Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry moves to indoor track
1/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
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Now, 128 years later, the rivalry continues when
“This is a very big thing for us,” Lehigh head coach Matt Utesch said. “Everything it is to football it is to us. The bragging rights are just as big, and we’re going to be bringing everything we’ve got.”
The indoor rivalry between the schools is not as deep in history as the outdoor competition, where the arch rivals have met 106 times in history. Lehigh and Lafayette have faced each other 35 times in indoor track on the men’s side and 21 times on the women’s side. The men’s series is tightly contested with Lehigh trailing slightly, 17-18, while the women’s series has favored
“It’s spoken about a lot,” Utesch said of the rivalry with
At many times during the year, the track and field teams hold back to peak for Patriot League Championships at the end of the season. But Utesch insists the team is peaking now, in anticipation of facing its bitter rival on Lehigh’s home track.
No one anticipates that excitement more than the senior athletes, who are running out of chances to face the Leopards.
“(Senior multi-event athlete) E.J. Schuck is going to be competing in five events,” Utesch said. “But when I told him that was what he was doing, he asked me if I was sure I didn’t want him to do more. He realizes the magnitude of this event.”
The action kicks off from Rauch Field House at 3 p.m., with the field events leading off the lineup. Track events are scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
Keep an eye on…
Nick Ray: The junior thrower has already qualified for IC4A Championships, and he will be looking to win both the shot put and hammer throw on Saturday.
Men’s distance runners: The Lehigh men’s cross country team earned a perfect 15-50 rout of
Latasha Watson: Utesch says Watson has been flying under the radar in the early part of the season. She will be competing in the 60, 200 and long jump Saturday and Utesch says she will be “explosive.”
Women’s middle distance runners: The coaching staff believes six or seven athletes could compete on the 4X800 relay team, and that depth will help in every race from the 200 to 800 on Saturday and beyond.
Watch Matt Utesch preview the Lafayette Dual on Lehigh Athletics Weekend Preview
