By: Margot Gargus, Lions Eye Staff Editor, mbg5317@psu.edu

With a running start this spring, track and field is the newest sports team competing at Penn State Brandywine. Designated as club sports in 2016-17, the team could be vaulted to varsity status for 2017-18 depending on the participation numbers.

With two new coaches leading the team, Angela Fitch and Joe Frassenei, the team is ready to have a dominant first season.

With dual roles in both track and field and cross country, Fitch will serve as the head track and field coach and assistant cross country coach while Frassenei will serve as head coach of cross country and assistant coach of track and field.

Fitch brings more than a decade of coaching experience to Brandywine. As a high school coach, she led her team to states while mentoring students who earned NCAA Division I scholarships. Students can expect to learn fundamentals and techniques too, since Fitch was a USA Track & Field independent coach.

Frassenei brings more than two decades of cross country and track and field coaching experience to the team, most recently at the high school level.

Fitch looks forward to success on the track saying, “Our track/field athletes will surprise everyone this year. We have great quality athletes, so be on the lookout for great performances.”

When asking freshman Niral Patel about his expectations, he said, “I want to try and get in the best shape I can to help lead the team to as much success as possible. I am beyond excited to be able to compete on Brandywine’s first ever track team. I think the coaches are very helpful and nice people to talk to if I have any troubles involving track or school.”

Working daily in the off-season, this new team begins with its first meet, the Philadelphia Classic on March 17 & 18 at Temple University. Don’t miss the action.

Student enthusiasm and coaching experience—this sounds like the start of a good track and field experience.