Harvard Takes Home Fourth at Heps

For co-captain Jack Brady, Harvard track has come a long way in four years.

“When I was a freshman, we scored less than 10 points at [the Heptagonal Championships] and finished dead last,” the senior recalled.

Things have improved a bit in Jason Saretsky’s tenure as head coach.

The men’s and women’s squads traveled to Hanover, N.H. to take part in the 2010 Indoor Heps this weekend, with both teams taking fourth at Leverone Field House to finish among the top Ivy League competitors.

“I’m really pleased—it was great to see both teams finish in the top half,” Saretsky said. “On the men’s side, [fourth] was the highest finish since I’ve been here, and the women did a great job of competing and holding their own.”

The Crimson men had a number of strong showings in the midst of a tight race—Harvard earned 53 points, behind Dartmouth’s 55 and ahead of Columbia’s 52.

“It’s just fantastic...to see not only how we’ve progressed this year, but also to say that we are just as good as the best teams in the Ivy League,” Brady said. “It was a really great weekend, and I’m really happy for our guys.”

Harvard showed its strength in the middle distances, as sophomore John Dingus raced to a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash, crossing the line in 48.81 seconds. Dingus also helped the Crimson to a third-place showing in the 4x400-meter relay, along with co-captain Justin Grinstead and sophomores Jonathan Meminger and Robbie Paris.

“[Dingus] is a great competitor and really does well when he’s out in front,” Saretsky said.

“He put up a very impressive time, especially on that track,” the coach added, referring to the fact that Dartmouth’s non-banked track runs slower than most indoor facilities.

Junior Brian Hill and sophomore Darcy Wilson also had standout efforts, taking fourth place in the 800- and 1000-meter events, respectively, to add four points apiece to the team total.

But on a day where numerous Crimson competitors stood out, it was again Brady who made the biggest splash. The ECAC and IC4A qualifier notched yet another personal best, taking third in the shot put in dramatic fashion. The co-captain stood in sixth place through five throws but unleashed a mammoth toss of 16.84 meters on his final attempt to jump three spots—just .03 meters behind second-place finisher Bryan Powlen of Brown.

Brady added a second-place finish in the weight throw.

“That’s the kind of stuff we train for,” Brady said. “We work so hard for a little moment, a two-second burst. Nothing feels better than a personal best.”

Still, Brady was far from focused on his own performance. The co-captain also noted that freshman Edward Brucker enjoyed a personal best of his own, topping 16 meters for sixth place in the shot put. In addition, with individual championships on the horizon, the senior noted the added intensity of team competition.

“You feel more accountable about your performances,” he said of Heps. “You want to do well not only for yourself but for the team.”

The women’s squad certainly felt this team spirit as it pushed for its own fourth-place finish, rallying despite significant injuries.

Harvard amassed 61 points on the weekend, due in large part to good performances in races and multi events.

“We didn’t enter women in a couple events due to injury...but those who did compete competed well and rose to the challenge,” women’s co-captain Thea Lee said. “We had one person on the podium for every event [we participated in].”

Lee followed just behind rookie Carlyle Davis as the two runners finished third and fourth in the 800-meter race, adding 10 points to the team score. Freshmen Olivia Weeks and Ashtynn Baltimore also provided a boost for the Crimson, taking second in the triple jump and long jump, respectively, with efforts of 12.10 and 5.99 meters.

“I thought every athlete that competed held her own,” Lee said. “At the end of the day, really the whole team did great.”

Saretsky also noted the standout effort of a pair of pentathletes, sophomores Christine Reed and Nicole Sliva. The Harvard women added another 10 points with third- and fourth-place finishes, logging a number of personal bests through the five events.

“The event went great,” Saretsky said. “[Reed and Sliva] are just gamers. They have a great, great competitive attitude and really got after it.”

So too, it seemed, did the entire Crimson team. Although neither squad could keep pace with Ivy powerhouse Princeton, whose men’s and women’s teams swept the championships with 181 and 125 points, respectively, Harvard will look to build on its momentum as various athletes prepare for individual competition at ECACs and IC4As next weekend.

“Both [the men’s and women’s] teams came on really strong this season,” Sarestky said. “They competed best when it mattered the most.”

—Staff writer Max N. Brondfield can be reached at mbrondf@fas.harvard.edu.