A race official gave each of the eight starters a baton. Then we heard the familiar words of the starter: "Runners, take your marks!" Each of us made one more attempt to loosen up and control the surge of adrenaline now surging through our bodies. Then we carefully, deliberately, stepped over the starting blocks and began to assume the runners' starting position. Everything had to be perfect: spikes pressed against the blocks, fingers spread and planted on the track, the rest of the body coiled, ready to spring."Set," the starting judge called out. Eight rear ends raised upward; eight pairs of eyes stared straight down the running lanes toward the first turn.Crack! It was the sharp report of the starter's pistol. All eight of us burst into action and began the smooth 30-meter rise from the starting crouch to the streamlined position of the runner in full stride. Instantly the crowd came to life.~ Gordon MacDonald '57, an except from A Resilient Life
The year Stony Brook first sent a relay team to the Penn Relays gas cost 15 cents per gallon, Babe Ruth was on his way to a major league record 60 home runs, and the American flag was adorned with 48 stars. Since that 1927 team ran on Franklin Field’s cinder track, Stony Brook runners have enjoyed a great deal of success at the most prestigious relay carnival in the world.
Begun in 1895, the Penn Relays are the longest-running and largest relays on the globe, boasting 35 hours of competition over a three-day period. 22,000 high school, collegiate, amateur, and professional athletes from 60 different countries compete in 425 different events before a weekend crowd of over 115,000 people.
Since 1927, the Blue and White has been represented at the Relays 56 times including every year since 1977. 20 teams have medaled at the Relays and eight teams have brought home the coveted Penn Relays plaque for placing first in their race: 1949, 1951, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1977, 1993, and 2004. This year’s 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter relay squads are laden with talent and hope to write another winning chapter into the annals of Stony Brook track and field when they enter the 117th Penn Relays on April 29 and 30.
4×400 Meter Relay History
| 1927 | Cary Weiseger, Billy Baker, Norman Wilson & Charles Poole | – | – |
| 1928 | Rodney Taylor, Javier Goyanes, Fay & Norman Wilson | – | 7th |
| 1936 | – | – | 3rd |
| 1937 | Reeve Sweezey, David Watt, Lee Redard & Walter Oman | 3:34 | 3rd |
| 1949 | Bruce Dodd, Kendall Haff, Larry Burnell & Robert Evers | 3:33.9 | 1st |
| 1950 | – | – | 4th |
| 1951 | Dave Gillispie, Johnny Walker, Charles Cowan & Roy Avers | 3:34.8 | 1st |
| 1952 | – | – | 3rd |
| 1953 | – | – | 2nd |
| 1955 | – | – | 6th |
| 1956 | – | – | 4th |
| 1957 | – | – | 2nd |
| 1958 | Wain Barnes, Ray Searby, Tom Gillan & Tonnie Coane | 3:34.0 | 1st |
| 1959 | – | – | – |
| 1960* | Robin Lingle, Jon Hescock, Peter Treiber & Peter Barmonde | 3:26.4 | 1st |
| 1961 | – | – | – |
| 1962 | – | – | 5th |
| 1963 | – | – | – |
| 1964 | – | 3:33.5 | – |
| 1965 | Mark Govertsen, Bill Krampe, Pete Randall & Bernard Mumo | 3:29.4 | 1st |
| 1975 | Kevin Lockerbie, Steve Crawford, Ed Young & Don Lockerbie | 3:29.9 | 2nd |
| Franklin Field track converted from 440 yards to 400 meters in 1976 | |||
| 1977 | Mark Whitney, Peter Ljundquist, Keith DeBoard & Kevin Lockerbie | 3:25.5 | 1st |
| 1978 | Jeremy Goodwin, Mark Whitney, Andy Whitney & Keith DeBoard | 3:32.8 | 3rd |
| 1979 | – | 3:35.1 | 3rd |
| 1980 | Stephan Brandstadter, Ray Camano, Robert Gaffney & Andre Drayton | 3:34.0 | 4th |
| 1980 | Diane Fonseca, Isabel Roman, Gayle Hardison & Gerri Vincent | – | 8th |
| 1981 | – | 3:38.7 | – |
| 1982 | Larry Dy-Liacco, Ray Camano, Graham Reside & Jim Santiago | 3:32.5 | 3rd |
| 1983 | Pierre Lawrence, Paul Sanford, Rich Wittman & Ray Camano | 3:35.5 | – |
| 1984 | Lawrence Hutcheson, Pierre Lawrence, Paul Sanford & Rich Wittman | 3:31.0 | – |
| 1985 | Rich Wittman, Lee Hamblen, Marc Conti & Paul Sanford | 3:30.9 | 3rd |
| 1986 | Marc Conti, Paul Roberts, Scott Rossa & Matt Cooper | 3:36.2 | – |
| 1987 | Joe Hamner, Mike Rose, Pete Glus & Marc Conti | 3:37.2 | – |
| 1988 | Brandon McCarthy, Pete Hurtado, Frank Wagner & Marc Conti | 3:27.2 | – |
| 1989 | Pete Hurtado, Scott Krentel, Edwin Rose & Chris Gumbrecht | 3:34.2 | – |
| 1990 | Christian Pidoux, David Maura, Chad Salberg & Chris Gumbrecht | 3:39.8 | – |
| 1991 | Allan Patrick, Nils Brownworth, Gary McVeigh & Christian Pidoux | 3:39.8 | – |
| 1992 | Allan Patrick, Gary McVeigh, Ben Sholl & Nils Brownworth | 3:39.0 | – |
| 1993 | Brandon Stuckey, Allan Patrick, Ben Sholl & Nils Brownworth | 3:31.2 | 1st |
| 1994 | Marc Vega, Ben Sholl, Pete Mantius & Luke Conti | 3:38.5 | – |
| 1995 | Luke Conti, Matt Mattimore, Marc Vega & Ryan Steenburg | 3:35.6 | – |
| 1996 | Matt Spooner, Luke Conti, Gerald Iza & Nate Craig | 3:41.2 | – |
| 1997 | Rob Coane, Nate Craig, Mike Keller & Orlando Velez | 3:39.6 | – |
| 1998 | Rishad Armstrong, Daren Brown, Mike Keller & Orlando Velez | 3:41.8 | – |
| 1999 | Andy Mho, David Cuddy, Mike Zarcone & Rishad Armstrong | 3:49.1 | – |
| 2000 | Jason Cannie, Ryan Pinder, Jon Hicks & Josh Hicks | 3:35.9 | – |
| 2001 | Ryan Knowles, Jon Hicks, Will Lingle & Ryan Pinder | 3:30.9 | 3rd |
| 2002 | Mark Cuddy, Dan Hickey, Christian Francis & Will Lingle | 3:36.2 | – |
| 2003 | John Kerr, Dan Hickey, Justin Song & Christian Francis | 3:36.2 | 3rd |
| 2004 | Justin Song, Louis Gabel, Dan Hickey & Christian Francis | 3:31.8 | 1st |
| 2005 | Heejae Yang, Zach Philyaw, Jules Gilimpundu & Justin Song | 3:34.77 | 2nd |
| 2006 | Zach Philyaw, Mac Drane, Terrance Anderson & Jules Gilimpundu | 3:40.63 | 12th |
| 2007 | Mike Cox, Jon Bute, Terrance Anderson & Zach Philyaw | 3:36.27 | 6th |
| 2008 | Zach Philyaw, Kenny Ruddick, Carlo Masakayan & Billy Collins | 3:37.07 | – |
| 2009 | Kenny Ruddick, Carlo Masakayan, Khoren Lawson & Jon Wentling | 3:38.69 | – |
| 2010 | Khoren Lawson, Carlo Masakayan, Taylor Colucci & Jon Wentling | 3:35.18 | 7th |
| 2011 | Khoren Lawson, Jon Wentling, Marco Masakayan & Taylor Colucci | 3:31.12 | 7th |
Hescock ran on Friday and John Fitch on Saturday.
On Friday, April 22, the relay team, composed of Bruce Dodd, Kendall Haff, Larry Burnell, and Robert Evers, traveled to Philadelphia and brought back a handsome plaque denoting the team's victory in the Preparatory Schools One Mile Relay race. The time of the race was 3:33.9 with the Stony Brook anchor man finishing well in advance of his closest competitor.~ June 1949 Stony Brook Bulletin
At the Penn Relay carnival in Philadelphia, the Brookers again entered the medley. This time [Peter] Randall led off, pacing himself splendidly against a field of thirty opponents and bringing in a lead. [Mark] Govertsen, replacing [Bill] Krampe, and [Bernard] Mumo continued in first place, giving [Christian] Spencer a substantial margin. But inexperience gave way to seasoned pursuers, and Stony Brook finished sixth.The next day, however, a team of Govertsen, Krampe, Randall, and Mumo captured first place in a mile relay race (4x440), fashioning the fastest winning time of any Long Island team.~ July 1965 Stony Brook Bulletin
Keep your eye on the finish line. The boys' varsity track team did and found themselves in the winner's circle at the Pennsylvania Relays this year with a 3:31.2 in the 4x400 meter relay. Nils Brownworth, Allan Patrick, Michael Roderick, Ben Sholl, and Brandon Stuckey raced at the relays."Brandon was pushed in the opening curve and in the process was spiked," said Mike Roderick, the Bears' alternate. "He ran with determination and captured the lead. It was great to hear the stadium pulling for the Stony Brook School." The 1993 plaque joins six others in the entryway to Swanson Gym.~ Summer 1993 Stony Brook Bulletin
On April 24, track team members Justin Song '05, Louis Gabel '04, Dan Hickey '04, and Christian Francis '04 competed in the 4x400 meter race in the Penn Relays -- and won! They brought home the team's eighth Penn Relay plaque (the first since their last victory in the 1993 relays). This year marked the 110th relay carnival held at the University of Pennsylvania.~ May 2004 Parents Plus Monthly
Top 25 Legs 1982-2010
| 1. | Allan Patrick | 1993 | 50.5 |
| 2. | Marc Conti | 1987 | 50.6 |
| 3. | Will Lingle | 2002 | 50.7 |
| 4. | Brandon McCarthy | 1988 | 50.8 |
| 5. | Marc Conti | 1988 | 51.0 |
| 6. | Nate Craig | 1997 | 51.1 |
| 7. | Nils Brownworth | 1993 | 51.5 |
| 7. | Paul Sanford | 1985 | 51.5 |
| 9. | Chris Gumbrecht | 1990 | 51.6 |
| 10. | Ben Pinder | 2000 | 51.8 |
| 11. | Kenny Ruddick | 2009 | 52.1 |
| 12. | Ben Pinder | 2001 | 52.2 |
| 13. | Jon Wentling | 2010 | 52.3 |
| 14. | Will Lingle | 2001 | 52.4 |
| 14. | Heejae Yang | 2005 | 52.4 |
| 16. | Matt Mattimore | 1994 | 52.5 |
| 16. | Jim Santiago | 1982 | 52.5 |
| 18. | Dan Hickey | 2004 | 52.7 |
| 18. | Christian Francis | 2004 | 52.7 |
| 20. | Paul Sanford | 1983 | 52.8 |
| 20. | Ryan Knowles | 2001 | 52.8 |
| 22. | Chris Gumbrecht | 1989 | 52.9 |
| 22. | Rich Wittman | 1984 | 52.9 |
| 22. | Justin Song | 2004 | 52.9 |
| 22. | Mike Cox | 2007 | 52.9 |
Individual History
| 1978 | Andy Whitney | 2 Mile | – | 7th |
| 1979 | Andy Whitney | 2 Mile | 9:06.2 | 1st |
| 1980 | Laura Whitney | 3000 | – | 3rd |
| 2016 | Jyles Etienne | High Jump | 6′ 9″ | 2nd |
| 2017 | Jyles Etienne | High Jump | 6′ 10.25″ | 3rd |
stonybrookbears.org 
i can’t believe all the work you have done Dan this is tremendous job !
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Thanks, Dan, for this significant contribution to school spirit and teammates’ memories. I coached SBS teams with MWG from 1958 to 1982, but one of our greatest moments was when MWG was honored with Bill Cosby at Franklin Field. I ran in the Penn Relays from 1952 to 1963 (Fort Hamilton HS, NYU, New York AC). 56 years ago this weekend, NYU won two races, the distance medley relay and sprint medley relay. I led off the first team and anchored the second. So today I’m wearing one of my watches that spells P-E-N-N-S-Y-L-V-A-N-I-A instead of numbers. At the moment it’s “two L’s after I” ( 10:32 a.m. ) and the SBS 4X400 team goes off in 22 minutes. God bless ’em. DBL April 30
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