Pennsbury’s Sam Webb running toward University of Pennsylvania
FAIRLESS HILLS — Pennsbury distance runner Sam Webb is a smart kid.
He must be. He’s going to the University of Pennsylvania.
“Academics are equally as important as athletics,’ said Webb. “I was looking for the best school I could get into.’
In addition to getting an Ivy League education, Webb will run men’s track at Penn where he’ll be reunited with former Suburban One League (SOL) National Conference rivals Jeff Wiseman (CR South) and Ross Wilson (Council Rock North), who captured a state championship medal in the 3,200-meter run in 2014.
Webb considered a bunch of different schools — some Ivies, some not. Included in that list were Cornell, Columbia, Duke, Virginia, Brown and Yale. While Duke and Columbia — where teammate Alek Sauer is headed — were among his top three, Penn was the place for Webb.
“You have to have something to fall back on when your athletic career is over,’ explained Webb.
“If I could get into an Ivy League school and running could help me get in, then that’s where I wanted to go.’
A distance runner, Webb has been a miler, among other things, for the Falcons. He recently set a new personal record in the event at the TFCAofGP Meet of Champions, crossing the finish line first in 4:22.71. That time earned Webb a gold medal Feb. 21 at Lehigh University’s Philip Rauch Fieldhouse after he finished nearly four seconds ahead of silver medalist Julian Degroot-Lutzner, a senior at Masterman.
On Sunday, March 1 at the PTFCA Indoor Track & Field Championships at Penn State, Webb, together with Sauer, who took the anchor, senior Matt Mulvaney and sophomore Eric Kersten, captured a gold medal in the 4X800 relay.
The group finished in a blazing 7:51.77, more than two seconds ahead of runner-up Penncrest, which crossed the line in 7:54.06.
“We were real happy with it,’ said Sauer. “We knew the 800 relay was going to go out fast. We had some pretty tough competition from Penncrest, State College and LaSalle so we knew we had to run a solid race to win it.’
Now heading into their final season in spring track, the runners on the relay want to qualify for the Penn Relays which take place every year at Franklin Field. Ironically, that’s the place where Webb will train next season working out with the Quakers.
“It’s a super historic place,’ said Webb. “The opportunity to train there everyday will be a great experience in and of itself.’
That, and getting a degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
