Lycoming News

The University of Pennsylvania's cross country teams are set to compete in the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships on Friday at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City. The event will feature a women's 6K race at 11 a.m. and a men's 8K race at noon.

The Ivy League Cross Country Heptagonal Championships have been held since 1939 for men and since 1977 for women. The Quakers have secured six Ivy titles, with five won by the men's team and one by the women's team.

Van Cortlandt Park, located in the northwest Bronx, is New York City's third-largest park. It features diverse landscapes including playing fields, playgrounds, forests, and historical sites. The park has hosted the Ivy XC Heps 72 times since its inception in 1939. The last championship held there was in 2019 when Penn's men's team claimed victory.

Representing the Quakers' women's team are Olivia Babski, Lizzy Bader, Kyra Compton, Lara Cota, Chloe Hassman, Olivia Morganti, Lily Murphy, Bronwyn Patterson, Katie Pou, Maeve Stiles, and Phoebe White. The men's team includes Zubeir Dagane, Sahil Dodda, Dennis Fortuna, Troy Hill, Justin Iler, Luke Johnson, Michael Keehan, Edwin Klanke, Will Shaughnessy, and Oliver Stewart.

In preparation for this event, Penn competed at the Haverford Invitational last Friday. Troy Hill led the men's squad with a second-place finish on the four-mile course. Matthew Fernando and Silas Ruth also finished in the top ten. On the women's side at Haverford Invitational Katie Pou secured first place while Lara Cota came in second.