Sept. 10, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: - The Nittany Lion cross country team will welcome over a dozen collegiate teams, and more than 30 high school squads to the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational on Saturday at the Blue/White Golf Courses. The Lions dominated the competition in their first meet of the season two weeks ago, sweeping the men's and women's titles at the Dolan Duals at Lock Haven.
This weekend's home meet will be the first true challenge of the 2008 campaign for the Penn State harriers, as the Spiked Shoe field includes talents squads from Columbia and Syracuse. The men's 5.2 mile race is set to start at 9 a.m., with the women's 6,000-meter competition scheduled for 9:35 a.m.
About the Meet:
What: Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational
Where: Blue/White Golf Courses
When: Saturday, September 13, 2008
Race Distance: Men - 5.2 Miles; Women - 6,000m
UPDATED Race Schedule:
9:00 a.m. - College Men
9:35 a.m. - College Women
10:05 a.m. - High School Boys
10:30 a.m. - High School Girls
The Competition:
Scheduled College Teams
Columbia
Dickinson
Franklin and Marshall
Geneseo State
IUP
Kutztown
Millersville
Misericordia
Penn State
PSU Club
Susquehanna
Syracuse
Wittenburg
Youngstown State
Scheduled High School Teams
Abington Heights
Bayport-Blue Point (NY)
Bellefonte
Catherdral Prep
Chichester
Clearfield
Dallas
Fairview
Governor Mifflin
Hazleton
Hershey
Homer Center
Lewisburg Area
Manchester (VA)
Millville Area
Milton Area
MMI Prep
Morgantown (WV)
North Collegiate (Canada)
Philipsburg-Osceola
Rush-Henrietta (NY)
Scranton Prep
Selinsgrove
Shikellamy
South Western
St. Basil Academy
State College
Tunkhannock
Tyrone
West Branch
Williamsport
Wilson
About the Meet:
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.
Results:
Check www.GoPSUsports.com for a full recap and results on Saturday afternoon.
Last Time Out:
Freshman Caitlin Lane and senior John Mahoney led the way with individual wins as the Nittany Lion cross country teams opened their 2008 campaigns on August 29, competing at the Dolan Duals at Lock Haven University. Holding out several of their frontrunners, the Nittany Lions successfully displayed the depth within their squads, coming away with team wins in both the men's and women's races.
Lane Wins Big Ten Athlete of the Week:
Thanks to a winning performance at the Dolan Duals at Lock Haven, freshman Caitlin Lane was been named Big Ten Athlete of the Week on Sept. 3. Lane is the first Nittany Lion freshman to win the cross country citation since Bridget Franek captured the honor as a rookie in 2006. Lane shares this week's honor with Michigan's Danielle Tauro, who also posted an individual win over the weekend.
2008 Previews:
Women The 2008 cross country season is shaping up to be one for the record books as the Nittany Lion are poised and ready to make an impact on the conference and national levels this fall. Back in 2008 is team captain and NCAA qualifier Bridget Franek, who is coming off a record-breaking outdoor track and field campaign. Franek proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, winning her first-career Big Ten title and turning in a school-record 9:58.56 in the victory. Franek also has quite the supporting cast, including returning All-Region athletes Leah Rosenfeld and Cheryl Spring.
Men
Led by a seasoned group of veterans, the Penn State men's cross country team will look to build upon the strides it made over the past two seasons and begin to make a charge to prominence at both the conference and national levels. Back from impressive seasons in 2007 are senior Brian Fuller, who earned a pair of individual victories last fall, senior Tyler McCandless - Penn State's top finisher at the NCAA Regional last season - senior John Mahoney - the number-one steeplechaser during the 2008 outdoor season - and sophomore Lucas Zarzeczny, who stepped right into the Lion top five last year, making an immediate impact for the Blue and White.
Next Up:
The Lions will travel to the Bronx, N.Y., for John "Paddy" Doyle Meet of Champions, hosted by Iona College at Van Cortlandt Park. The Nittany Lion women took top honors at the competition last year, led by Bridget Franek's fifth-place finish. The Penn State men finished an impressive third in 2007, thanks to an eighth-place effort from then-freshman Lucas Zarzeczny.