Sept. 26, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: September 26, 2007 - Nearly 1,000 athletes will converge on the Penn State Blue/White Golf Course this weekend, as the Nittany Lion cross country teams will host the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, which features two collegiate and three high school races. The Lions will look to continue their early season success, as the 29th-ranked women are coming off a first-place finish at last weekend's Iona Meet of Champions, while the Penn State men posted an impressive third-place effort.
About the Meet:
What: Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational
Where: University Park, Pa. (Blue/White Golf Course)
When: Saturday, Sept. 29; College Women - 10 a.m.; College Men - 10:45 a.m.; High School Girls - 11:30 a.m.; High School Boys - 12:15 p.m.; Combined JV - 1:00 p.m.
Race Distance: Women - 6K; Men - 5.2 Miles; High School - 5K
The Competition:
Men's Teams
Columbia (Northeast, No. 4)
Felician
Howard
IUP
Lock Haven (DII East, No. 3)
Niagara
Penn State (Mid-Atlantic, No. 4)
Robert Morris
St. Francis (Pa.)
St. Joseph's
Women's Teams
Columbia (ORV; Northeast, No. 4)
Felician
Howard
IUP (DII East, No. 5)
Lock Haven (DII East, No. 8)
Niagara
Penn State (No. 29; Mid-Atlantic, No. 3)
Robert Morris
St. Francis (Pa.)
St. Joseph's
ORV - Others Receiving Votes in National USTFCCCA Poll
High School Teams (Teams PA unless otherwise indicated)
Abington Heights, Bradford, Central Cambria, Central Mountain, Chichester , Clearfield, Danville, Delaware Valley, DuBois, Forest Hills, Governor Mifflin, Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.), Harbor Creek, Hazelton, Homer Center, Lewisburg, Millville Area, Milton Area, MMI Prep, Morgantown (W.Va.), Sayre, Shikellamy, South Western, State College Area, Tulpehocken, Tunkhannock, Waverly (N.Y.), Wellsboro, Williamsport
Results:
Results will be posted on www.GoPSUsports.com at the conclusion of the event.
Lions to Watch:
After an outstanding effort at Iona, and an individual victory at Lock Haven, Bridget Franek will likely be a favorite for this weekend's individual crown. Franek placed fourth at the same competition last season, leading the Lion women to a second-place finish. Also looking to build on a sensational showing in New York is redshirt-freshman Leah Rosenfeld, who used a strong finishing kick to place ninth overall. Freshman Lucas Zarzeczny has been solid in his first two collegiate races, finishing as the Lions' number-one as well as the top rookie in the field at Van Cortlandt Park.
The Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational:
This weekend's event is named after long-time Nittany Lion men's track and field and cross country coach Harry Groves. Groves spent nearly forty years at the helm of the men's program, beginning in 1968 until retiring at the conclusion of the 2006 track and field season. Groves is a 2001 USTCA Hall of Fame inductee, was named national Coach of the Year on five occasions, and is a 26-time Regional Coach of the Year honoree. Throughout his Lion career, Groves coached 11 American record holders and 21 national champions. On the international level, 14 Groves-coached athletes made Olympic teams. Groves has also made countless international appearances of his own, including a trip to Barcelona, Spain, where he served as an assistant coach of the 1992 Olympic staff.
Last Year's Spiked Shoe:
Syracuse captured team titles in the both last season's collegiate races, with Penn State earning runner-up honors on both the men's and women's sides. Connecticut's Jillian Sullivan claimed the individual title in the women's race, while Dayton's Mike Andersen came out on top of the men's competition. Penn State's top finishers were Bridget Franek in fourth, and Dan Mazzocco in second.
Team and Spectator Advisories:
All fans, parents, and spectators should park in Lot Red A off Atherton St - please park on the West side of the lot, closest to Atherton St., as the East side of the lot will be needed for teams and officials. Team camps (and all fans and spectators) should be kept AWAY from the starting line, and OFF any fairways or greens.
:: Nittany Lion Notes ::
National Notice :: Rankings Release
On the heels of a first-place finish at the Iona Meet of Champions last weekend, the Penn State women's cross country team made its way into the this week's United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll for the first time this season, entering the rankings in 29th. In the Mid-Atlantic Region poll, the Nittany Lion women are up two spots to number three, while the men climbed one notch to fourth. Princeton and Georgetown lead the women's rankings, while Georgetown, Princeton, and Villanova cover the top three slots in the men's poll.
Second Sweep :: Nittany Lion cross country standouts Bridget Franek and Lucas Zarzeczny were named Big Ten Runners of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 25, the second citation of the season for Franek, and the first-career honor for Zarzeczny. It is also the second time this fall that the Nittany Lions have swept the conference's weekly awards.
Athlete Accolades :: Both Bridget Franek and Brian Fuller were named Big Ten Runners of the Week following their outstanding performances at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals on August 31. Franek would also be named Penn State Female Athlete of the Week for her efforts.
Captains Named :: After a team vote, senior Teddy Quinn, and juniors Tyler McCandless and Brian Fuller were declared captains for the Nittany Lion men's team, while senior Sonja Hinish will captain the women's squad.
At the Iona Meet of Champions ::Iona Recap
The Nittany Lion women's cross country team posted a first-place finish, while the men's team managed a third-place effort at the John "Paddy" Doyle Meet of Champions, hosted by Iona College at Van Cortlandt Park. Leading the way for the Lions were sophomore Bridget Franek and freshman Lucas Zarzeczny. Franek finished the 6000-meter course in 21:51.0, good for fifth overall and third in the team scoring. Turning in an outstanding effort was redshirt-freshman Leah Rosenfeld, who ran 22:17.6 in her first collegiate 6K, to finish ninth. Zarzeczny ran a sensational race in his first-career 8000-meters to place eighth overall with a time of 25:35.2. Tyler McCandless and Dennis O'Connor ran two-three for the Lions, finishing in 17th, and 19th, in 25:58.2, 26:00.2, respectively.
At the Lock Haven Dolan Duals :: Lock Haven Recap
Earlier this month, the Lions dominated the competition at the Dolan Duals at Lock Haven, as both teams posted perfect scores behind winning efforts from Franek and Fuller. On the women's side, Spring, Rosenfeld, and Claire Percival finished within 12 seconds of one another in the 2-3-4 slots. Junior Kathryn Fitzgerald rounded out the Lion top five. Fuller and Quinn posted the one-two finish in the men's race, with Zarzeczny finishing less than two seconds behind. Dennis Pollow and Dennis O'Connor closed out the scoring on the men's side, as the Nittany Lions finished with just a 20-second gap between their first and fifth runners.
Next Up:
The Lions will take a weekend off before hosting the high-powered Penn State National on Friday, October 12. The women's race will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the men's competition at 11 a.m.