Dec. 15, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: December 15, 2007 - The Nittany Lion track and field teams showcased their talent for the first time this season, competing at the annual Blue/White Meet, Saturday at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Senior and seven-time NCAA All-American Shana Cox (Westbury, N.Y.) highlighted an overall impressive afternoon, breaking her own school record in the 500-meters with a blistering performance of 1:09.19. Cox destroyed her previous school standard of 1:10.30, which she set during the 2006 season.
The men's and women's squads were both divided into blue and white teams, with the women's White Team coming out on top 70-52, and the men's Blue Team returning the favor with a 73-64 victory. Since the meet was an inter-squad competition, NCAA provisional marks can not be counted towards national qualifying.
Junior Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.) was a double winner in the sprints, coming away with a victory in the 55-meter hurdles, and clocking a career-best 38.37 to take the 300-meters. Cox and Barber, along with fellow All-Americans Dominique Blake (Bronx, N.Y.), and Briene Simmons (Decatur, Ga.), combined to take the 4x400 relay in 3:44.71.
Junior Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ind.) also had a two-win afternoon, taking the shot put and the weight throw. Schmelzer's winning mark of 57-3.50 (17.46) was a personal best.
The women's distance contingent provided one of the most outstanding efforts of the afternoon, as nine Lion runners broke the 10-minute barrier in the 3,000-meter run. Last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) led the way with a sizzling time of 9:40.86 - also a personal best. Sophomore Leah Rosenfeld was also impressive in the race, clocking a career-low 9:46.45. Junior Claire Berryman (Morgantown, W.Va.) also had a PR day, going 9:52.33 to shave well over 10 seconds off her previous best. Of the nine Lion runners under 10 minutes, seven posted a personal best.
Junior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) jumped 19-4.75 (5.91) to capture a win in the long jump, while freshman Gabriela Baiter (Greenlawn, N.Y.) won the triple jump with a leap of 39-7 (12.06).
Other winners on the women's side included freshman Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J). in the 55-meters (7.06), senior Fiana York (Havertown, Pa.) in the 1200-meters (3:38.14), sophomore Brittany Maun in the high jump (5-5), sophomore Rachel NeMoyer in the pole vault (10-6),
Senior Ron Jules (Tom's River, N.J.) took home a pair of wins, scoring victories in the 300 (34.76) and 55 hurdles (8.14). Jules also posted the top time in the 55-meter dash (6.64), but his performance was not factored into the team scoring.
Senior-transfer Tyler Hoffman (Lewisburg, Pa.) was impressive in his Penn State debut in the 35-pound weight, winning with a would-be NCAA provisional mark of 64-5 (19.63). Hoffman would also take second in the shot put behind freshman Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.), who posted a throw of 52-10.75 (16.12) for the victory.
Freshman Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.), the top prep at 600-meters in 2007, was also exceptional in his first Penn State competition, winning his signature event with a personal-best 1:18.81. Williams also anchored the winning 4x400 (3:18.62) with teammates Shawn Colligan (Bradford, Pa.), Justin Babich (Coopersburg, Pa.), and Adam Stanowick (Solon, Ohio).
In the distances, junior Brian Fuller (Camp Hill, Pa.) put on a late-race charge to outlast the field in the men's 3000. Fuller picked up the victory in a career-best 8:21.11. Senior Mike Syrnick (Philadelphia, Pa.) was second in 8:30.89. Junior Tim Johnson (New Cumberland, Pa.) notched a win in the 1200 with a performance of 3:07.11, just ahead of Mark Horton (Suffern, N.Y.), who finished in 3:08.50.
In the jumps, Ryan Taylor (Spanish Town, Jamaica) took the long jump with a winning leap of 22-9 (6.93), while Clarence Smith (Coatesville, Pa.) captured a victory in the triple jump with a mark of 49-00.25 (14.94). John Vellenoweth (Wheeling, W.Va.) jumped 15-7 (4.75) to take top honors in the pole vault, and Chris Morrisey (Ligonier, Pa.) won the high jump with a clearance of 6-4.75 (1.95).
The Lions will be back in action after the New Year, hosting the Penn State Relays on Jan. 12. Fans can catch the Nittany Lions at home all winter, as the teams will be also be competing at home on Jan. 19, Jan. 25-26, and Feb. 1-2.