When the four members of the Colby College men’s 4×100-meter relay team chipped in with their own money to buy form-fitting, Lycra one-piece body suits to compete in this outdoor season, veteran White Mule track coach Jim Wescott knew one of two things would happen:

“They were either going to run fast or they were going to get laughed off the track,” Wescott said.

The Mules have run fast.

They’ve run faster, in fact, than any 4×100 college team in Maine history.

The quartet of sophomore Kebba Tolbert of the Bronx, N.Y., freshman runners Chris Fossella of North Easton, Mass., and Matt Morissey of Raymond, N.H., and junior anchor Len Baker of Warwick, R.I., shattered the state mark of 42.6 seconds by blazing around the Colby track in 42.3 during the State of Maine Championships April 25.

A week later, Colby’s fleet foursome set a New England Small College Athletic Conference record during the NESCAC Championships at Tufts University with a clocking of 42.28. That run qualified the Mules to run in the NCAA Division III Championships, which will be held in Maine for the first time when Colby hosts the national event May 27-30 in Waterville.

“We’re about 11th-ranked,” said Wescott, assessing where Colby’s relay team stands in relation to the national field. “I have to think we’re running right at 42 or slightly under. If we can run that in tryouts for the nationals, we should get into the finals.”

Colby might have continued its march toward the NCAA meet uninterrupted at last weekend’s New England Division III Championships at Tufts. But Baker strained a hamstring in practice and did not run. Baker is expected to be back at full strength for the NCAAs.

The question on the competition’s mind is how did Colby, a program traditionally known for its middle distance runners, find such a collection of sprinters?

Wescott credits the White Mule football team for helping produce the best relay unit he has had in 14 seasons on Mayflower Hill. Fossella and Morrissey are wide receivers on the grid squad, while Baker is a fullback and linebacker. In addition, assistant football coach Thomas Smith (a former All-New England sprinter at Brown University) has been invaluable as the sprint coach of the track squad.

“Any (coaching) recognition belongs to Thomas Smith,” said Wescott, whose team won’t compete in this weekend’s open New Englands because of final exams. “He’s still faster than any of the kids on our team. That meant he got instant respect. And he has a good feeling for what they go through.”

While Smith’s influence can be seen in the steady shaving of the relay team’s times (Colby won April 18 at the Boston College Relays with a 42.7, followed by 42.3 and 42.28), Wescott also said the unit has clicked on its own, the four individuals complementing each other’s strengths and covering up each other’s weaknesses.

“We’ve had the same order pretty much from day one. We knew Tolbert had the best start. Baker is a big person who is better when he gets rolling, plus he’s got a lot of personal presence which makes him perfect as an anchor. Fossella is naturally fast, and Morrisey runs a real good curve,” Wescott said.

But what Wescott likes best about this relay team is he’ll see it again next year.

“This is an underclass team. It’s a group that has gained a lot of experience this year. Hopefully, it will get that much stronger next year,” Wescott said.