Running with the success his team has been having all winter, senior Brendan Fennell is quietly having himself a standout season with the AU men's indoor track team.
Last weekend, the Pearl River, N.Y. native lapped the competition at the George Mason Patriot Games, winning the 1000 meter in 2:26.77, the fifth-fastest time in AU history.
"I ran a personal best, by far my best race in awhile," Fennell said of the event. "I felt in control of myself, and it was a little faster than I usually run, so it gave me a confidence boost going into this weekend with the longer event."
The Eagles are set to participate in two competitions in New York City this weekend, with team representatives being sent to the Armory Collegiate Invite and Millrose Games. Fennell and teammate Steve Hallinan, a junior who recently picked up his third Patriot League Runner of the Week Award, are being touted as front-runners for their respective events. Competing in the 3000, Fennell has a chance to break a school record and qualify for the NCAAs.
"That's not something I put out of reach," Fennell said of breaking the school record. "But [for now], I'm not looking to break it, but looking to get a good personal best and kind of run what I'm capable of running."
With individual and team expectations high, Fennell presents a similar quiet confidence when speaking of the team collectively, content to set aside the hype and let the competition speak for itself.
"Teamwise, I think [the] attitude is great," Fennell said. "Everyone is running with a lot of confidence. There's a larger sense of confidence then there has been in the past, as we've all grown up and matured as runners."
That kind of self-assurance brought the team great distances in the fall, when the Eagles pulled off a 26th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Indiana. While collective performances make or break teams in October, Fennell points out that the indoor season is more about individual focus.
"With [indoor] track, you get a little more self-oriented," Fennell said. "It's a tough balance, but everyone knows the boundaries. You help and support each other, but for the most part, focus on yourself and everyone else will take care of the rest."
Fennell and his teammates will take that attitude into the weekend as the Eagles gear up for the Armory Invite and Millrose Games. Both events are set to start Saturday, with the Armory Invite continuing through Sunday.
