The 2010 Penn Relays highlights the schedule for Lincoln University's track and field teams.
With the university still transitioning to Division II, the 17-time national champions regard this event, held in the school's backyard at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus, as the banner weekend.
So with the top professional, college and high school athletes flocking to the historic venue for the much-anticipated weekend, held April 22-24, Lincoln is prepared to do whatever it takes to succeed.
The season has already been a record-setting one regardless of how this weekend unfolds. After smashing the indoor school record in the 800 meters, Bienna Freeman (Christiana, DE/Christiana) broke Lincoln's oldest mark, a 2:12.67 set by Narissa Crosson in 1992, with a 2:11.19 at the season-opening Reebok Raleigh Relays in March. She then broke the record again with a 2:10.39 at the Morgan State Invitational.
The freshman also anchors the 4x400-meter relay team, which had a season-best 3:52.01, also coming at the Raleigh Relays.
Clearly Lincoln's most prized newcomer on the women's side, she is rivaled only by her counterpart on the men's side, redshirt freshman Matthew Coston (Queens, N.Y./Dover HS). At the Raleigh Relays, he clocked his best time, a 1:50.18
Like Freeman, he runs a leg on the 4x400 team. Long regarded as one of Lincoln's strongest events, the team of Coston, Deidre Mcleod, Alex Wright (Brooklyn, NY/John Dewey) and Kester Lewis (Brooklyn, NY/William Grady (NY)) ran a 3:14.88 in Raleigh.
Head Coach Cyrus Jones, in his 36th year at Lincoln, is most excited about the 1,600-sprint medley. With Coston also running the 800 leg, he feels this is the best cast he's had in years. The group, consisting of Coston, Andre Wilkinson (St. Michael's, Barbados/William Grady (NY)), Mcleod and Lewis, ran a 3:28.5, also at the Raleigh Relays.
After battling leg injuries much of the season, senior Jared Randle (Kanakee, IL/Kanakee) appears to be healthy. He leapt 25 feet, four inches off the school mark, at the Morgan State Invitational April 9.
At Morgan State, both the men and women placed seventh against top-quality competition boasting faces that the Lions will see once more this weekend. While Freeman broke a school record and Randle established a meet record, there were other notable performances.
Fatima Ross offered a personal best 12.67 in the 100-meter dash. She will be relied on in most sprints and relay teams.
Morgan heath, a freshman excited to compete in her hometown, has been steady in the high jump. Her 1.59 meters at the Penn Invitational, also at Franklin Field, was her top mark in her young career. Consistency has been her best attribute.
Following the Penn Relays, Lincoln travels to Coppin State next Thursday and concludes the season May 1 at the Delaware State Invitational.
