In total, Donohue has eight wins at Penn - the high school mile, five distance relays with the University of North Carolina, and the invitational mile twice. Donohue, a 2008 U.S. Olympian in the 1,500, was part of all three wins when UNC pulled off the distance triple in 2003.
The Penn Relays are back after missing the last two years due to the pandemic, and so is New Jersey's firepower.
After getting shutout from the winners circle in 2019, NJ is bringing tons of talent to Philadelphia for the 126th running of the worlds oldest and biggest baton-passing extravaganza, which runs from Thursday through Saturday at historic Franklin Field.
NJ'S GREATEST PERFOMANCES AT THE PENN RELAYS
Here's a look at some of the top NJ storylines to keep on in Philly as the Garden State has the potential to win several events.
BEST CHANCE FOR A RELAY WHEEL
NJ's best chance to win a relay wheel is in the boys DMR where Union Catholic is a huge favorite on paper. The Vikings, who boast Myles Plummer (3:03.01), Nick Givan (48.51) and Harvard-bound 4:07 miler Shane Brosnan, ran a US#3 indoor all-time 9:55.12 when they placed second to Ridge at the NB Indoor Nationals. With Ridge opting for the 4x800, UC is the clear choice to win, and it has the meet record of 9:57.77 set in 2018 by Hopewell Valley in their crosshairs.
UC's 9:55.12 is 13 seconds faster than the next fastest team in the DMR-Corning Painted Post of NY, who went 10:08.37 to place fourth at NB Indoors.
CHASING THE JAMAICANS IN THE 4X800
The Ridge boys, who set the national indoor record of 9:53.40 in the DMR when it won that race and the 4x800 at the New Balance Indoor Nationals, are passing up a chance to win the DMR wheel to instead target a really fast time while chasing heavily favored Jamaica College of Jamaica in the 4x800.
Ridge's lineup of junior Patrick Doran, and seniors James Kisker, Andrew McCabe, and Jackson Barna are the top U.S. squad with a 7:42.89. Jamaica College ran 7:24.30 at the Gibson McCook Relays!!! So the Penn Relays record of 7:26.09 could fall.
It's a similar scenario in the girls 4x800 where Union Catholic, led by 2:06 sophomore Peyton Hollis, is the top U.S. team with the 8:53.69 it ran to place second at the NB Indoor Nationals. UC will be trying to score a big upset over Jamaican powers Holmwood Tech (8:46.96) and Edwin Allen (8:48.57).
Photo by Mae Kellert
FLAIR IN THE AIR
NJ has the potential to win several field events.
Greg Foster of Lawrenceville aims to become the first NJ boys long jump champ since Anthony Miles of Winslow in 2003. The Princeton-bound Foster soared 25-4.50 indoors when he won the Nike Indoor National title. Uroy Ryan of Jamaica is Foster's toughest competition with a PR of 25-5.50.
Nicole Woods of Demarest is the top seed in the girls javelin with the 149-5 she threw last year to win the Meet of Champions title. If Woods wins she'd join 2001 winner Amy Krilla of Red Bank Catholic as NJ's only champions of the girls javelin.
Benjamin Shue of Bergen Catholic, who set the national freshman record in the discus last week of 191-3, isn't the favorite, but he's always someone you have to watch as he sets his sights on 200 feet.
Tyler Zawatski of Freehold Township (197-4 in the javelin) and Damarion Potts of South Brunswick (6-9 in the HJ) are among the top contenders.
GOING THE DISTANCE
NJ could sweep the 3,000m races.
Angelina Perez of Lakeland is favored to win the girls 3,000m, and could make a run at the state record of 9:20.98 set by Charlotte Bednar of Lawrenceville in 2020. Perez, who ran a state indoor record 9:56.96 when she placed third in the two-mile at the NB Indoor Nationals, is seeking to become the first NJ champ in the event since Katie McCafferty of Oak Knoll in 2008.
In the boys 3K, Marco Langon of Bridgewater-Raritan, who ran 8:48.28 to win the 3,200m at the Meet of Champions last month, will mix it up with Callum Sherry of Conrad, CT, in the 3,000. Sherry was second to his brother Gavin in the 2-mile at the NB Indoor Nationals in 8:50.60. Gavin was the top-seed in this race, but scratched.
4X400'S
Seton Hall Prep is NJ's best hope to qualify for the boys 4x400 C of A race. The Prep won the New Balance National indoor title in 3:18.76. In seven of the last 10 years, it's taken sub 3:18 to advance, so the Prep will probably need to shave off some time.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood, with Duke-bound star Julia Jackson on the anchor, represents NJ's best shot to make the girls 4x400 Championship of America race. SPF ran 3:50.89 indoors. It usually takes sub 3:50 to advance to the C of A, something the Raiders are certainly capable of.
BOYS 4X100
The East Brunswick boys have a great shot at making the 4x100 C of A race after dropping a Middlesex County record and NJ No. 1 time of 41.88 earlier this month. The 41.88 would have been fast enough to make eight of the last 10 C of A races.
NJ LEGENDS
The legendary Sydney McLaughlin will run the 100 hurdles on Saturday, which will be her first race since she ran a world record 51.46 to win the gold in the 400 hurdles and led off the winning 4x400 at the Olympics in Tokyo last August. Last time we saw Syd at Penn was in 2017 when she ran the two fastest 400 splits in meet history (50.37 and 50.78) by a high school girl when she anchored Union Catholic to a third-place finish in the 4x400.
There will be more NJ royalty in the women's Olympic Development 600m on Saturday when Ajee' Wilson, Athing Mu, and Olivia Baker will be on the track together when they clash in the . Mu, a 2020 graduate of Trenton High, set the American record in the 800 when she won the gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Wilson, who starred for Neptune High, won the 800 at the recent World Indoor Championships and she holds the American record in the 600 of 1:22.39. Baker (Columbia High) made her first World Team this past indoor season in the 800.
The great Erin Donohue (Haddonfield Class of 2001) will be honored as a member of the Penn Relays Wall of Fame Class of 2020. Since the 2020 meet was cancelled, the Class of 2020 is being honored this year. Donohue won the mile in 4:54.15 as a senior at Haddonfield in 2001, and went on to become only one of four American women to capture Penn Relays championships at the high school, college and professional levels.