Jumbos Ready for Indoor Season

(12/1/2007)

Boston's trees are covered in frost, the library is packed with cramming students, the 2007 calendar has turned its final page, and all these signs point to one thing: Indoor track season has arrived at Tufts University.

This will be a year of both continuing patterns and new firsts. It's the first year in the post-Fred Jones era, and the first time the Jumbos have hit the track as defending NESCAC champions since 1992; but it is also another season that will feature a pack of NCAA-qualifying cross country runners, and it is another year featuring the leadership of All-Americans Dan Marcy, Fielding Pagel, and Jesse Faller; NCAA-qualifiers Jeremy Arak, James Bradley, Derek Engelking, and Jared Engelking; and NESCAC champion Ikenna Acholonu. It's safe to say that every event group will be at least as deep as those from last year's team. Let's break them down:

The Jumbo distance runners, coming off of their 3rd-place finish at the New England Regional Cross Country Championship and NCAA Championship appearance, will look to the same leadership they followed during cross country. Watch out for senior quad-captain and 2007 steeplechase All-American Dave Sorensen; senior Chris Kantos, who returned this fall from a year studying in London; Jesse Faller, who just earned his first All-American award in cross country; and junior Dave Tilton, who punched his ticket to cross country nationals as a member of the team's top 7.

Also in shape from the cross country season is the mid-distance squad, whose members will race in everything from 400m to the mile. They should be led by senior Matt Alander and a strong pack of sophomores featuring Jason Hanrahan, Billy Hale, Andrew Shanley, Matt Tirrell, and Alex Landy.

The Tufts sprinters, who had a breakout season last year, will pick up the three (or four, for those brave enough to try the 600m) fastest events on the indoor track. Expect to see fast times by senior Marcus Boggis, who returns to the straightaway after a series of injuries; juniors Colin Fitzgerald and Phil Rotella, both of whom consistently scored points for the Jumbos last year; and sophomores Ikenna Acholonu, Jared Engelking, Andrew Longley, Scott Brinkman, and Trevor Donadt, who all quickly and deservedly earned the respect of their upperclassmen last year. Acholonu, Engelking, and Donadt will also lead the hurdlers this year - this shouldn't be a surprise, as the trio took three of the top five spots at last year's Division III New England Championships.

In the field events, which many have been talking about since the graduation of ten-time All-American Fred Jones, the Jumbos should continue to be the most dominant force in New England. Seniors Joe Brown and Kenny Kang will lead the Tufts throwers and pole vaulters, respectively (though everyone would enjoy watching it the other way around), and Kang will be joined by freshman pole vaulter Sam Read. The high jumpers, featuring senior quad-captain Jeremy Arak and junior James Bradley - both of whom jumped at the 2007 Outdoor NCAA Championships - will look to improve upon their 19 points scored at last year's Division III New England Championships. And the horizontal jumpers, led by senior quad-captain and 2006 All-American Dan Marcy and classmate Jake Fromer, will work to fill the gap left by Jones.

The final event group - the "multis" - might be the most highly anticipated. Three Tufts decathletes - Fielding Pagel, Derek Engelking, and Jared Engelking - qualified for the 2007 NCAA championships, with Pagel smashing the school record and finishing sixth. Senior quad-captain Nate Scott won the pentathlon at last year's Division III New England Championships - mere weeks after being cleared from a torn ligament in his leg.

In case it's not clear yet, the upcoming track season should be one of the best in Tufts history. Every event group is filled with NCAA qualifiers and All-Americans; veterans and rookies are training harder than ever; and the 2008 Division III New England Championships are at Tufts. After months of cross country and fall training, the Tufts Men's Track Team opens its season on December 1st at the Husky Carnival, held at the Reggie Lewis Center. Look out New England; it's the year of the Jumbo.