Category Archives: Athletics

February 7, 2012 · 4:42 pm

Penn Men’s Basketball Crushes Princeton 82-67

Author: Stephanie Y., C08

As a Penn Men’s Basketball fan, there are few greater feelings than when your beloved Quakers beat Princeton. The energy at the Palestra was unbelievable, and it was amazing to see the student section packed to the max! Hope to see you all this Friday at the Palestra when Penn takes on undefeated Harvard. There will be a few special guests in the student section, so be sure to come to the game! Students can pick up free tickets to the game this week on Locust Walk 11AM – 2PM. See you on Friday! Go Quakers!

Packed student section at the Penn vs. Princeton men’s basketball game!

Looking good, Quakers!

Final score at the Penn vs. Princeton men’s basketball game.

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January 19, 2012 · 3:40 pm

My Trip to Columbia University

Author: Jonathan Cousins, SEAS’14

Last Friday, I went to see Penn Basketball play at Columbia. It is always a unique experience to watch your hometown team in another city.  For one thing, the crowd is rooting against you. It is especially hard to deal with by yourself, because if there is only one of you, you stick out.  At Columbia though, there were ten members of the Red and Blue Crew, and we were sitting right next to the Penn Band.  Between the two groups, we basically owned a corner of the gym. And, it was fun to have a bunch of us cheering against the majority of the pro-Columbia crowd. I also noticed that there were a lot of Penn alumni present, especially in the section right behind the Penn bench.

Getting to and from the gym was an adventure. We took Bolt bus from 30th Street Station to Penn Station in New York, and then rode the subway from there to Columbia’s campus. However, the gym is underground, and once you step on campus, it is not easy to find. I bought the tickets for the group ahead of time, and so I had to be the one to pick them up at Will Call Office.  I booked a bus that left at 3 PM and arrived at 5 PM, thinking that would give me plenty of time before the 7 PM tipoff.  I didn’t anticipate that my bus would leave an hour late, and I found myself scrambling to get to the gym on time.  In the end, I made it, arriving in plenty of time at 6:30.

The game remained close through the first half, with Columbia taking a small lead into the break.  We surged back at the beginning of the second half, and led by nine points with two minutes to go.  We watched the lead quickly evaporate due to poor fouls and turnovers. Columbia even had a chance to win the game with a three at the buzzes, but thankfully, it clanked off of the iron as the horn sounded. The final score was a close 66 to 64 with Penn winning. You can read the full press release here.

Tyler Bernardini hit four clutch free throws in the final minute Friday at Columbia. Photo courtesy Mike Mahoney.

On the way back home, our group stopped for pizza, and then took the long ride back to Philly. I really had a great time taking half a day and going on an adventure to another city. I got to get out of the Penn bubble, see another Ivy League campus and watch a Penn victory. I have also found that you get closer with the group of people that go on trips like this. In the future, I hope we find funding to send groups of students to the road games, Ivy or otherwise. Even if only 5-10 students went on each trip, if we took 3-6 trips a year, every season ticket holder would at least have the opportunity to go on one. This also discounts the bi-annual trips to Temple and La Salle, which are located right on the Broad Street Line. I hope these trips continue to exist, and expand in number, so that more people get to have the type of fun experience that we did.

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January 13, 2012 · 9:49 am

Q&A with a Track & Field Master-Part II: Dee

Author: Nicole Maloy, W’95

(For my previous Q&A with World Masters Track & Field competitor, Ruth Greenfield, Nu’92, check out Part I). 

Today, Deirdre Morris-Abrahamsson, C’93, GEd’94, is a Communications Specialist at Widener University in Pennsylvania, and serves as a freelance sports/events consultant. But I remember her as the athlete with whom I shared the high jump pit for two years as my teammate on Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field. When I was doing my plyometric training, sprints, short-approach jumping drills, and literal attempts at greater heights, there she was. The difference was, when I was done training or competing for the day, she was on her way to work on another event.

Deirdre was a pentathlete indoors, and a heptathlete outdoors. The former includes the 60m Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Put, Long Jump and 800m; the latter replaces the 60m Hurdles with 100m Hurdles, then adds the Javelin and the 200m Dash. So, yeah, I’m feeling a bit inadequate right now. She is trying to convince me to join her in competing again in the Master’s division (35+). Lord help me, I might be swayed. Stay tuned…

Here we are at an indoor meet back in the day.

Q&A with Dee

4 years Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field, Senior Co-Captain

Pentathlon, Heptathlon

Why did you join the track team at Penn?

I was successful in track at St. Francis Prep High School in Queens, NY and I was recruited by many colleges. I intended to continue competing, and I chose Penn over Dartmouth and Cornell, where I was also accepted.

High jumping at the Colonial Relays during her high school days. Even then, she wore the red and blue!

Why did you stay on the team for as long as you did?
Good question! I loved the sport and my teammates, and I couldn’t imagine not being a part of the team. I never thought about quitting, I always wanted to train harder, achieve more and see what I was capable of doing.

(Note: Deirdre was also President of the Penn Irish Club, and was involved in the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project.)

What was your proudest accomplishment in Track & Field at Penn?
At the end of my junior year, I blew my knee out in a freak long jump accident at the Ivy League Championships at Yale.

(Side note: I was there, and the sound of her scream is still echoing in my head. I just want the readers to understand the severity of the injury and the pain she was in so you can have some context for her recovery and subsequent return to competition).

I had knee surgery in May and wore a cast for two months. I was running again by October, hurdling by December, and ready to compete again by January.

I had my ups and downs that indoor and outdoor season. At the Indoor Championships at the Naval Academy, I hit a hurdle in the first event of the Pentathlon and finished last in the event- in a fog. However, I ended my Penn Track career at the Outdoor Championships at Princeton with a fifth place finish in the Heptathlon and a personal record in the 800m. I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face. I had been through so much, and I had accomplished a lot. And, I didn’t have to run an 800m race ever again!

Your favorite Penn Track & Field memory?
The Penn Relays, of course! I competed in them during my high school years, and then as a Penn Track member it was so awesome to have that event take place on our home track. It was great fun to be a part of the meet, to watch amazing competition and feel the energy of the crowd. I remember walking on the track one day, and there were some older guys walking ahead of me, talking about the “ghosts” on the track and their days running at the Penn Relays. It is true. Thousands upon thousands of people have raced and competed at Franklin Field, each with their own stories of success, defeat, and pride at having competed at the famous Penn Relays.

And the people – my teammates and the alumni of both the men’s and women’s teams. I have made such wonderful friends, and we will always have the bond of being part of such a storied athletic program. My coaches Betty Costanza and Tony Tenisci are life-long friends and mentors, and Charlie Powell, the head men’s coach who just retired, is someone that I admire immensely.

Deirdre competing for Penn as a junior.

What were your main activities and interests between your graduation from Penn and competing in the Masters division (including but not limited to sports)?
I was always surprised to hear from fellow athletes who stopped running once their competition days were over. I never stopped. I couldn’t imagine that. It was so ingrained in me and had been such a big part of my life for so long, that when I would be sitting at work and 3 p.m. would roll around, I always felt like it was time to head out to Track practice.

The year after college, I took up rowing. I learned to scull at the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club. A recurring feeling that would come over me while doing a 10 mile row and watching runners race up and down Kelly Drive was: I’d rather be running! Plus, tipping my single scull and falling into the murky Schuylkill River didn’t help matters.

Rowing lasted for about a year, and then I started playing Ultimate Frisbee. I could not throw at all, but I could RUN. I joined a summer league team through the Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance, and I had a blast. It was tough, but so much fun. I played Ultimate for ten years, and in my career played at the Club level with Women’s and Mixed teams. I played in 3 US Championships, three World Championships (in Vancouver, Hawaii, and Germany), 3 Swedish Championships and numerous tournaments throughout the US, Canada and Europe. It is through Ultimate that I met my husband – an Ultimate playing Swede that I met at a beach tournament in Italy, south of Lecce. We met in 2001, lived in Salt Lake City until the end of 2002, and then in Sweden from 2002 – 2009.

Throughout this time I continued to run, and I competed in races from 5K to the half marathon. I have also continued weight lifting and I have really fallen in love with yoga. And Swing Dancing, did I mention Swing Dancing? I did this for several years in NYC and when I lived in Barcelona, and it is something that I really want to get better at.

Ultimate Deirdre

What prompted you to start competing in the Masters division? What did it involve?
I have always thought about competing again in track but never really knew how or where. (I actually didn’t think I would ever STOP competing in track, so it was inevitable to start up again.) Playing Ultimate was a big time commitment, not to mention work and then kids. But after moving back to the USA two years ago from Sweden, I got reconnected with many Penn teammates. Ruth Greenfield, Nu’92, was very active with Masters Track, and I was inspired by her participation and great success. She kept encouraging me, and others, to take it up again, and finally, I did.

What are your strongest memories of your first competition as a Master?
I have only competed in a handful of track meets so far. My first meet was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships in June at Widener University. As a former heptathlete, I can do many events. The easiest to just step back into though, besides the running events, is the shot put. I showed up and there were about fifteen men and one woman there ranging from ages 25 – 70 competing, with their shot put shoes, measuring tapes, and all the typical paraphernalia. There was a nice camaraderie and lots of encouragement among the participants. I was very nervous, but I did fine – and actually surprised myself that my form and strength is still there (actually, I feel stronger physically after having had children).

It was also a great surprise to run into two former Penn Men’s Track athletes who are also very active and successful on the Masters Track circuit: Jason Costner, W’92, and Mohamed Ali, EAS’92. It was nice to hear them cheer me on when I very bravely ran the 400m.

And to top it off, after my first meet, I was ranked #1 in the US in my age group in the shot. That was a thrill. I know that several of my teammates would rocket to the top of the rankings if they started competing again.

At her first Masters Outdoor Track meet in May with fellow Penn Track & Field alumni, Jason Costner and Mohamed Ali.

In which events do you currently compete or plan to compete?
I really want to high jump and long jump again, but, even though I still run, it will take a lot to prepare my body for that kind of impact and to get used to doing it again. The muscle memory is still there though. I have tried high jumping, and it feels natural to do it. I just need to take it slow! I also want to run all of the events up to the mile and see how I do in each. And I will continue shot putting as I really want to see how much I can improve.

Your proudest accomplishment in Track & Field at the Masters level?
In December, I competed in my first meet of the indoor season. My goal was to throw over 30 feet in the shot put – and I did! I also ran the 800m. Like many heptathletes, I dreaded running the 800m as the last of seven events. Although I am slower now, I feel that I am mentally stronger, and I really pushed myself and kept focused. I look forward to running it again, and I aim to whittle my time down over the season.

How does being a mom affect your life as a competitive athlete? How have your children responded?
The other day, my four-year old daughter said to me, “You are the best mom in the world, and the best shot putter in the world.” Alert the presses! My kids know that I love track and field, and my seven-year old son has been to many track meets and has watched a lot of them on TV – especially when we were living in Sweden and they were on TV all the time. He watched Usain Bolt run at the Penn Relays two years ago. This past summer, he participated in his first track meet, and he racked up the medals and had a great time. He “practices” throwing hammer, javelin, and shot put in the yard. I am excited for both my kids to come watch me compete at a meet this winter, and I think that if I went head to head in the 800 with Gavin, he would beat me. In fact, his favorite event to run is the 800m – so he has the advantage.

Sports are such a big part of our family, and it is natural for all of us to be active. We go watch Pappa play in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, mom run a 5K, Gavin play soccer, and Violet swims. We will see if they become Track & Field athletes, but if they don’t, it won’t be for lack of exposure.

Deirdre with her husband and two children.

What advice do you have for other women/former college athletes who might be interested in competing again?
Remember in high school (or middle school) when you first started doing track and this whole new world opened up to you? You would go and hang out with your friends at track meets, compete in the 55m, the 200m, the triple jump, the shot put (for a laugh) and then run a relay or two? Master’s Track has that vibe. At the meets I have been to, people run multiple events and throw in a field event for good measure. I swear, I am pretty sure this one guy did run ALL of the events at my last meet.

It is a lot of fun, and you would surprise yourself at what you can still do. I know for me, I still have a competitive streak and I want to do my best and keep getting better. But in Masters Track, I am only competing against myself and my own times. The other competitors are very friendly and supportive, and it seems like a close-knit community. Find a Masters Track club in your area, or just show up at meet. If you are not sure what to do, just jump into the 55m dash for a start. Don’t forget to stretch!

And since there are fewer competitors, the meets don’t take all day as they do in high school and college. You can get a few races in on a Sunday morning and then be home in time for lunch.

Anything to add about your experience with Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field?
I am very proud to have been a member of the Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Team. We worked hard, all year long, and it was a huge commitment. After I graduated, I wanted to stay involved with sports, and I have worked primarily in the sports and event industries. I am a huge sports fan, but Track will always be my favorite.

Anything to add about your experience competing in Track & Field in the Masters division?
It will help with motivation to find some people to train with. I recently started working at Widener University and have become friendly with the track coaches. I have been able to attend some of their practices and get a few training and throwing tips. It is a great feeling to head down to the track and be around the athletes.

Two gold medals from her first master’s track meet. Nice job, Dee!

Again,  to read an earlier post “Q&A with World Masters Track & Field” competitor, Ruth Greenfield, Nu’92, check out Part I).

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January 12, 2012 · 4:24 pm

The Mungermen

Author: Richard “Dick”Rosenbleeth, Class of ’54

On October 24, 2009, the Mungermen held their annual reunion brunch before the Penn-Yale football game. More than 100 people were there; 40 Mungermen plus family and friends.  The Mungermen are those who played football under Coach George A. Munger (’33) from 1938 to 1953.  They also include those who were an integral part of the Munger teams – assistant coaches, doctors, trainers, and administrative personnel.  The reunions have taken place since 1956, always before a Penn football game.  In the beginning, there were approximately 241 Mungermen and about 100 survive today.

I went to my first Penn football game in 1940 when I was eight years old.  After that, I saw most games when I had a ticket and, later on, when I sold programs at Franklin Field.  In 1950, I came to Penn and played freshman and varsity football under George Munger, graduating in 1954.  So I have a clear picture of the Mungermen during the forties and fifties. I thought it would be timely to share the story of the Mungermen with others.  Much has been written about George Munger and rightfully so, but little about the Mungermen as such.

The Mungermen have bonded together all this time based on shared experiences and the memory of  George Munger who passed away 15 years ago.  Although the range in Classes is 1939 to 1956, the age differential is of no significance.   The idea for the reunions came from a meeting between George Munger, Jack Welch (’43), Bill Talarico (’49) and Bernie Lemonick (’51). Jack, Bill, and Bernie were Mungermen coaches and players.  Bernie is the current very dedicated leader.

George Munger is a College Football Hall of Fame coach and, as an undergraduate, was a star in football and track and field.  He was 28 years old when he became Head Coach and held that title for 16 years.  He had a record of 82 wins, 42 losses, 10 ties and a winning percentage of .649.  He left coaching in 1953 at age 44.  Penn football was in turmoil then because of the collapse of President Harold Stassen’s “Victory with Honor” Program.  He resigned because he and his long-time excellent assistant coaches Rae Crowther, Paul (PG) Riblett and Bill Talarico were blindsided by Penn’s decision to become part of the formal Ivy League. This not only impacted the coaches, but also the Mungermen Classes of 1954, 1955 and 1956.

The Ivy League Agreement banned spring practice and cut back on scholarships for football starting in 1953 and beyond.  In addition, the rules were changed in 1953 banning two-platoon football.  Games were already scheduled against the best teams in the country for the next three years.  Despite all this, Munger and his staff stayed on for the 1953 season, his first and only losing season, but that was the end of the Munger era.  After that, George Munger became Director of Physical Education and was never heard to complain about these events.  He was a loyal Penn man to the end.

A “last hurrah” dinner honoring George Munger on his 80th birthday was held on November 22, 1974.  The Dinner Program read:

“Here on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, we, his players, are gathered tonight with George Munger to celebrate the occasion of his 80th birthday.”

Football coach, role model, advisor, and friend to us all, he keeps the memories of the days when we wore the Red and Blue under his leadership fresh in our thoughts.  Followers of Pennsylvania football will long remember his powerful single wing teams for their aggressive play and colorful performance.

During his 15 years as head coach, his teams were nationally recognized for their ability to play the best, and thousands came to Franklin Field autumn after autumn to spend an exciting afternoon of football.

We salute him in his 80th year for a job well done, for memories which are irreplaceable and for the unique pleasure of having been a “Mungerman” in a memorable era of Pennsylvania football.

This, in the main, explains why the Mungermen have stayed together all these years.  But there is more to the story.  George Munger had great affection for his players and that great affection was returned.  My own personal experience confirms this.  He was not the typical football coach.  He was quietly articulate and inspiring; and preferred to be called George, not Coach Munger.  He wanted his players to succeed as students, football players and after in their careers or professions.  More than ninety percent of them graduated.

Each year before the last game of the year against Cornell, George told the team:  “Fight like Hell, beat Cornell and no school [practice] Monday.”  He would be pleased to know that his players still have “school on Monday,” even though it is only once every year.

The Mungermen[1] during their playing days won 9 unofficial Ivy League titles (no formal Ivy League existed until after 1956); competed against the best teams and best players in the country; led the nation in attendance year after year; and achieved a winning record. The best teams were: 1940 (6-1-1), 1941 (7-1) and 1947 (7-0-1). The most memorable games were: Cornell 1940 (22-21), Duke 1944 (18-7), Navy 1946 (32-18), Princeton 1946 (14-17), Army 1947 (7-7) and 1948 (13-13), Dartmouth 1950 (42-26), Wisconsin 1950 (20-0) and California(7-14), Army 1951 (7-6), Princeton 1952 (13-7), ending Princeton’s 24 game winning streak, Navy 1953 (9-6), Notre Dame 1952 (7-7) and 1953 (20-28), and 1953 Ohio State (6-12) and Penn State (13-7).

Harlan Gustafson (’39), Ray Frick (’41), Frank Reagan (’41), Bernie Kuczyski (’42), Bob Odell (’43), George Savitsky (’48, four times), Skip Minisi (’48), Chuck Bednarik (’49, two times), Bull Schweder (’50), Reds Bagnell (’51), Bernie Lemonick (’51), Gerry Mcginley (’52), Eddie Bell (’53, two times), and Jack Shanafelt (’54)  were All-Americans.  Odell, Bednarik, and Bagnell won the Maxwell Award.  Some were All East, named to All -Opponent teams and played in post season All-Star games.  A few are in the College, Pro-Football, Pennsylvania State, and Penn Halls of Fame.  Others were good solid players, some were substitutes and some “meatballs” who came to practice every day and helped the varsity prepare, but all were important to the football program.  These were the glory years of Penn football when Franklin Field was filled to capacity every Saturday in the fall.   The Penn football games were the talk of the town and Penn was nationally recognized as a football power.

The Mungermen have served their country in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and also served their communities. They have become successful doctors, dentists, lawyers, educators, artists, coaches, businessmen, executives and entrepreneurs. Quite a few have been active in alumni affairs as trustees and otherwise.  Some have made significant financial contributions to the University.

In 1994, the Mungermen contributed 1.5 million dollars to establish the George A. Munger Endowment for Football at Penn.  Our fine coach, Al Bagnoli, is currently the George A. Munger Head Coach for Football.  Today a statue of George Munger stands at the West end of Franklin Field, erected with funds raised by the Mungermen.  There was also a weight training room in Franklin Field funded by the Mungermen.  All of these efforts were aided by contributions of Friends of the Mungermen.

This, then, is the story of the Mungermen, who have contributed so much to Penn football and to the University.  I hope this has been a worthwhile trip down memory lane, both for those who are and are not familiar with this era of Penn football. 

 

[1]Don Rottenberg’s excellent 1985 book, Fight on Pennsylvania, was a very helpful source.

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January 10, 2012 · 7:12 pm

The Red and Blue Crew Travels to Columbia This Friday

Author: Stephanie Y., C’08

I was thrilled to hear today that the Red and Blue Crew is going to New York City for the Penn Men’s Basketball game at Columbia University this Friday. I just finalized my long weekend travel plans, which includes going to NYC to watch the Penn Quakers crush the Columbia Lions on Friday night. Tickets are still available on the Columbia Men’s Basketball website. Last year’s game was sold out, so buy your tickets today before they sell out! The Penn alumni community always has a strong presence at the Penn @ Columbia game because there are so many Penn alumni in the NYC area. I cannot wait to see Penn student and alumni faces in the crowd cheering on the Quakers this Friday night! In the meantime, see you tonight (Jan 10th) for the Penn vs. LaSalle game at The Palestra. Go Quakers!

Red and Blue Crew member sporting an awesome net-hat with the Penn logo. Where can I get one of these? Photo courtesy of The Daily Pennsylvanian.

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December 30, 2011 · 2:25 pm

Penn Men’s Basketball Faces UCLA in Anaheim, CA

Author: Kiera Reilly, C’93

On December 10, the Penn Men’s Basketball team made their first trip to Southern California since 2003. The last time the Quakers came to town, they played the USC Trojans at the Forum in Inglewood (and beat them quite soundly). This year, Penn was scheduled to play the UCLA Bruins. As the famous Pauley Pavilion on UCLA’s campus is undergoing renovations, the game was set for the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA (home of the Anaheim Ducks Ice Hockey).

The Honda Center in Anaheim, CA - location for Penn vs UCLA on Dec. 10th

Colleagues in Alumni Relations, Athletics and Development coordinated to plan a pre-game reception before the game and invited all alumni and current parents in the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego areas to attend. We hoped for an enthusiastic crowd but weren’t entirely sure how many Penn fans would attend. In fact, we had an informal bet, with all of us guessing the number of attendees. Everyone thought I was a bit crazy for making the high guess of 380, but I knew that our Southern California alumni would want to come cheer for our Quakers! I underestimated the turn-out by a bit – over 400 people attended our reception before the game.

Jerome Allen, W’95, the Jordan R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men’s Basketball, stopped by early in the reception to say a few words. PennClubLA President Melissa Wu, C’98, thanked him for coming and presented him with a local treat – an In-n-Out t-shirt and gift certificate.

PennClubLA president Melissa Wu, C'98, and Coach Jerome Allen, W'95

Below are some photos from the reception. We must thank PennClubLA (www.pennclubla.com; Twitter: @PennClubLA) , Penn Club of Orange County (twitter: @PennClubOC), Penn Club of San Diego (twitter: @PennClubSD) and the Wharton Club of Southern California (www.whartonsocal.com) for their help in spreading the word about the reception and game. If you are in Southern California, I encourage you to connect with any of these Penn alumni groups!

A good time was had by all, but unfortunately the Quakers came up short on the court, falling to UCLA 77 – 73. Senior Tyler Bernardini, from nearby Carlsbad, CA, had a career high 29 points in the game, so we congratulate him on a great performance in front of a home crowd.

We hope the team comes back to visit us soon! Go Quakers!

For a re-cap of the game see: http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=205345011

Follow the team as they are set to play Duke on Jan. 1. Updates via twitter @PennBasketball

(As we post this, the Lady Quakers are in San Diego for the Surf N Slam classic – after defeating UNC-Greensboro yesterday, they will play host the SDSU Aztecs in the championship game at 2 pm PST. For more information see: http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=205353175 and follow the team @PennWomensbball)

Ed Balsamo C'96, W'96, brought his son to meet Coach Allen.

Dedicated Quaker fans Allan, C'81, and Dale, MT'81, Bell traveled from NJ for the game and caught up with Don Rosen, C'78

Penn Club of Orange County's Jeannie Quan Hogue, C'88, and her daughter were excited to see so many alumni in Anaheim.

I caught up with classmate, Mitchell Kraus, C'93, and we reminisced about when Jerome Allen and his teammates won the Ivy League Championship our senior year.Ed Balsamo, C'96, W'96, brought his son to meet Coach Allen

Me and Penn Club LA members, Gloria Lee, C'97, GCP'98, WG'07, Melissa Wu, C'98, Terry Baris, C'84, and Andy Firchau--all of us sporting our Red & Blue.

It was a beautiful California day, perfect for socializing outside.

The basketball team strategizing during a time-out.

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December 23, 2011 · 12:57 pm

Q&A with a Track & Field Master-Part I: Ruthie

Author: Nicole C. Maloy, W’95

(To read Part II of the interview series with Track & Field Masters competitor,  Deirdre Morris-Abrahamsson, C’93, GEd’94, go here).

When I joined Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field in the fall of my Freshman year, Co-Captain Ruth Greenfield was a positive voice in my ear, and a stellar example of what any collegiate scholar-athlete would want to be both on and off the field. Well, ladies and gentlemen, she’s still got it.

Triple Jumper Ruthlyn Greenfield-Webster, Nu’92 wins 2nd place in her division at the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships.

Ruth Greenfield-Webster, a married mother of two in Yonkers, NY, now works as a Registered Nurse and a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. And, in her spare time, she competes at the national and world levels in the Masters division of Track & Field.

Wait, what?

Track & Field “Masters” are athletes aged 35 and over (30-34 gets you “submaster” status), and who, to put it simply, just aren’t done yet. I became more and more intrigued by this phenomenon and Ruth’s involvement in it first because, let’s face it, it’s pretty awesome. But second, because I qualify. Gulp. Might I find myself high jumping again one day?

Two of my own former Track & Field Captains say yes but, as they both compete now, they are biased and not to be trusted. Still, what is it like? This, Part I of II, is Q&A with Ruth, who still holds the #2 spot in Penn’s record books for both the indoor and outdoor Triple Jump. Part II will feature Deirdre Morris-Abrahamsson, C’93, GEd’94, who remains among Penn’s top 10 in both the Pentathlon and the Heptathlon, which consist of five and seven events, respectively. For anyone who’s not clear on that, we’re talking about 5 or 7 events in one track meet.

Ruth during her Penn days, right around when she broke the Indoor & Outdoor Triple Jump Records. Number 1, indeed!

Q&A with Ruthie
4 years Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field, Senior Co-Captain
Triple Jump, Long Jump, 400m Dash, 4x400m Relay

Why did you join the track team at Penn?

I was recruited out of Mount Vernon High School (New York) by Coach Betty Costanza. I had also been competing at the Penn Relays as a high school athlete so I had grown to love the campus and the track. After visiting Penn my senior year of high school and spending some time with the coaches and the track team, I decided that Penn was the best fit for me, both athletically and academically, as the U. Penn School of Nursing was the #1 nursing school in the country at the time.

Stylin! Competing in the 800m run for Mount Vernon High School.

Why did you stay on the team for as long as you did?

Participating in sports (particularly track and field) has always been a part of who I am. The Penn Women’s Track Team was essentially a second major for me. I arrived at U. Penn with two goals in mind… to succeed at obtaining a degree in nursing and to succeed as an athlete in the sport of track and field. Even when it got tough and it became difficult to juggle both, it never crossed my mind to quit. That was a self-imposed “non-option.” I loved it too much! (Note: Ruth was also involved in the Penn Gospel Choir and Friars Senior Society.)

Your proudest accomplishment in Track & Field at Penn?

There were multiple proud moments: breaking the indoor and outdoor school records in the Triple Jump, being a 4-time Heptagonal (Ivy League) Champion in the Triple Jump, being the recipient of the University of Pennsylvania Althea Gibson Award for athletic excellence which I received at graduation in 1992, and being invited to the 1992 Olympic Trials in the Triple Jump!

What’s your favorite Penn Track & Field memory (if different from the above)?

All of the above! But if I had to pick one…it would be breaking the school records!

Reunited and it feels so good! Ruth and her two daughters with current and former members of the Penn Women’s Track & Field coaching staff at the 2010 Penn Relays.

What prompted you to start competing in the Masters division? What did it involve?

While I was playing volleyball in the league in NYC, one of my friends discovered that, in addition to our love for volleyball, we also shared a history as track and field athletes. He then told me about “Masters Track and Field.” I had never heard of that division. I thought my track and field life was finished in 1992 when I turned down the invitation to the Olympic Trials and that unless you were an elite athlete, track and field was over after college.

He asked me to go to a track meet with him (he was in his early 40s and had competed in it 10 years prior). I hesitated at first because I didn’t know if I had the time to dedicate to it (I knew I couldn’t just do it as a hobby…I would want to REALLY train). I was also working full time, had my 2 young children, and was running my business. But like a true competitor, I see everything as a challenge. I did not want to back down from what I saw as a “challenge,” so I went out and bought some cheap spikes the day before the meet, did a few bounds in my front yard, and went to the local track meet the next day.

I competed and later discovered that I had jumped well enough to beat that year’s National Champion’s jump by 2 feet. I was really shocked that I was still able to jump so well, so it was a no-brainer after that as to what my decision would be. My friend became my coach (he was also a Triple Jump specialist in his youth) and I started to train with the intent of becoming a serious competitor.

What are your strongest memories of your first competition as a Master?

After that initial meet, my first real meet (post dedicated training) was at the Armory (New Balance) Track & Field Center in NYC! I will never forget walking on to the track, standing on the runway, twirling around and looking up at the rafters and saying to myself, “I’m home!” with a huge grin on my face.

Good gracious, look at that height. Outdoor Nationals, 2010. For context, this is nearly 20 years after her graduation from Penn.

In which events do you currently compete or plan to compete?

I started out with the Triple Jump and Long Jump, then figured I might as well do the 60m Dash & 100m Dash since I’m sprinting in training anyway. I was never trained as a short-sprinter at Penn, so that took a lot of guts and I was infinitely nervous before each meet. But I had to come out of my comfort zone. After my left knee surgery in 2008, I dropped the Long Jump (that leg was my take off leg for the LJ, but not for the TJ). After a 2 year recovery period, I wanted to go back to having 3 events, so I decided to add the 200m Dash to my 100m Dash and TJ events. Like I said before, I love a challenge, and I especially love to challenge myself! So currently, I compete in the 60m Dash, 100m Dash, 200m Dash, and TJ.

What was your proudest accomplishment in Track & Field at the Masters level?

Again, there are a few! My near-American Record in the TJ in the W35-39 age group (I missed it by a mere 1 inch at the age of 39). Individually, I’m most proud of my National Champion titles and #1 U.S. rankings, as well as my World Championship Silver and Bronze medal titles and Top 10 World rankings in the TJ. As part of a team, I’m most proud of my World Champion title as a member of the U.S. 4x100m Relay team.

How does being a mom affect your life as a competitive athlete? How have your children responded?

It’s been interesting juggling it all. When I started competing again, my children were ages 4 and 8. I took them to the track to train with me because I had to. At first, they pouted and resisted, but after a couple years of accompanying me to the track to train and to my track meets, they began asking to train with me and wanted to compete as well, so that’s what we did. Both of my daughters have won racing and jumping events in their youth divisions and they are very excited and anxious to continue pursuing training and competing in track and field. Of course, I’m on cloud 9 because having my children compete in the sport that I have such a passion for has always been a dream of mine (even before I even had children). The fact that I can compete AT THE SAME TIME they’re competing is a tremendous bonus for me and I feel truly blessed!

Deirdre and Ruth in 2010.

What advice do you have for other women/former college athletes who might be interested in competing again?

If the thought even crosses your mind to start competing again, please reach out to those of us who are currently competing. It can be very daunting to try to figure out how much time it will take to train and compete and how to incorporate training and competition into what is usually an already busy adult life that’s filled with work, family, and other obligations. We understand! We’re living it! And we can tell you, it’s not impossible! And… it sure is a heck of a lot of fun! Anyone that’s interested in competing in Masters Track and Field can visit websites such as: http://www.usatf.org, http://www.usatfmasters.org, http://www.masterstrack.com, http://www.nationalmastersnews.org, and http://www.world-masters-athletics.org for more information.

Anything to add about your experience with Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field?

An AWESOME group of coaches and an AWESOME team of AWESOME women who became my family away from home! That experience has helped me to become the strong woman I am today. There’s nothing you can tell me that I can’t do!

Anything to add about your experience competing in Track & Field in the Masters division?

The health benefits go without saying. But there’s just something about this sport. Even at this level, the camaraderie and feeling that regardless of where you are (nationally and internationally) we are one big family, is ever-present. You develop friendships that extend beyond the track and field. And the experience of constantly being around dedicated, motivated, and kick— people is PRICELESS!

See Part II, Q&A with Penn Track & Field alumna Deirdre Morris-Abrahamsson, C’93, GEd’94 on January 13!

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