This weekend, the Villanova men’s track and field team will not only be in the spotlight defending its 2001 Penn Relay Carnival DMR title, but former Villanovan great Dave Patrick will also share center stage as a new member of the Penn Relay Hall of Fame.

The 2002 class marks the ninth year of the Hall’s existence, bringing the total to 51 individual members and 41 total relay teams.

Others joining Patrick in Franklin Field’s prestigious club are Larry Black (North Carolina Central ’74), John Trautmann (Georgetown ’91), Diane Guthrie-Gresham (George Mason ’95), the 1902 Harvard Mile Relay, the 1983 Willingbor (N.J.) DMR, the 1983 Berhards High School DMR and the 1991 Vere Tech High School (Hayes, Jamaica) girls 4x400m relay. Patrick’s own accomplishments include seven relay watches, six while a Wildcat on the Main Line under ’Nova’s legendary coach Jumbo Elliot.

The distance phenom ran the anchor mile of the DMR from 1966-68, helping the ’Cats set three consecutive Penn Relay Carnival records in the event. After anchoring the final 800m to secure the victory for ’Nova in the 4x800m relay in 1966, Patrick was given the award for the Outstanding Collegiate Performer. Then in 1967 Patrick, always the anchor, brought the baton across first in the 4xmile relay. Patrick racked up his final Penn Relay watch again in the 4x800m relay with his final leg of the 4x800m relay in 1968.

Before coming to Villanova, Patrick won the Penn Relay high school mile while at Kenwood High School (Baltimore, Md.).

Besides his accomplishments at Franklin Field, Patrick earned several other honors while on the Main Line including two NCAA outdoor championships, two NCAA indoor championships and six IC4A titles.

On Nov. 2, 1996 Patrick became a member of the second class of inductees onto the Villanova Wall of Fame.

(Villanova.com contributed)