Freshmen, Alumni Better Track Team’s Outlook

In the interest of making progress, the Lions will be using part of their past in this year’s track and field program. Joined by five new coaches, including four Columbia alumni, and 16 new freshmen, the Light Blue is prepping to improve its rank among its Ivy League competitors.

In the past, Columbia runners have been unable to make an outstanding impression on Heptagonal competition. Last year, the women’s team tied for fifth with Penn behind Princeton, Brown, Cornell, and Harvard, while the men’s squad came in sixth behind Cornell, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, and Penn. Cornell and Princeton’s programs have generally maintained a depth and size that few other league schools have been able to match. The Big Red’s field and sprinting components are more toned than those of Columbia, while the Tigers’ distance squad is the best in the Ivy League, as evidenced by Princeton’s recent sweep at the Heptagonal Championship last week.

This year, however, may serve as a turning point for the Columbia track program. New additions to the coaching staff will work to hone the Lions’ strong points—such as their long and mid-distance groups—and transform their weaker aspects, like the field events category. Scott Moncur, CC ’04, will work with the long sprinters, long hurdlers, and 800m runners, while Zach Richard, CC ’08, Delilah DiCrescenzo, CC ’06, and Caroline Bierbaum, CC ’06, will focus on the distance runners. Duke graduate Jillian Schwartz will target improvement with pole-vaulting.

Returning athletes, including sophomore Jeff Moriarty, senior Jeff Randall, and junior Michael Mark, will lead the men’s team, while for the women’s squad senior Melissa Ikono, senior Elisse Douglass, sophomore Jackie Drouin, and senior Marissa Smith should post strong times.

The Lions will open their season with the Yale Opener on Dec. 6. Until then, the Light Blue will be training hard.