As the largest track and field meet in the nation, the annual Penn Relay Carnival draws crowds of tens of thousands over three days of competition. Alongside the collegiate athletes and professional stars on the track are high school athletes from around the world. The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke with three Class of 2029 athletes who are competing in this year’s Penn Relays.
Izzy Rodriguez
Running has always been natural for Rodriguez. The Rumson-Fair Haven High School senior has been competing in various middle-distance events since her freshman year, eventually specializing in the 800-meter race with a personal best of 2:09 in the event. The New Jersey native ranked in the top 40 juniors in the United States in the 800m race during last year’s outdoor season.
The rich history of Franklin Field and the Penn Relays drew Rodriguez towards Penn, and the close-knit women’s track and field program further solidified her commitment to the Red and Blue.
“The way that the girls interact with each other [during] practice … [shows that Penn has] a very close-knit team, and that’s something I was really looking for,” Rodriguez said. “You just spend so much time with your team.”
This marks Rodriguez’s third time competing at the Penn Relays, where she will compete in the 4x800-meter relay. Rumson-Fair Haven has qualified for the finals for the past two years in the event, so Rodriguez is no stranger to the atmosphere and fierce competition. But the Penn Relays weren’t always a smooth competition for her: Rodriguez faced a hip injury during her final round of Penn Relays competition as a sophomore. For a runner who relies on explosive movement that comes down to the milliseconds, the injury was detrimental.
“That [injury] took me out for the rest of my sophomore season. … It was a rough point for me,” Rodriguez said. “This year, I really have bigger hopes. I feel like it all started back there: Even though it was like one of my lower moments, [I was] able to build upon that and do great.”
Rodriguez hopes to make the finals for the third time in the 4x800 this year and to shatter her school and previous individual records. Rodriguez’s goal is simple: “Run our best times” against the other teams competing.
Sofia Swindell
Also from the Garden State is Sofia Swindell, a hurdles and sprinting specialist who previously competed for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team and recently set a new Virgin Islands under-20 record in the 300-meter race. Swindell began running track competitively in fifth grade and looks up to her older brother, who ran track and field in high school.
Reflecting on her recruiting journey, Swindell described Penn women’s track and field head coach Steve Dolan as “welcoming.” She felt at home with the program after speaking with associate head coach Chené Townsend, whose style — like Dolan’s — is akin to that of her high school coach.
“[Dolan] seemed so excited to see me run, and that got me excited about Penn,” Swindell said. “He saw potential in me.”
Though Swindell competed mainly in individual events throughout high school, competing at the Penn Relays meant taking on a team-oriented style. For Swindell, this meant helping out all members of the team and being a strong leader, primarily for those “who may be their first time at Penn Relays.”
Like Rodriguez, Swindell is no stranger to the electrifying atmosphere and adrenaline of the Penn Relays: The 2025 Penn Relays will be her fourth time competing. Like previous years, she aims to compete in the 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay for The Lawrenceville School, which placed 55th in the 4x100 in 2024. This year, Swindell hopes to qualify for the finals in the 4x100 and improve the team’s time, which was slower than previous years due to teamwide injuries.
“We had a few injuries, so we weren’t as strong. But now that we’re back injury-free, I feel like we’ll live up to our potential more,” Swindell said.
Vinay Raman
Rounding out the list of commits is Vinay Raman from Hershey, Pa. With his father being a runner himself, Raman specialized in running the mile through high school. Last spring, Raman was the PIAA District III Class 3A 1,600-meter run champion.
Raman got a glimpse of what his Penn locker-room experience would be like after training with Dolan and the team. With Dolan’s encouragement as his times improved, Raman knew he felt at home at Penn.
“I really just felt like I was part of their community, and I was like a member of the team, even though I was just a recruit,” Raman said. “It never felt like I was just a box to tick off. It just felt like the right place to be.”
At the Penn Relays, Raman will be competing in the 3000-meter race. This will be Raman’s second time competing at the Penn Relays‚ — he competed in the 4x400 during his sophomore year, when he said he was surrounded by “the largest crowd [he’s] ever been in” on a rainy day.
Though he will be transitioning from a team to an individual event, Raman hopes to break district records and get closer to a sub-four-minute mile time.
“Anytime before a big race, I touch the track, rub it around my fingers … and take it all in,” Raman said. “I’m there, and I’m ready to race.”
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