The Harvard men's track team began a youth movement this year, but it also enjoyed some success along the way.

The best individual performances belonged to junior Darren Dinneen and sophomore Chris Clever, who both traveled to Buffalo for the NCAA Championships last week. Last year, according to co-captain Joe Ciollo, no Harvard men went to nationals.

The Crimson also upset Yale in the outdoor season, 89-73, and the team jumped one spot from last year's performance at indoor Heptagonals to sixth and two spots at outdoor Heps to fifth. Heps is the equivalent of the Ivy League championships.

"Upsetting Yale outdoors in the meet they were favored to win, to beat them at home, that was pretty great," Ciollo said.

Nevertheless, Ciollo says he will remember the freshmen most.

"I think the most positive thing about this track season was probably the infusion of youth into the team that provided both immediate results and promised success for the future," he said.

Kobie Fuller, Osahon Omoregie, Kevin Worrell, John Cinelli, and Nnamdi Okike all contributed and all have the potential to improve.

"I think it was definitely a successful season because people that were expected to perform well in-league did, placing at Heps in their respective events," Ciollo said. "We also had a lot of people improve a lot from last year."

As an example, Ciollo cited junior steeplechaser Dave Martin, who "established himself as one of the best steeplechasers in the East." He also praised thrower Tarek Hamid and shotputter John Kraay's development.

Perhaps the most dramatic example of improvement was Dinneen, who entered college as the No. 2 high schooler in the country in his event but has since been slowed by injuries.

"Dinneen went from being a guy struggling and not being able to use his full potential and finally reached the point where he could train consistently and become one of the best half-milers in the nation," Ciollo said.

Dinneen's 800-meter time at the St. John's Twilight Meet gave him the No. 19 position, and the top 19 got the bid for NCAAs.

Clever broke his own school record in the javelin at Heps, where he threw 228'6 to win. The second-closest thrower in Harvard history is over 15 feet behind.

He has been resting his shoulder injury and has not thrown all-out for much of the season, but he will probably be able to put forth his best effort at NCAAs.

"I don't think there was any one time we could say we were disappointed," Ciollo said. "A championship is always something that you dream of and try to achieve, but I don't think we fell short of our realistic expectations. There was no big disappointment like that."