especially among Penn track and field’s current athletes looking to compete at this year’s Penn Relays. This season in particular has been nothing short of a celebration of Black success. At the 2025 Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships, Black Penn athletes earned three gold medals, one silver medal, and two program records.
“As a Black athlete, being able to cultivate a community for traveling Black athletes [from around the world], to enjoy Philly with them … is one of my favorite parts of Penn Relays,” star junior thrower Angeludi Asaah said.
“We are planning this year to be able to invite [collegiate] athletes from all schools … to come, after they compete on Saturday, and kind of … celebrate in fellowship with them because it is a big opportunity to be able to compete [at Penn Relays],” she added.
ANA GLASSMAN | DP FILE PHOTO
Fast and Fore-ious: Junior sprinter Fore Abinusawa brings heat and harmony to Penn track and field
Abinusawa has the third-most wins in program history at the Ivy League indoor heptagonal track and field championships
ANJALI KISHORE Sports Reporter
April 21, 1895 marked the first running of the now-illustrious Penn Relay Carnival, in which high school and college student-athletes convened at the then-new Franklin Field to compete in one race: the 4x440-yard relay, the equivalent of today’s 4x400-meter relay. Since their inception, sprint relays have been the heartbeat of the event.
Short sprints, as a discipline, require unmatched focus: Runners compete for less than a minute, their seasons made or broken by a few milliseconds — an indescribably thin margin for error. To most, this pursuit of perfection is incredibly daunting.
But for a select few, this is the beauty of racing.
BY THE NUMBERS
Abinusawa has: All-American honors 5 program records 9 Ivy Heptagonal championships
2
One and a half centuries after that first meet, junior sprinter Fore Abinusawa is carrying the baton to further the legacy of sprint relays at Penn. She’s a prime example of a sprinter’s hard-driving mindset, and her exceptional performances that have piled up over the last three years are a testament to just how suited she is for speed.
The Horsham, Pa. native already sits prominently in the record books, as the individual runner with the third-most wins in program history at Ivy League Indoor Heptagonals with four titles, three in the 60m dash and one in the 200m dash.
She’s no less prolific on the outdoor track, having won the outdoor 100m dash twice at Ivy League Outdoor Heptagonals. Individually, she holds program records in the outdoor 100m dash (11.28), the indoor 60m dash (7.25), and the indoor 200m dash (23.53).
Behind all this marquee success, Abinusawa points to day-to-day discipline as her main motivator in the sport.
This dedication to detail has made her an integral part of the fastest 4x100m relay team in the history of Penn women’s indoor track and field.
Beyond the NCAA, Abinusawa made her international debut as part of a Nigerian 4x100m relay team that won the 2024 African Games — and she is not set to slow down.
“Her contribution from an athletic standpoint is going to be pretty amazing by the time she gets done with her career at Penn,” coach Chené Townsend said.
brash sprinter showmanship — think Usain Bolt’s trademarked victory pose or Sha’Carri Richardson’s spectacular hairstyle theatrics — she follows more closely in the footsteps of the ever-graceful Harvard graduate and five-time Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas, with whom she shares the Ivy League record for the 60m dash.
Abinusawa, who described herself as “reserved, mellow, and soft-spoken,” aims to lead by example and let her work speak for themselves.
As an underclassman, she looked up to a fellow sprinter who did just that. She now seeks to emulate 2024 College graduate Aliya Garozzo, a 2024 United States Track and Field Olympic Trials semifinalist in the women’s 400m hurdles who stood out to her as a leader.
“You could see the amount of dedication and work [Garozzo] was putting into the sport, but also the care and compassion that she had for her teammates,” Abinusawa said. “I feel like that’s someone that I truly cherish and look up to, not just as a teammate, but also as a friend.”
Now, as an upperclassman herself, Abinusawa notes how important it is to carry that legacy forward.
“She has put herself in a place where she could really help our freshmen by show[ing] them an example of what they can be.”
CHENÉ TOWNSEND coach
Beyond her athletic prowess, Abinusawa’s humility, reflected in her grounded approach to meticulous hard work, is what truly shines through.
Compared to the archetypical
“I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to be able to provide that same mentorship, guidance and friendship that was shown to me,” Abinusawa explained. “It’s felt like a natural evolution, with where I am and how far I’ve come … to be able to give that same support and guidance to everyone that’s coming up under me.”
“She has put herself in a place where she could really help our freshmen by show[ing] them an example of what they can be,” Townsend said. “Hopefully they can see themselves in her based on her work ethic, how
she shows up every day, which allows them to aspire to try to get to be there at some point in their careers here … at Penn.”
Curating that team culture requires a balance between competitiveness and mutual support, especially in the individual discipline of track, where teammates inevitably end up racing one another.
“As much as it is about competition, it’s also about that relationship [and wanting] your teammates as a whole to be their best selves,” Abinusawa said. “That really comes from being able to compete with each other in practice in a friendly way … which makes [it] a great space for growth and learning.”
This passion for community on the team comes out in the relay races: Abinusawa’s favorite race is the 4x100m.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into making sure that your handoffs between your teammates are right, and a lot of it allows for you to build a sense of compatibility and connection,” she explained. “It’s a great bonding experience between teammates. It’s one of those events where I never feel stressed to run it, because … you get to run it with your team, which makes it really special.”
With regards to Penn Relays, the emphasis on collective accomplishment is part of what excites Abinusawa.
“Penn Relays, just like the 4x100[m], is probably one of my favorite events of the year. … It’s so much fun, being in the center of that energy,” she said. “For me, it gives me another level of tunnel vision to get the job done, because I want to do the best for everyone that’s there supporting Penn. So it’s really special.”
Penn Relays will occur in the midst of the 2025 outdoor track and field season, which Abinusawa enjoys for the competition against different teams, increased travel, and differing outdoor weather conditions.
This year, she is looking to qualify for NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the relay events, as well as individually.
Last season, she was two spots away from qualifying in the individual 100m dash with an incredible performance at NCAA East Regionals — a race she described as “the best-executed race that I’ve run probably in my life.”
“[The experience] was bittersweet because you know you’re so close, but at the same time, I am still really proud of myself,” Abinusawa said. Now, her focus is on “trying to take moments like that as learning lessons and opportunities for growth, [which] has really helped to ground myself and understand that, while it’s okay to be disappointed, it’s also okay to be proud of yourself and know that there’s still room for improvement within that as well. That’s really what has kept me going.”
In particular, Abinusawa seeks to bring the improvement she’s seen in her drive and acceleration phase — the beginning spurt of power in a short sprint race, which is highly emphasized in the indoor season’s shorter 60m dash — to the longer 100m race in outdoor track.
“I know that consistency and continued improvement will allow me to be able to excel and execute other parts of my race even better,” she said. “I’m excited to work on sort of that latter half of the race, like the last 50 meters, because I feel like there’s a lot of room for growth.”
With her eyes on the NCAAs in mid-June, the Penn Relays will serve as a crucial stepping stone for the sprinting star to ascend further.
There’s no doubt that Abinusawa’s composure, understated self-assurance, and admirable dedication to the details will propel her progress throughout the season, so now the question remains: Just how fast will Fore go?
LYDIA TONG | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Abinusawa is ready for the Penn Relays.
How women’s track and field coach Chené Townsend is shaping champions
The associate head coach’s faith, grit, and guidance has garnered her multiple track and field accolades
PHOEBE WEINTRAUB AND JUSTIN LEE Senior Sports Reporter and Deputy Sports Editor
Junior sprinter Moforehan
“Fore” Abinusawa stepped up to the line at the 2023 NCAA regional championships, thoughts racing through her head. Being a freshman on the 4x400-meter relay team meant being less experienced than her three teammates. She was surrounded by the nation’s best sprinters in an event she seldom ran in high school.
As Abinusawa lined up toeto-toe with her competitors for the relay’s third leg, she didn’t believe in herself. Instead, she found comfort in a familiar face on the sidelines, knowing that even as she lost confidence, she could always find it with then-assistant coach — now associate head coach — Chené Townsend.
And that was all she needed.
Abinusawa ended up running her best time in that competition, helping her team qualify for the NCAA national championships — something no one had expected.
“I remember at the end of that race, I was dead. I couldn't move, but [Townsend] gave me such a big hug, and said ‘That’s the race I was looking for,’” Abinusawa said. “I was feeling so uncertain and unsure of myself, but she had the utmost faith and confidence in me … and that’s something that meant the world.”
Abinusawa’s race reminded Townsend of her own athletic career as a hurdler and sprinter. Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Townsend specialized in 80m and 100m hurdles. Moving to the United States for college meant transitioning to a new track and field system, but she continued hurdling, becoming a standout star for West Virginia and eventually earning second team Academic All-Big 12 honors and Big East Academic All-Star honors.
In college, Townsend had more traditional career plans in mind: medical school, physical therapy, jobs that kept her connected to her athletic past but remained in a steady workforce. When the opportunity presented itself to become a graduate assistant for her school’s track and field program, she didn’t exactly jump at the opportunity. Still, she considered it and how it could benefit her in the future.
athlete to coach. As she began her collegiate coaching career at West Virginia, the influence of her former mentors shaped her distinct style as a hurdles and sprint specialist.
“She had the utmost faith and confidence in me … and that's something that meant the world.”
FORE ABINUSAWA junior sprinter
Townsend said. “The numbers are important, the victories are important, and the titles are important. But for me, the biggest moment of pride is watching the growth of the person from year one to year four.”
“As a coach, sometimes you don’t always get it right, but being an athlete kind of prepared me for that. … It was never about perfection, it was always about the process,” Townsend said. “And having that mindset as an athlete allowed me, I think, to be a better coach, because the results don’t always come right away, and they’re not supposed to, and that’s okay.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF PENN ATHLETICS
Townsend holds an NCAA trophy with Whittaker after a win.
“That’s what I really went back for … the [graduate] degree,” Townsend admitted. “And in that I found that I really did enjoy coaching.”
Her experience as an athlete eventually proved to be invaluable, influencing the core practices she currently uses as a coach.
Drawing from her experiences as both a student — under high school coaches Lorna Vernon and Lennox Graham and college coach Shelly-Ann Gallimore — and as a leader, setting an example for her younger siblings, Townsend seamlessly transitioned from
Soon after, Townsend brought Saint Francis University — a small school in Pennsylvania previously unknown in the track and field world — to the national stage when she coached hurdler Dashaun Jackson to first team All-American honors at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This was Saint Francis’ first-ever NCAA individual and team national championship, a tremendous achievement for Townsend.
After entering the Quakers’ locker room in 2021, Townsend knew her coaching would only lead to more success for athletes and the program. It didn’t take long before she found it.
When sprinter Bella Whittaker joined the Red and Blue in 2021, Townsend saw great potential in her to realize her Olympic dreams. Whittaker, a freshman at the time, wasn’t afraid of pushing her limits and always embraced the opportunity to work hard. When Whittaker’s performance in the 4x400m relay earned her first team All-Ivy honors in 2022, Townsend knew Whittaker “hadn’t even begun to scratch the surface” of what she could achieve.
2024 was a milestone year for Townsend and the program. Whittaker went on to shatter records in the 400m relay, qualifying for the NCAA tournament in both the indoor and outdoor 400m events. Individually, Abinusawa placed first in the outdoor 100m race at the Ivy League heptagonal championships before achieving honorable mention All-American honors. Townsend’s athletes hold 12 program records and 17 Ivy League heptagonal championship titles. But to Townsend, her athletes mean much more than just their records.
“It honestly means the world to me to see someone come in in year one … knowing that it’s going to be difficult, but [finding] their way over time,”
Townsend’s coaching also brought Whittaker, as well as sprinters Ryan Matulonis and Aliya Garozzo, to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. There, Matulonis and Garozzo advanced to the semifinal round, while Whittaker went on to place sixth in the finals and represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 4x400m women’s and mixed relays pools.
Townsend’s accomplishments have not gone unnoticed, earning her the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Region Women’s Assistant Track Coach of the Year award three times in her four years at Penn.
“At the end of the day, I want to see these kids be successful in every space,” Townsend said. “To know that they can show up every day at practice and give me the best version of themselves so that they can be better … means the world to me.”
Townsend’s trainees acknowledged that she offers much more than just technical expertise.
“She’s really taught me the importance of grit and determination … [and] having the mentality to push deeper and find another gear and just to compete to the best of my ability, no matter who I’m competing against,” Abinusawa said.
As the team draws closer to the Penn Relays, Townsend reflected on when she attended the Penn Relays while in high school. Her years of coaching have brought her to high points across the ever-changing landscape of college track, from the Penn Relays to the Olympics. Despite all she has accomplished, Townsend’s coaching principles have not changed.
“I care for people,” she said. “It’s always much bigger and deeper than what is necessarily just in front of me.”
A VISUAL HISTORY OF PENN RELAYS CROWDS
The historic Penn Relay Carnival is set to take place April 24-26 at Franklin Field. Penn Relays expanded significantly over the first few decades in terms of its participating schools. By 1920, Franklin Field was the permanent home of the Penn Relays. Explore how the crowds have changed over the years, particularly after the construction of the upper deck of the stadium in 1925.
Junior thrower Angeludi Asaah has found community at every turn on her way to the top
Asaah is No. 7 in discus and No. 12 in shot put in the NCAA
ARIEL FADER Sports Reporter
From her global upbringing to her involvement in sports, junior thrower Angeludi “Angel” Asaah is no stranger to change. Born in Germany to a military family, she grew up traveling until finally settling in Hawaii for high school. Consequently, she learned to adapt to transitions, a skill that would serve her well in sports.
“I played basketball, volleyball, and track,” Asaah said. “After COVID, when we had our last year and a half, I just stuck to throwing.” It didn’t take long for her to achieve success.
In her senior year, she made Hawaii’s state championships and won first place in shot put. However, the prospect of throwing in college — or being a student-athlete at all — was not yet on her radar. She was originally more interested in attending smaller liberal arts colleges, but this trajectory shifted once she visited Penn.
After walking onto the
BY THE NUMBERS
2 program records 7
NCAA discus throw ranking 12 NCAA shot put ranking
Penn track and field team, she gained her footing through trying different throwing events. Soon, her prowess in discus and shot put became clear; she took third place in the 2023 USA U20 Championships in discus as a freshman. The next year, she consistently made the podium despite recovering from a knee injury sustained at the beginning of her sophomore season.
“It was an overusage … I was the first one to practice and the last one to leave freshman year,” Asaah said. “I’ve learned to communicate better with … my trainer on how I’m feeling.”
Today, the athletic tape on her knees has become part of her uniform on competition day. It’s a badge of resilience, representing how far she has come.
Junior year is where it has all come together.
During the indoor season, she secured 2025 first team AllIvy honors and claimed first in the 2025 All-Ivy Heptathlon. Her shot-put streak didn’t stop there: During the outdoor season, she rewrote the Quakers’ record book twice in one day, finishing first in shot put with a mark of 16.52 meters at the 2025 Transatlantic Series.
In the discus throw, she finished first at the 2025 Penn Challenge and placed second at the South Florida Invitational with a new career best of 57.04 meters. Currently, she’s less than half a meter away from setting Penn’s new discus record. Nationally, she is No. 12 in NCAA outdoor women’s shot put. Even so, these milestones are more than just numbers. They are the product of years of perseverance powered by the community around her.
Asaah’s impact extends beyond the throwing circle. Her drive to serve others began during her sophomore year of high school when the COVID-19 pandemic began. She joined her school’s community service club, where she sewed and helped others make handmade masks for homeless shelters in Hawaii.
Asaah knew that she wanted to keep giving back after starting her journey at Penn, and she has done so by mentoring with the Young Quakers Community Athletics program, which teaches students in West Philadelphia public schools to play sports.
“It’s just an honor to be able to work so much with the kids all the time,” Asaah said. “It’s definitely a priority for me.”
Her self-motivation and passion for community carries over into her relationship with athletics.
“Her grittiness at practice and in meets, her determination to better herself, and her devotion to her teammates are second to none,” senior thrower Scott Dochat said.
Looking ahead to Penn
Relays, Asaah will be competing in both the shot put and discus throw.
“Angel has matured as a competitor this year,” coach Isaiah Simmons said. “She is extremely athletic, and when she is confident, the two have blended nicely.”
Fueled by recent successes, Asaah is gearing up for her best Penn Relays performance yet. She hopes to chase the discus record and challenge herself by competing against new throwers — but one of the Penn Relays events that she’s excited about isn’t even one that she’s competing in.
“Young Quakers, the elementary students, will be racing relays on Thursday morning, so I’ll help out with that,” Asaah said.
Aside from her commitment to mentoring young athletes, Asaah is strongly engaged in campus life. She serves as the vice president of Student Athlete Wellness Ambassadors, is a board member of Black Student-Athletes at Penn, and was recently inducted into both the Friars and Onyx senior societies. A science, technology, and society major, she is also minoring in legal studies and history while completing a certificate in law.
For someone who has lived across the world, Asaah has found a constant: community. Whether it’s training with her team, cheering on Young Quakers, or contributing to the campus environment, she continues to land beyond the mark — one change at a time.
SAMANTHA TURNER | DP FILE PHOTO
Asaah is pictured competing at the Penn Challenge on March 18, 2023.
Senior distance runner Dylan
Throop has one lap to go with Penn track
and
field, and his faith will lead the way
Throop’s final Penn Relays marks the end of an era — and the start of a new journey at Notre Dame
AVERY BROBBEY
Sports
Associate
In senior distance runner
Dylan Throop’s final season with Penn track and field, this year’s Penn Relays will be one for the record books before he transfers to Notre Dame.
Throop has taken Penn track and field by storm throughout his career. From setting program records in the 10K at Raleigh Relays this season to qualifying for the NCAA championships in 2023 and fall 2024, Throop has only gotten faster with time — and he cites his faith as a key reason for this improvement.
Despite his current prowess, running was never the defined plan for Throop. Raised in a Lutheran household as an elite gymnast since he was three years old, running was his natural talent, but he had not intended to take advantage of it.
Before gymnastics practice, Throop and his teammates would run for two miles as a conditioning warmup. While running with the team, Throop would trail away from everyone else — dashing farther ahead without hesitation.
competitively in racing, and I had … really great training that year.”
Throop’s high school career culminated in this victorious moment, but for every peak, there is a valley. During his senior season, he again made it to the state championships, but God had a different plan for him.
“I ended up actually passing out because of heat stroke. … The state of Pennsylvania is so big [that] I had snow in Erie, Pennsylvania, and then I go to Hershey, Pennsylvania [where] it is 80 degrees. And so I had zero acclimation in November.”
His cross country career in high school ended in a difficult way, and the obstacles persisted. The COVID-19 pandemic began that spring, compromising his college recruitment. Fortunately, Throop’s former accomplishments aided his journey to Franklin Field.
“I try my best not to make God a genie in my life, but I’ll ask [God] to give me strength or to have his will done through me...”
DYLAN THROOP senior distance runner
“I was beating all of the older kids,” Throop recalled. “My coaches [noticed that I was] pretty good at running, and everyone was taking it so serious, too.”
After a decade of gymnastics, Throop noticed that he had lost his passion for the sport, so he honed in on his gift of running in middle school.
Throop’s supremacy in spikes only grew as he moved to the high school stage. Winning the 2019 Pennsylvania State Cross Country Championships confirmed what all spectators were beginning to understand: Throop was going to be one of the greats.
“It was a big upset because I was definitely still even growing in high school," Throop said. “I was definitely one of the smallest guys
“I never visited the campus. … [Head coach Steve] Dolan had essentially met me in that 2019 race, and after the race, he talked to my parents, and I just really liked how personable he was,” Throop said. “I loved the idea of going to Penn, and … I just liked being in Pennsylvania and being in Philadelphia.”
With that, Throop was officially a Quaker. Challenges aside, he was granted a fresh start at Penn, and his time here has undoubtedly been formative for his athletic and spiritual identity.
Throop’s sophomore year was the most transformative because of one significant change: his conversion to Catholicism. Alongside his close friend and Wharton senior Titus Bretzke, a Penn track and field alumnus, Catholicism shaped their future as both Quakers and men of faith. As devout members of the Penn Newman Catholic Center, their spiritual community provided growth, a sense of belonging, and new connections,
Throop is going out hard during this year’s Penn Relays.
and the two have dedicated much of their time towards assistance as altar servers at St. Agatha-St. James Roman Catholic Church.
“My sophomore and junior year, I stayed [at the Newman Center] more to study and talk to people about catechism-related [ideas], or just stuff that I was going through, and just became friends with them,” Throop said.
With Throop’s developing spirituality came the further development of his athletic preeminence. He qualified for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and earned AllAcademic honors from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
Every runner has a distinctive routine when it comes to preparing for races, and Throop’s method has become increasingly prayerful as a result of his recent spiritual change. Before his races, Throop is often seen making the sign of the cross and praying to center himself, and he has found a helping hand to guide him around the Rogers-O’Hern Lyons Oval/Track.
“I try my best not to make God a genie in my life,” Throop said. “But I’ll ask [God] to give me strength or to have his will done
through me. … If I’m meant to have a bad race today, so be it, because I love making mistakes and … being humbled because I definitely need it sometimes. Conversely, I want to use my performance to ultimately suffer and glorify [God].”
After running an incredible race at the 2024 Ivy League Heptagonal Cross Country Championships, Throop discovered that he had a fracture in two of his metatarsals, which ended his cross country season and prevented him from running at all during this year’s indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. His heartbreaking injury set him back for an entire season, but his spirit allowed him to persevere.
“[Dolan and I] agreed that we were going to train for [the] cross country season, which I think was the best thing, because I became an All-American this past year in cross country, and I had the best cross country season of my life,” Throop said. “That set me up to get recruited to Notre Dame.”
Because his injury caused him to miss a season, Throop will spend his final year of eligibility at Notre Dame. Though he was torn between multiple schools,
he ultimately knew that he was ready to be a part of the Fighting Irish because of the team’s faithfulness.
Bretzke is also leaving Penn to further celebrate his faith at Notre Dame before entering the seminary to become a priest.
“Dylan and I, we found each other on the team,” Bretzke said. “He’s a very extroverted person, and I’m a very introverted person. We were like polar opposites, but we both had this desire to be the best we could be. Throughout our time at Penn, we’ve just really been able to refine each other’s weaknesses, and [at Notre Dame], I think that sort of polar opposite refinement is going to continue.”
Before he moves on, Throop has one more chance to make an impact on Franklin Field, competing in his final Penn Relays as a Quaker.
“Penn Relays’ 5K is my favorite race, especially from my freshman year [as] I had a huge breakthrough there,” Throop said. “This is special because it’s my last home Penn Relays. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it, but I think this one is going to mean a lot. And I am going to race really hard and leave it all out there.”
LYDIA TONG | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Professional athletes to keep an eye on at the 2025 Penn Relays
This year’s edition of the Penn Relays offers another stacked lineup filled with Olympians
Phoebe Weintraub Senior Sports Reporter
Franklin Field’s metal stands will soon be packed with hundreds of thousands of uproarious fans for three days straight. The Penn Relay Carnival, one of track and field’s biggest annual events, is right around the corner, drawing athletes from all over the world to compete in everything from throwing to sprinting to jumping. The meet hosts events for all age groups, ranging from the middle school 4x100-meter relay to professional-level races in the Penn Relays’ newly refined Olympic Development program.
During the years in which the Summer Olympics take place, professional athletes tend to treat the Penn Relays and other similarly competitive meets as a warmup for the Olympic trials. While the Summer Olympics won’t occur for another three years, Franklin Field will still see a wealth of talent in its professional representatives this year. With hundreds competing on the track and field, navigating the Olympic Development competitions can get confusing. Here’s who to keep an eye out for on Saturday, April 26.
Vernon Turner, men’s high jump Turner is a high jumper with a short but promising career history. During his college years, he
competed for both Oklahoma and Arkansas. At the former, he won the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the high jump.
Following his graduation from Oklahoma, he turned professional in 2023 and placed third at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, qualifying him for the 2023 World Athletics Championships. He repeated this cycle the following year, finishing second at the 2024 USA Track and Field Indoor Championships behind Shelby McEwen.
Turner soon became the youngest man to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the high jump and competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished in 23rd place. Most recently, Turner won the 2025 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Vashti Cunningham, women’s high jump
Cunningham is no stranger to Franklin Field: This will be her third appearance at the Penn Relays. Coming from a large family of athletes, the American high jumper brings the heat at every competition. She is the daughter of retired NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham and former ballerina Felicity Cunningham, the niece of retired NFL fullback Sam Cunningham, and the sister of former high jumper Randall Cunningham II. With athleticism in her bones, Cunningham competed regularly
FAST FACTS
There are 14 Olympic Development events.
At least five Olympians are set to compete.
The Penn Relays predate the first NCAA championships by 26 years.
throughout high school and, at 18 years old, signed with Nike and declared her intent to compete professionally while attending university.
At age 17, Cunningham jumped 1.94 meters to set the new national high school record. At the time, her performance ranked No. 3 in the world. One month later, she jumped 0.02 meters higher to record the under-18 world best performance. In 2016, she won the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships with a world-best jump; a week later, she won the world indoor championships. In 2017 and 2018, Cunningham won more national championships, including the 2017 Penn Relays. At 20 years old, Cunningham placed second behind world champion Mariya Lasitskene at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
As of July 2023, Cunningham held 13 United States high jump titles. Most recently, she won the 2024 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, placed third at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, and placed fifth in the high jump final at the 2024 Paris Olympics at 1.95 meters. With these accolades on her back, she is set to make a splash at the 129th Penn Relays.
Mario García Romo, men’s mile García is a Spanish middledistance runner specializing in the men’s 1,500m race. Nicknamed “The Rocket,” García was the 2022 national champion in the men’s 1,500m race and later represented Spain at the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships, finishing fourth and sixth, respectively.
García pursued higher education at Mississippi, where he won a national title in the mile at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships and placed
second in the 1,500m race at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Throughout his collegiate career, García was a seventime NCAA D-I All-American and a six-time Southeastern Conference champion in both cross country and track. After graduating, he joined the On Athletics Club under coach Dathan Ritzenhein.
As a professional, García won the 1,500m race at the Spanish National Championships in 3:35.52, qualifying him for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, at which he ultimately placed fourth. The following year, he qualified for the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. García is the favorite to win the men’s mile at the Penn Relays after notching the fastest qualifying time of 3:47.69.
Nozomi Tanaka, women’s 1,500meter race
Tanaka is a Japanese middle- and long-distance runner specializing in events longer than 1,000 meters. The 25-year-old currently holds the Japanese records for the women’s 1,000m, 1,500m, 3,000m, and 5,000m races. She also holds the Asian records in the indoor 1,000m, 3,000m, and 5,000m races, among other indoor events.
A child of two competitive runners, Tanaka grew up with a racing spirit. In 2018, she competed at the World Athletics U20 Championships, where she won first place in the 3,000m race. Most recently, Tanaka represented Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, and competed in the 1,500m and 5,000m races. She set new personal records in both and placed eighth in the finals of the 1,500m race and 16th in the heats of the 5,000m race. Tanaka holds the second-fastest qualifying time among athletes competing in the women’s 1,500m race at the Penn Relays, at
3:59.19.
She is set to return to Franklin Field in May to compete in Grand Slam Track’s fourth and final competition of the season.
Nia Akins, women’s 800-meter race
Each time Akins competes at the Penn Relays, she has an edge on the competition: It’s her home turf. The former mid-distance Quaker competed in the 1,500m race in her last stint at the Penn Relays but will be running the 800m race this year, another of her specialities.
While at Penn, Akins was a twotime NCAA 800m race runner-up and, after graduation, she ran the second-fastest 800m race time in NCAA history of 2:00.71 at the Boston University Valentine Invitational, encouraging her to turn pro in 2020. Under coach Danny Mackey of the Brooks Beasts track club, she finally became the U.S. national indoor champion in February 2023.
Later that year, Akins competed at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., where she was the fastest qualifier for the 800m race and won the final ahead of Raevyn Rogers, the bronze medalist in the 800m race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. From there, Akins moved on to the 2023 World Athletics Championships, where she set a personal best of 1:57.73 and finished in sixth place.
Most recently, Akins won the 800m race at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials and reached the semifinals of the race at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In February, she claimed the 800m race title at the 2025 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. While the rest of the 800m race lineup has yet to be announced, it’s safe to say that Akins will take the track by storm come race time.
KATE AHN | SENIOR DESIGNER
From left to right: Turner, Cunningham, García, Tanaka, and Akins are set to compete at the 2025 Penn Relays.
For Jamaican high schools, Penn Relays offers more than just a chance at championships
Teams from the Caribbean nation have been prominent in recent runnings of the Penn Relay Carnival
Caleb Crain Former Sports Editor
Each year, the Penn Relay Carnival brings together hundreds — if not thousands — of high school student-athletes to compete in dozens of events. For some, the journey to Franklin Field consists of a short bus ride from elsewhere in Philadelphia or the surrounding areas, but one of the largest contingents of Penn Relays athletes travels all the way from Jamaica.
Jamaican high schools have dominated some of the most popular events — notably the 4x100-meter and 4x400m relays. In 2024, schools from the Caribbean nation made up six of the nine entrants in the High School Girls 4x100m Championship of America and seven of the nine in the boys’ version of the event. The 10 most recent Champions of America in the High School Boys’ and Girls’ 4x100m and 4x400m relays, along with nearly all of the fastest times, have all come from Jamaica.
Penn Relays is one of the
biggest events of the year in the United States and is also among the most important on the competition calendars for Jamaican high schools. Omar Bryan, a track and field coach at Munro College, a boys’ boarding school in Jamaica, said that Penn Relays is one of the events most similar to Jamaica’s Champs — officially called the Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships — which brings together nearly every Jamaican high school for four days of elite athletic competition. Bryan competed in the Penn Relays multiple times as a high school thrower in the late 2000s and has taken Munro College to Penn Relays “seven or
eight” times since he became the coach in 2014.
The Penn Relays also hold deep significance for Jamaicans who aren’t competing.
“This is exposure [and] upward mobility. If it wasn’t for Penn Relays, quite a few of our Jamaican athletes wouldn’t reach where they are in the United States.”
OMAR BRYAN
Munro College track and field coach
Every April, thousands of spectators kitted in yellow, green, and black file into the bleachers of Franklin Field to cheer on the athletes who have traveled to the Penn Relays. Bryan praised the crowd at Penn Relays and emphasized the often dueling cheers of Jamaican and American groups.
“Jamaican crowds give a flavor to it, but the [local Pennsylvania] crowd is massive and passionate,” Bryan said. “Even at the high school level [there are] … people on different sides respecting each
other, but at the same time they’re strong in support for their respective groups.”
The support for Jamaican high schools — even thousands of miles away from home — shows the prominence of track and field in Jamaican culture. It is the most popular sport in the country, and Jamaica has produced several recent Olympic medalists, including Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Even though all athletes strive for victory at Penn Relays, sometimes simply competing is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Bryan said that many of the students who compete for Munro at Penn Relays have never left Jamaica before, much less been to Philadelphia. In a previous year, he said that one student — upon arriving at the airport — was constantly looking around and had to pinch himself due to the new experience.
Penn Relays provides many Jamaican high school students opportunities that extend beyond
the three days of the event. Bryan knows of athletes who were able to meet with American college coaches while at the Penn Relays, who then parlayed these connections — as well as a strong showing before American coaches in their event — into scholarships to participate in track and field at U.S. universities. Some of these athletes have since gone on to have successful careers in the United States and send money home to their families in Jamaica.
“It’s a perfect opportunity to bring [athletes] exposure,” Bryan said. “This is exposure [and] upward mobility. … If it wasn’t for Penn Relays, quite a few of our Jamaican athletes wouldn’t reach where they are in the United States.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Jamaican representation at Penn Relays Jamaican high schools competing
50
5 relay events whose 10 most recent champions are Jamaican high schools
8 Jamaican athletes in Olympic Development events
BENJAMIN MCAVOY-BICKFORD | DP FILE PHOTO
Jamaican supporters filled the audience on
Meet three Class of 2029 athletes racing at the Penn Relays
From the 4x100-meter relay to the 3,000m dash, all three commits have previously competed at the Penn Relays
JUSTIN LEE Deputy Sports Editor
As the largest track and field meet in the nation, the annual Penn Relay Carnival draws crowds of tens of thousands over three days of competition. Alongside the collegiate athletes and professional stars on the track are high school athletes from around the world. The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke with three Class of 2029 athletes who are competing in this year’s Penn Relays.
Izzy Rodriguez Running has always been natural for Rodriguez. The Rumson-Fair Haven High School senior has been competing in various middledistance events since her freshman year, eventually specializing in the 800meter race with a personal best of 2:09.00 in the event. The New Jersey native ranked in the top 40 juniors in the United States in the 800m race during last year’s outdoor season.
interact with each other [during] practice … [shows that Penn has] a very close-knit team, and that’s something I was really looking for,” Rodriguez said. “You just spend so much time with your team.”
This marks Rodriguez’s third time competing at the Penn Relays, where she will compete in the 4x800m relay. RumsonFair Haven has qualified for the finals for the past two years in the event, so Rodriguez is no stranger to the atmosphere and fierce competition. But the Penn Relays weren’t always a smooth competition for her: Rodriguez faced a hip injury during her final round of Penn Relays competition as a sophomore. For a runner who relies on explosive movement that comes down to the milliseconds, the injury was detrimental.
Sofia Swindell
Also from the Garden State is Sofia Swindell, a hurdles and sprinting specialist who previously competed for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team and recently set a new Virgin Islands under-20 record in the 300-meter race. Swindell began running track competitively in fifth grade and looks up to her older brother, who ran track and field in high school.
“That [injury] took me out for the rest of my sophomore season.
Reflecting on her recruiting journey, Swindell described Penn women’s track and field head coach Steve Dolan as “welcoming.” She felt at home with the program after speaking with associate head coach Chené Townsend, whose style — like Dolan’s — is akin to that of her high school coach.
“[Dolan] seemed so excited to see me run, and that got me excited about Penn,” Swindell said. “He saw potential in me.”
event: 3k
The rich history of Franklin Field and the Penn Relays drew Rodriguez towards Penn, and the close-knit women’s track and field program further solidified her commitment to the Red and Blue.
“The way that the girls
… It was a rough point for me,” Rodriguez said. “This year, I really have bigger hopes. I feel like it all started back there: Even though it was like one of my lower moments, [I was] able to build upon that and do great.”
Rodriguez hopes to make the finals for the third time in the 4x800m relay this year and to shatter her school and previous individual records. Rodriguez’s goal is simple: “Run our best times” against the other teams competing.
Though Swindell competed mainly in individual events throughout high school, competing at the Penn Relays meant taking on a teamoriented style. For Swindell, this meant helping out all members of the team and being a strong leader, primarily for those “who may be their first time at Penn Relays.”
4x400-meter relay for The Lawrenceville School, which placed 55th in the 4x100m relay in 2024. This year, Swindell hopes to qualify for the finals in the 4x100m relay and improve the team’s time, which was slower than previous years due to teamwide injuries.
spring, Raman was the PIAA District III Class 3A 1,600meter run champion.
Raman got a glimpse of what his Penn locker-room experience would be like after training with Dolan and the team. With Dolan’s encouragement as his times improved, Raman knew he felt at home at Penn.
“I really just felt like I was part of their community, and I was like a member of the team, even though I was just a recruit,” Raman said. “It never felt like I was just a box to tick off. It just felt like the right place to be.”
event: 4x100-meter relay
“We had a few injuries, so we weren’t as strong. But now that we’re back injury-free, I feel like we’ll live up to our potential more,” Swindell said.
At the Penn Relays, Raman will be competing in the 3000-meter race. This will be Raman’s second time competing at the Penn Relays‚ — he competed in the 4x400m relay during his sophomore year, when he said he was surrounded by “the largest crowd [he’s] ever been in” on a rainy day.
Like Rodriguez, Swindell is no stranger to the electrifying atmosphere and adrenaline of the Penn Relays: The 2025 Penn Relays will be her fourth time competing. Like previous years, she aims to compete in the 4x100-meter relay and
Vinay Raman
Rounding out the list of commits is Vinay Raman from Hershey, Pa. With his father being a runner himself, Raman specialized in running the mile through high school. Last
Though he will be transitioning from a team to an individual event, Raman hopes to break district records and get closer to a sub-four-minute mile time.
“Anytime before a big race, I touch the track, rub it around my fingers … and take it all in,” Raman said. “I’m there, and I’m ready to race.”
X Vinay Raman
X Izzy Rodriguez
X Sofia Swindell
event: 4x800-meter relay
PHOTO COURTESY OF IZZY RODRIGUEZ
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOFIA SWINDELL
PHOTO COURTESY OF VINAY RAMAN
How Penn coach Steve Dolan’s vision is shaping the future of track and field
From the Penn Relays to the Grand Slam, Penn will host two premier track and field events over the next month
Tyler Ringhofer and Derek Wong Deputy Sports Editor and Sports Reporter
Some things change, but some traditions only grow stronger.
This year marks the 129th running of the Penn Relay Carnival, a meet where history is made year after year. With more than 100,000 spectators expected to flood Franklin Field over the threeday spectacle and over 1,400 high school athletes competing in the iconic 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays, the energy will be electric.
For Steve Dolan — who wears two hats as the Frank Dolson Director of the Penn Relays and head coach of Penn track and field — it’s more than just a meet. It’s a moment where Penn and Philadelphia take center stage and become the epicenter of the future of track and field.
At a Penn Relays press conference on April 17, several track and field program directors from universities across the United States discussed their outlook for this year’s event.
Participants included Marcus O’Sullivan of Villanova, Pat Henry of Texas A&M, Maurica Powell of Washington, and Mark Elliott of Clemson. Texas A&M currently boasts the No. 1 men’s and women’s track and field programs.
“We get to see people we don’t get to see usually in the year. That’s a big part of it,” Henry said. “The experience they get here is different than anywhere [else]. It’s not just a tradition, it’s woven into the fabric of the sport.”
Philadelphia runs the world
The press conference made clear that Penn — and by extension, Philadelphia — is making a bold claim as a driving force in the growth of track and field.
From hosting the iconic Penn Relays to organizing over 50 indoor meets this year alone, Penn has positioned itself at the very heart of the sport’s present and future.
The Penn Relays have drawn
some of the best athletes in the world to train over the years, with this year’s events slated to have a record number of former Olympians. Track and field stars will make their Penn Relays debuts, including rising forces such as middle-distance runner Will Sumner, USC alumna and University of Georgia sprints and hurdles assistant coach Bailey Lear, UVA alumnus and NCAA champion Shane Cohen, among many more.
Some other top competitors are familiar faces, including high jumper Vashti Cunningham and middle-distance runner and Philadelphia native Ajeé Wilson. 2020 Penn graduate Nia Akins — a recent 2024 Paris Olympian — has been a staple of the Olympic Development events over the past few years.
“It’s very exciting to see Nia. … We’re very fortunate because she just moved back and is back training in Philadelphia,” Dolan said. “As a Penn grad, it’s exciting to see her.”
Not only is Penn home to the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, but Penn will also be one of the sites for the inaugural Grand Slam track meet in late May. The premier event, founded by Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, brings together the fastest men and women in the world.
“We got a vision like a decade ago, saying because of the success of the Penn Relays, for so many years, we think that Penn could be a major hub for track and field, and we continue to take steps towards that,” Dolan said. “This year, we’re hosting the Grand Slam. … We’re excited to bring some world-class athletes here in Philadelphia to Penn and host the event.”
Holding down the fort at home
As director of the Penn Relays, Dolan will oversee track and field schools and athletes from 28 countries who come to Philadelphia to race. As the head coach of Penn’s track and field team, Dolan has confidence in its ability to perform alongside premier competitors from across the world.
“Penn Relays is a really special experience. And for the Penn home team, we really love to compete. I anticipate a lot of jumping up in our level of performance because it’s at home,” Dolan said. “[The team is] super excited. They just get that extra adrenaline and confidence. … I think we’ll raise our level at Penn Relays, something we seem to do every year.”
Indeed, the Penn team is expected to excel in key events. Junior throwing specialist Angeludi Asaah is currently ranked among the top 30 and top 20 in the shot put and discus events, respectively, and is expected to earn high marks at this year’s Penn Relays. Dolan also expressed faith in the legacy of the 4x400m relay teams, thanks to some recent strong performances. Sophomore sprint and hurdles specialist Ryan
Matulonis and sophomore sprints specialist Nayyir Newash-Campbell — who recently broke a 93-year Penn record in the 400m race — have both split 46 seconds in the 400m race.
Records across the board
They say no two years at the Penn Relays are ever the same — and 2025 is proving that in record-breaking fashion.
This year’s meet will feature all eight Ivy League schools, a record twelve programs from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and athletes representing 28 countries. But perhaps most impressive is the unprecedented number of Olympians and elite athletes descending on Franklin Field.
From high school standouts to Olympic medalists, the eyes of the global track and field community will turn to one city, one campus, and one tradition — proving once again that when it comes to track and field, all roads lead to Penn.
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Penn Relays athletes are from: Ivy League schools
12 ACC schools
28 countries
DEREK WONG | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Dolan discussed upcoming plans at a Penn Relays press conference on April 17.
Foodies Deliveries + Shopping Sprees
Fuel up for your day at the Penn Relays with a stop at Franklin’s Table Food Hall, featuring some of the city’s most exciting chefs. Grab something to go or stay and sample a little bit of everything—your taste buds will thank you!
