Undefeated Women Tracksters To Compete in GBC's Today

The Harvard Women's Track team is riding high. With a 3-0 record, fresh talent in the sprints and hurdles, and extraordinary depth in the distance events, the squad has justly earned head coach Pappy Hunt's proud declaration, "This is the finest winter squad we've ever had."

Knock on wood, though. Tomorrow the team faces its stiffest challenge of the season when it meets a strong Boston University and four other area colleges in the fifth annual Greater Boston Championships at the Gordon Track and Tennis Center at 2 p.m.

B.U., which has won the meet for the past two years, offers lavish scholarships to its athletes and therefore is not normally scheduled to square off against the Crimson squad during the season. When perusing a potent B.U. lineup that includes 27-year-old sophomore Julie White--a favorite in both the long and high jumps--Hunt sighs, "What the hell are we supposed to do?"

He isn't all that despondent, though, for--scholarships or not--the Crimson thinclads have turned in enough record-breaking and solid performances this season to give them more than a passing shot at the GBC laurels.

In the 1500, 3000 and 5000-meter runs, the Harvard harriers should remain unbeaten despite several key injuries and absences; freshman phenom Kate Wiley will be in British Columbia this week-end trying out for Canada's national team, and senior Kristin Linsley has a sore thigh muscle but will probably still compete.

In the 1500, junior record-holder Darlene Beckford will lead freshman Mary-Jeanne Barrett and senior co-captain Mary Herlihy to a possible sweep, and Britisher Paula Newnham--who-ran a strong 9:55 300 in an open meet recently--will spear the change of Linsley and freshman Kathy Goode in the 3000. The 5000, not usually run in dual meets, will feature Harvard junior Wiley McCarthy and Yardling Miriam Keltz.

The key in the shorter distances will be picking up the valuable second and third places that Boston College, Northeastern and Tufts could conceivably steal from the Harvard thinclads. In the hurdles and long jump, look for freshman record-holder Mariquita "Skeets" Patterson to sneak into a few top places, and for speedy Marjorie Charoun and Kathy Busby to do the same in the dashes. Also expected to turn in stellar performances are yardling Jenny Stricker--who took the Ivy League cross-country laurels and who will be running in her first 400-meter event of the season--and sophomore Grace de Fries in the 800-meter race.

Senior co-captain and undefeated Kim Johnson will face her toughest opponent yet in Northeastern shotputter Sandy Burke, who has already notched throws of well over 50 feet. Freshmen Marie Acacia and Kathy Durante will battle with competitors from B.U. and Northeastern to maintain their traditional second and third spots.

One very bright spot for the Crimson squad will be the return to competition of high jumper and University record-holder Liane Rozzell, who took a break from the squad earlier this season.