Feb. 9, 2008
BLACKSBURG, Va. -
 Fawn Dorr ran the third leg on the NCAA qualifying 4x400 at the Virginia Tech Elite.  | |
Totaling nearly a dozen provisional marks on the weekend, the Penn State track and field teams finished up a high quality weekend of competition, Saturday at the Virginia Tech Elite meet at Rector Field House. Leading the Nittany Lion charge was senior Shana Cox (Westbury, N.Y.), who put up her first individual provisional mark of the season, sophomore Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio), who clocked one of the top five 3,000-meter performances in the NCAA, and senior Lena Bettis (Riverside, Calif.), who recorded her second NCAA performance of the weekend. The women's 4x400-meter squad also shined in its unquestionably its toughest competition of the season, running 3:35.12 - the nation's second-fastest performance.
"We finished the day off with a bang with NCAA qualifiers from Franek in a tremendously executed race and the 4x400 trademark statement with one of the top performances in the nation," said Director of Track and Field Beth Alford-Sullivan. "Overall it was a great weekend for our entire program."
In her first individual appearance of the season, Cox motored to a provisional-qualifying 53.67 - the best time in the Big Ten this season, as well as the fifth-fastest time nationally. Cox was three-for-three in provisional marks is her first competition of the season, hitting the standard in the 400, and running legs on the NCAA qualifying 4x400, and distance medley relay.
After a solid 54.0 lead-off leg from Briene Simmons (Decatur, Ga.) in the 4x400, Cox would split 52.8 to catch host Virginia Tech and give the Lions a sizeable advantage. Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) clocked 53.9 on the third leg to keep the Lions well ahead, handing off to Dominique Blake (Bronx, N.Y.) on the anchor. Blake hammered out a 54.2 readout to close out the outstanding effort. The Lions led a field of four provisional qualifiers, including Miami in second, Tennessee in third, and Virginia Tech in fourth.
The men's team also gave a solid effort in the relay, clocking 3:15.66 to finish third in the invitational section. Team members included Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.), Adam Stanowick (Solon, Ohio), Mark Miller (Shillington, Pa.), and Ron Jules (Tom's River, N.J.).
Franek posted an outstanding 9:20.14 in the 3K in her first-career try at the distance, good for top honors in a sensational field that produced three provisional qualifiers. After holding onto rabbit Jessica Fanning of Virginia Tech for the early goings of the race, Franek would solo much of the second half of the race in an impressive effort, before holding off a furious charge from Duke's Maddie McKeever down the final stretch. Franek's performance is the best in the Big Ten this year, as well as the fifth-fastest in the NCAA. Junior Dennis Pollow (Ransomville, N.Y.) was the top Lion in the men's race, finishing fourth in 8:29.32.
 Blake Eaton placed fifth in the shot put on Saturday. | |
After a provisional-qualifying and career-best triple jump on Friday night, Bettis sailed to a career-long 20-0.50 (6.11) in the long jump, good for a first-place finish on the afternoon, and her second provisional performance of the weekend. Teammate Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) followed in third with a leap of 19-4.75 (5.91) - also a personal record. Bettis and Fung are now ranked third and fourth in the Penn State record books.
In a women's 60-meter hurdle field that resembled a national final, junior Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.) captured fifth place overall, running one of six provisional marks to come out of the heat. Barber posted a time of 8.35 on the day - just three hundredths off her season best.
Also running fast among elite competition was freshman Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J), who sped to a collegiate-career best 23.97 in the 200-meters, finishing fifth behind four NCAA qualifiers.
Senior Briene Simmons also dipped under the provisional standard in the 800-meters, taking second overall in 2:08.08. Simmons' season-best 2:07.84 was ranked seventh nationally coming into the weekend. Miller was the top finisher in the men's half mile, going 1:51.19 for third.
Junior Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) had a career day in the shot put, posting consecutive indoor bests of 48-5.25 (14.76), and 48-6 (14.78) on her way to a fourth-place finish. Freshman Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) was the top Lion finisher in the men's shot, taking fifth with a career-best heave of 56-0.50 (17.08).
The Lions will be on the road again next weekend, traveling to the Tyson Invitational, hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. Action is set for February 15-16.
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