While the snow that still covers campus following a storm over the weekend makes it seem as though the start of spring sports is far away, the AU men's indoor track team is winding down one of its most successful indoor seasons ever.
Heading into the Patriot League Championships this weekend at Navy, the team holds the fastest PL times in the 800-, 1,000-, 3,000- and 5,000-meter events, as well as in the mile.
"This is the best team I have had since I started here," said coach Matt Centrowitz, who has been at AU since 1999.
Although AU does not have enough competitors in field events to win overall team competitions, they compete strongly in the track portion of meets.
"We totally dominate track events," Centrowitz said. "That is a national reputation that we have built."
So far, the highlight of the season was the first weekend in February, when the team traveled to New York to compete in the Armory Collegiate Invitational and the Millrose Games.
At the Millrose Games, the 4 x 800-meter relay team took first place for the second consecutive year. The event, held annually at Madison Square Garden, is considered one of the most prestigious indoor meets in the world.
But AU's biggest accomplishments that weekend were at the two-day Armory Collegiate Invitational. During the first day, sophomore Brian McCabe broke the school record in the 1,000-meter with a time of 2:24:96. Although he finished second in the race, McCabe's time is the fastest for any PL runner this season.
McCabe was not the only runner to have success on day one of the event, as sophomore Steve Hallinan won the 3,000-meter by almost three seconds, easily the fastest time in the PL.
Zaia Wharton of the women's team also set a school record in the 1,000-meter, easily winning her heat.
On the second day of the meet, freshman Kevin Tschirhart started off by finishing first in the mile run, setting a personal best with a time of 4:10:39. Later in the day, junior Brendan Fennell broke a 32-year-old AU record in the 5,000-meter. Fennell now holds the fastest PL times in the 5,000-meter and the mile.
"It woke me up and gave me a good outlook on the outdoor season," said Fennell, who had never run a 5,000-meter indoor race before.
In total, three school records fell during the two-day meet, and every runner put himself in the AU record book by running top-10 times.
"Some of them surprised themselves," said junior Dan Beardslee, the team's co-captain. "We all went up there and took care of business."
One of the most important factors for AU's success this year has been weather. AU is the only school in the PL without an indoor practice facility, which forces the team to practice outside during the winter.
This season, the team has been lucky. Other than last weekend's snowstorm, the weather was mild throughout January and early February, which allowed the team to comfortably practice outdoors. The good weather allowed the team to train consistently, which has cut down on injuries.
"When the weather is this good, it's hard not to run fast," Beardslee said.
Another reason for success is the strong bonds that the team has formed. Eight of the 18 members of the team are from the New York area, so they have known each other since competing in high school. Centrowitz is also originally from the New York area, which allows him to relate more to his runners.
"We blend together well; it's a nice fit," said Fennell, who graduated from Pearl River (N.Y.) High School.
The successful weekend in New York has given the team high expectations for this weekend's PL Championships.
Following his record-setting weekend at the Armory Invitational, Fennell will again run the 5,000-meters alongside teammates Carlos Jamieson.and Conor Lanz.
"I'd be real pleased finishing 1, 2, 3 in the 5,000," Fennell said. "Realistically, we should take three of the top five spots."
The AU runners are also hoping to win the two-team relay competitions, which the Eagles have dominated in recent seasons. They should also be a force in the mile.
"We take pride in bringing those home every year," Beardslee said.
Looking past the conference championships, the team is in good position to continue its success in the spring and beyond. Only four members of the team are seniors, meaning the core of the team will return next year with more experience.
"On paper we'll be better," Centrowitz said. "Their dedication will determine what happens"
