Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile in history in 1954, in one of the most groundbreaking athletic milestones of all time. Over sixty years later, breaking four is still one of the most coveted personal accomplishments in the world of sports. This past Valentine’s Day, not one, not two, but four Hoyas entered the sub-four club, all in the same race.
“We all knew they were ready,” said Track & Field Director Patrick Henner. “But for all four guys to go out there and get what they wanted, it was a special moment.”
In other words, Georgetown Track and Field arrived at last weekend’s Penn State Tune-Up on a red hot streak.
The Penn State track has been good to the Hoyas all season, and last weekend was no exception. Fresh off his 3:58.57, sophomore Ryan Manahan broke a school record, but not in the mile.
“A few days before the Penn State meet, Manahan’s coach decided to put him in the 800 to try for a shot at the NCAA’s,” Henner said. “He ran a great 800, set a school record, and qualified.”
The All-American clocked in for the 800 meters in 1:47.34 to claim the fastest time in school history.
Manahan’s fellow sophomore Sabrina Southerland also took home a win in the 800 meters; her 2:03.89 time was good for a school record of her own.
Southerland and Manahan are just two in a large group of freshmen and sophomores finding success in the indoor season. The Blue and Gray are not lacking in youth by any means.
“It’s great,” said Henner, “But I think the older men and women paved the way for their success. When [graduate student] Billy Ledder came in, our mid-distance team wasn’t very good, but he was consistently a top performer. He paved the way for the younger guys. [Senior] Katrina Coogan and [graduate student] Becca DeLoache paved the way for Southerland in the same way.”
With another exceptional performance under their belt and invaluable upperclassmen leadership in Ledder, Coogan, and DeLoache, this young Hoya squad will enter next weekend’s Big East Championships at the historic Armory in Manhattan with plenty of confidence.
“We’re as good as anyone in the country on the track, but our field is lagging,” said Henner. “We do have a few good jumpers, but the challenge is going to be scoring enough points on the track to make up for the field.”
