| Dominique Blake punched her ticket to the NCAA regional championships in both the 400- and 4x400-meters on Saturday at the Stanford Invitational. |
PALO ALTO, Calif.: March 31, 2007 ?C Junior Dominique Blake (Bronx, N.Y.) bettered the NCAA regional standard in the 400-meters at the Stanford Invitational on Saturday, taking second place with an effort of 54.41. Blake and the 4x400-meter relay, including Briene Simmons (Decatur, Ga.), Shana Cox (Westbury, N.Y.) and Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.), also earned a slot at the regional championships, ran away from the field, going 3:35.20, the third-fastest time this in the NCAA this season.
Sophomore Clarence Smith (Coatesville, Pa.) also managed a regional-qualifying performance, going 49-4.50 (15.05m) in the triple jump. Smith finished fifth in the top section of the event.
Junior Brian Fuller (Camp Hill, Pa.) and sophomore Tim Johnson (New Cumberland, Pa.) both record personal-bests in the 1500-meters, clocking 3:55.26, and 3:56.60, respectively.
Sophomore Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) narrowly missed the regional mark (155-2/47.30m) in the discus, posting the throw of 154-11 (47.21m), good for 11th place. Junior Lena Bettis (Riverside, Calif.) also came within inches of the regional triple jump standard (40-5/12.32m), posting a leap of 40-2.25 (12.25m). Bettis finished fifth in the top section of the event.
Barber was the ninth-place finisher in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking 13.94 despite hitting one of the barriers along the way.
The Nittany Lions hit the road again next weekend, traveling to Auburn, Ala., for the Tiger Track Classic. The event is scheduled for April 6-7.