, New faces, new conferencefor track teams

by Kendra Clark sports editor

With spring in the air, the Cabrini College men's and women's track seasons are off and running. With help of a new conference this year, the teams are running towards the conference championships. The team has five meets under its belt already and hopes are still soaring high with new faces and the - new conference this season.

The first part of the season, which began in January with a meet at Widener University, was strong. With all team members dedicated and working hard to achieve their highest potential, every member has been able to attain points in each meet. According to Lauren Dean, women's team captain, "The members are dedicated and independent people who place well."

Besides the success of veteran team members, new members have also contributed to the success of the team this season. New additions to the team include sprinters Christine Demarco and Ellen Briant, who compete in the 100 and 200 meter races, and hurdler Dan Jellyman, who com- petes in the 100 and 200 meter races.

Demarco and Jel1yman have been sidelined by injuries this season, but they have still been very competitive. "Jellyman is an exceptional and a very high caliber runner," said Jason Bull, the men's team captain.

Dean also added, 'They are very competitive and have still helped the team this season even with injury.'·

The result of the success is the number of records that have been broken. On the women's team, veterans Katie Hecht, Tiffany Cory, and Dean have broken records where on the men's team veterans Ryan Jones, Shaun Hazlett and Bull have each broke records.

The new records set in the women's division were in high jump by Hecht, 5000 meters, two mile, 3,000 meters, and mile by Dean, and 55 HH by Cory. In the men's division the records were in the distance medley by Jones and Hazlett, the mile and 880 yards by Bull.

Also team members Donna Kain and Kristin Zielinski have contributed success with strong performances. Kain competes in the 200 meter and 400 meters, where

Zielinski competes in the 800 meters and the mile with Dean.

One highlight that the team is excited about this year is the new conference that they have switched over to. The new conference, or Collegiate Track Conference, will be very beneficial to the team by allowing them to compete in a championship, as where the old conference did not hold a championship.

By having a championship to work towards, Dean said, "We now have something to build towards to, instead of just working towards individual meets." Both of the captains are extremely happy to be in the new conference and are looking forward to the championship, which will be held April 1 at a place to be announced.

The team's goals are simple, but they have been successful so far this season. Both the men's and women's teams would like to continue to build and develop the talent that the team has and to bring all members to their maximum potential. They also would like to continue to bring in new people, to continue the development and strengthening of the team in years to come.

You can always see the members of the team running around campus on their morning and afternoon runs. Their main practices are scheduled on Tuesday and Thursdays and for sprinters on Mondays and Wednesdays. They practice at either Eastern College or Radnor High School. They are trying to start to run at Valley Forge Military Academy, where an allweather track has just been installed.

For the most part though, most of the practice is independently done. According to Dean, the runners are asked to do morning and afternoon runs and to lift two to three times a week.

It is also not too late to join the team. If you are interested, you can contact the coach, Tom O'Hora, or you can talk to either Dean or Bull. With the new conference and the success that they have had this season already, which will not end until May, and with dedicated athletes and broken records, Bull predicts, "The best performances are still yet to come."