PA Alumni Recap: 4/13 - 4/15

After a bit of a down week last week there were a ton of PA Alumni in action this weekend. From Ned Willig's 3:45 out in California to Dom Perretta's 3:46 right here in Pennsylvania, we've got all your big results here.*

Rock Fortna – 4:03.45 1500

Fortna continued his outdoor season with a really nice 8 second improvement over his last time out and a season best by 4 seconds. More importantly, he won his heat which bodes well moving forward. He’s showing he has what it takes to compete at the front of and win collegiate races. I’m sure he will continue to improve as he finds himself in some quicker races.

Todd Gunzenhauser – 3:57.03 1500

Gunzenhauser is still running unattached but that hasn’t kept him from running some solid times. 3:57 is a really solid time for someone whose high school PR was 4:18. (3:57 converts to about 4:15). I’m excited to see what he’s able to do the next few years.

Ned Willig – 3:45.65 1500

I’m sure Willig was looking to run a bit faster here, but the race got out pretty slow through the first 3 laps. Ned closed well, and finished as the 3^rd collegiate in the race, but he’ll most likely have to run a little faster to make the regional meet. Overall this was a positive performance, though, and I think he has a lot more to give in the right race.

Ryan Thompson – 1:53.20 800 & 3:46.34 1500

Thompson has been on a tear this year, and he kept it going this weekend running a huge 2 second 1500 PR and just missing his 800 PR on the double. He’s pretty much locked in for the D2 national meet in the 1500 after this performance so keep an eye out for him there.

Jared Luckanitz – 1:53.94 800 & 4:01.64 1500

Luckanitz had a really solid weekend running a 6 second PR in the 1500 and then coming back with a solid 800. His 1500 showed he is significantly stronger than he has been in the past. Hopefully he’s able to use that strength to continue dropping time in the 800 as championship season approaches.

Dominic Stroh – 1:53.98 800 & 3:50.75 1500

Stroh had a breakthrough weekend recording massive PR’s in both the 1500 and 800. He dropped nearly 4 seconds in the 1500 on Friday night and then came back Saturday with a PR in the 800 by just over 3 seconds. This should be a huge confidence boost as he begins to prepare for conference meets, and maybe a national meet if he can drop a couple more seconds in either event.

Jack Felt – 1:54.00 800

Felt just missed breaking into the 1:53’s for the first time but did PR by just under half a second. It’s the first time he has PR’d since 2014 so hopefully it’s a sign that even better things are coming. Felt was very instrumental in saving at least some of Lock Haven’s track program so it’s nice to see him being rewarded with a good final season.

Brook Wilson – 1:54.01 800

Wilson also just missed joining the 1:53 club, but did PR by just over half a second. He’s always peaked well at the end of the year, so hopefully he has a couple more PR’s in him this year.

Khai Samuels – 1:54.23 800

Samuels dropped a whopping 2.4 seconds off his previous season best with a solid 1:54 run this weekend. Like Wilson, Samuels always peaks well. In fact, he has PR’d at every conference meet he’s competed in. Watch out for him in a couple weeks.

Dom Perretta – 3:46.47 1500

Perretta had a huge race this weekend running 3:46 and dominating his heat en route to the PR. I think he can run a lot faster and should be able to qualify for the regional meet in the 1500 as well as the 800. Then he’ll have to decide which to run. I think he has more potential at the 1500 in the long run, but if I had to guess, I think he likes the 800 more. I think we’ll see him stick with that through this season, but 1500 runners beware, Perretta is coming.

Colin Abert – 3:47.24 1500

Abert opened up his outdoor season with a really solid 3:47. It’s good to see him back racing again after a bit of a hiatus. I think he has a lot of potential in this event so hopefully he’s able to keep racing and get back to the form he was in last year when he ran 3:45.

Jeff Van Kooten – 3:49.43 1500

Van Kooten had a really nice race to break 3:50 for the first time this weekend, and PR by just under 4 seconds in the process. He seems to be getting comfortable with college racing which should scare anyone that has to race him. I think he’ll be pretty dangerous by the time his conference meet rolls around.

Jaxson Hoey – 3:50.08 1500

Jaxson had a huge seasonal best running 6 seconds faster than he did at Florida Relays 2 weeks ago. He looks like he’s starting to round into the form he had last year when he was one of the best high school runners in the nation. Hopefully he’s able to keep the momentum going and drop even more time.

Rico Galassi – 14:17 5000

Rico threw down a very solid 5k to take 3^rd in a pretty quick race. He’s starting to get back to the form he was in his freshman year when he ran 14:15. Hopefully he’s able to find another quick race to take a shot at sub 14 before his conference meet rolls around.

Matt Kravitz – 14:37 5000

Kravitz was convincingly under 15 minutes in his 5k debut, a promising sign from the true freshman. I think this is the event he’ll shine in as he continues to mature and get stronger.

Xavier Sauvageau – 14:54 5000

The Canisius senior broke 15:00 for the first time en route to a massive 34 second PR. Sauvageau had a really solid indoor season and has clearly kept the momentum going here. His conference meet was won in 14:49 last year, so hopefully he can compete for the win this year.

Ernie Pitone – 3:50.85 1500

Pitone has run 2 races this outdoor season, a 1500 and a 10k, showing some impressive range. While this race was a bit off of Pitone’s 3:46 PR, it should give him a shot at qualifying for the DIII national meet once again.
Jaryd Flank - 9:10.53 3000S
Flank had a solid first steeple of the season running just 6 seconds off his PR. His time is also the top DIII time in the country right now. Anytime your race has barriers there's a readjustment period the first race of the season so for Flank to be right on his PR is very encouraging. Look for him to challenge sub-9 and potentially win a DIII national title later on this year.
Calvin Conrad-Kline - 9:11.45 3000S
Conrad Kline had a breakout race just behind Flank running a 17 second PR and earning a DII provisional qualifying time in the process. He'll need to run a bit quicker to qualify for nationals, but this was a great result for him. 

*Of course, I always miss something, so let me know who should've been included on this list.