Penn's Awad brings home Quakers' first Penn Relays win since 1974

Thomas Awad admitted he "wasn't feeling too hot" running the anchor leg during the men's 4-by-mile relay championship Saturday at the Penn Relays and wondered whether he'd have enough in the tank to overtake the leaders and challenge at the end.

But this was the Penn Relays, and Awad runs for Penn, and the Quakers hadn't won a relay race of any kind at their home carnival since 1974, or in this event since 1950.

So Awad, a senior who finished third in last month's NCAA indoor championships, found that extra burst of energy and put it into overdrive to pass Indiana and Georgetown with 50 meters to go to claim the upset and end the Quakers' drought at Franklin Field.

The crowd of 44,469 experienced the week's best weather - limited sunshine and a temperature around 60 - and saw Oregon's women emerge as the big winners of the 122nd carnival with three championships, including Saturday's 4x400-meter relay. The Penn State men and Georgetown women won their respective 4x800 events, the second victory of the week for each.

The Florida men went 2 for 2 in relays entered, adding the 4x400 championship to Friday's win in the sprint medley.

However, it was Awad, running his mile split in 4 minutes, 0.3 seconds to cross the line for Penn in 16:26.30, who set off a wild celebration on the track with teammates Keaton Naff, Chris Hatler, and Nick Tuck, as well as perhaps a more sedate one among Penn graduates in the Franklin Field seats.

Awad was in a similar position in Friday's distance medley relay, getting the baton in contention, but was unable to overtake winning anchor Brannon Kidder of Penn State. This time, he found an extra gear despite being, as he said, "kind of tired."

"It probably was the whole atmosphere, the competitive spirit, probably a lot of factors come into play," he said. "I just knew that I wanted to get the win. I was going to give it one push to try to get by them. I knew I could only sprint for 100 to 150 meters or so. I knew I just had to hold my pace and be patient."

He reeled in Indiana's Jason Crist and Georgetown's Ahmed Bile at the top of the final straightaway and sped home, finishing a little more than a half-second ahead of Crist.

"I'm so proud of these guys. They've worked so hard," Penn coach Steve Dolan said. "To wear a Penn uniform and to win on this stage at the Penn Relays is about as good as it gets. It's a magic moment for all of us."

Georgetown, which won the women's distance medley on Thursday, added the 4x800 when Sarah Schmidt held off hard-charging Oklahoma State anchor Kaela Edwards for the win in 8:26.02. Emma Keenan, who once ran at the relays for Gwynedd-Mercy Academy, handled the third leg for the Hoyas.

"I was excited to be here," Keenan said. "It's been a while since I competed at Penn. I was so excited to do it with these girls today. They gave it everything they had."

For the second straight day, Kidder anchored Penn State to a victory, this time going 800 meters in 1:48.59 to give the Nittany Lions the 4x800 in 7:17.37.

Oregon's Raevyn Rogers ran a second straight winning anchor as well, wrapping up the Ducks' women's 4x400 win in 3:30.74. Najee Glass brought Florida to the line in the men's 4x400 in 3:04.78.

Other relay championships went to G.C. Foster in the men's 4x100 (39.31), South Carolina in the men's 4x200 (1:22.38), and Tennessee in the women's 4x200 (1:31.84).