Oct. 1, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: - With the 2008 campaign already in full swing, the Nittany Lion cross country teams will face one of the more challenging fields of the entire season this weekend, traveling to the Bill Dellinger Invitational in Eugene, Oregon, hosted the the Oregon Ducks, who are ranked number-one nationally in both the men's and women's rankings. The Ducks aren't the only squad in the field with national credentials, as five teams on the men's side appear in the national top 30, and four women's programs appear in the poll.
The Nittany Lion women's team - which is among teams receiving votes in the national rankings for the second-straight week - is coming off an impressive first-place finish at the Iona Meet of Champions, where redshirt sophomore Leah Rosenfeld (Ridgefield, Conn.) took top honors individually. The Penn State men also claimed a solid finish at the event, finishing second overall with victories over regional foes Navy and Lehigh. Senior Tyler McCandless (Bath, Pa.) was the top Lion finisher, turning in a 14th-place finish.
"We are excited about the opportunity and the challenges of the Dellinger Invite," said Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Beth Alford-Sullivan. "I feel the teams are ready and prepared to execute competitive performances, and we will put our best foot forward in representing Penn State. Oregon is always a great place to compete and we are honored to be a part of this great competition this weekend."
Competition kicks off on Saturday, October 4, with the women's 6,000-meter race at 10:30 a.m. PST, while the men's 8,000-meter competition is set for 11:15 a.m. PST. Check back to www.gopsusports.com for full Penn State results and recaps following the competition on Saturday.
Nittany Lion Notes
Winner, Winner, Winner:
The Nittany Lion women's team certainly displayed their fire power up front this season, as a Penn State athlete has captured top individual honors at every meet this season. Freshman Caitlin Lane got the ball rolling with a season-opening win at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals, while junior Cheryl Spring would earn her first collegiate win with victory at the Spiked Shoe Invitational
At the Iona Meet of Champions:
For the second time in as many weeks, a member of the Nittany Lion women's cross country team captured an individual victory, this time with redshirt sophomore Leah Rosenfeld topping a competitive field at the John "Paddy" Doyle Meet of Champions at historic Van Cortlandt Park. Entering the meet as the defending champions, the Nittany Lion women didn't disappoint, totaling 40 points to capture the runaway victory. Senior Tyler McCandless led an impressive second-place effort from the Penn State men, turning in a 14th-place standing.
At the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational:
The Nittany Lion cross country teams turned in impressive finishes in their first home competition at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational last Saturday, with the Penn State women taking runner-up honors, and the men's squad earning a third-place finish. Junior Cheryl Spring led the way for the women's team, posting her first collegiate victory, while freshman Vince McNally earned the top placing on the men's squad with a seventh-place standing.
At the Lock Haven Dolan Duals:
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.
Next Up:
After a weekend off, the Nittany Lions will host the high-powered Penn State National on Friday, October 17. The Penn State National has developed into one of the top meets in the country over the past several years and won't disappoint in 2008, as several highly ranked programs on both the men's and women's sides are slated to attend. The Penn State women finished an impressive second at last year's competition while the Nittany Lion men finished third in an outstanding field.
After That:
The Penn State National will serve as the Lions' final competition of the regular season before heading to Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Big Ten Cross Country Championships on November 2. Following the conference meet, the Lions will compete at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships at Princeton in hopes of gaining bids to the NCAA Championships.