When thinking about the dream scenario to end his Penn State career, all senior Teddy Quinn could do was chuckle.

"Just finish out the season with our goals," Quinn said. "Top-five at the Big Ten, top-three at the region and going onto nationals. Getting a cross country team to nationals is a phenomenal achievement.

"I've been here for a while, been here for five years. The decision to come back, if we could do something like that, it would completely validate it."

Quinn's decision to come back for a fifth year of eligibility took place after missing most of last year's season with a knee injury suffered at the Iona Meet of Champions. Quinn said the knee injury taught him not to take his health and fitness for granted and to recognize the difference between good pain and bad pain. For example, if his knee ever flares up, he'll make sure to ice it down.

Quinn is now the most experienced member of the team, and that isn't lost on his teammates.

"He's definitely the oldest guy on the team," senior Tyler McCandless said.

McCandless said Quinn has knowledge of and pride in the history of Penn State's cross country and track and field teams and represents an "old-school, Penn State-tough mentality," one that spreads throughout the team.

With that seniority, Quinn feels he has a role and an example to set for the rest of the team. Quinn also feels his added years have given him a depth of knowledge he can share.

Even though Quinn said he has some experience, he said this year is new for everyone involved.

"A lot of the stuff we're doing this year is new, like going to a meet in Oregon, Big Tens in Michigan. We've never been there," Quinn said. "The regional course is in Princeton, which I don't know if they've ever hosted it, so it's a lot of new stuff.

"But I think I bring maybe a little voice of reason and kind of different knowledge and how best to make it through the season, which is kind of funny, 'cause I did get hurt last year. But I've had a lot of learning experiences in college, and I think that's a good thing for the team."

Quinn's first race back from his knee injury was at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational two weeks ago, a performance coach Beth-Alford Sullivan called disappointing. Quinn finished 33rd, last on the team, in a time of 27 minutes, 55 seconds.

A week later, Quinn was back in the lineup at the Iona Meet of Champions, where he ran a much better race.

"He was much more competitive," Alford-Sullivan said. "Tactically, he ran a little bit smarter, more conservative early, and had a nice finish in the race. He just stayed very competitive throughout the entire race."

When asked about his individual goals, Quinn brushed it aside, saying the season has been very team oriented, and he'd like to keep it that way.

"For now, I just want to see the team do well, and accomplish our goals and if we do that, I think it'll be a success for me individually this season as well," Quinn said.