Feb. 15, 2009
SEATTLE, Wash. - Junior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) posted an NCAA automatic-qualifying performance in the 5,000-meters, highlighting a sensational effort from the Nittany Lion distance contingent, Saturday at the Husky Classic at the University of Washington. Along with Franek, a total of five Nittany Lions bettered NCAA-qualifying standards, including Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio), Kyle Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.), Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Cheryl Spring (The Woodlands, Texas).
Franek's personal-best 16:03.40 was good for runner-up honors in one of the more impressive 5K fields in recent memory, and was second to only Colorado's Jenny Barringer, who finished in 15.01.70 - the fastest-ever performance by a collegiate athlete. The race yielded a total of 10 NCAA qualifying performances, including Spring - a Penn State junior - who finished in a provisional-qualifying 16:39.43 to shave over 10 seconds off her previous personal best. Franek's ticket-punching performance is the fourth fastest in the NCAA this year as well as the best in the Big Ten. Franek is already an automatic qualifier in the 3,000-meters this year, and a provisional-qualifier in the mile run.
Dawson also clocked a provisional qualifier in the 5K, going 14:05.95 to finish 13th in his heat and cut nearly 30 seconds off his previous PR. The men's 3.1-mile races at this year's Husky Classic produced an unimaginable number of NCAA qualifiers as 39 athletes recorded provisional marks, six of which bettered the automatic standard. Lion senior Dennis Pollow (Ransomville, N.Y.) also posted a career-best performance in the 5K, clocking 14:18.78 to finish 22nd in his second, while teammate Tyler McCandless (Bath, Pa.) notched a 10-second PR, going 14:25.58. Senior Dennis O'Connor (Philadelphia, Pa.) would also provide a career effort, running 14:40.05 to finish seventh in his heat.
The Nittany Lions were just as hot in the middle distances as Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio) popped a provisional-qualifying 1:48.90 in the 800-meters, winning his heat with the fastest time in the Big Ten this season, and the fourth-best mark ever run by a Nittany Lion indoors. Teammate Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) would also get his name on the NCAA list with a 1:49.58 PR, good for fifth in his heat, where all seven competitors bettered the provisional standard.
Senior Tim Johnson (New Cumberland, Pa.) came up just short of provisional status, running 4:05.13 for the mile - a career best, and the fastest time by a Nittany Lion in 2009. Sophomore Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) would also hold his own in the mile heats, clocking 4:08.84. Johnson and Dawson would finish third and sixth, respectively in their section of the event. Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.) and Meghan Noecker (Reading, Pa.) also recorded career bests in the mile, finishing in 4:50.67 and 4:52.72, respectively.
The career-best efforts kept coming in the 3,000-meters, led by Vince McNally (Smoketown, Pa.), who finished in a personal-record 8:10.05 for seventh in his heat. Senior John Mahoney (Richboro, Pa.) also ran well, finishing in 8:12.33 to place sixth in his section, followed by Mike Syrnick (Philadelphia, Pa.) in 12th in 8:15.05.
The Nittany Lion throwers also made the trek to Seattle, with Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) leading the way with a third-place finish in the shot put, thanks to a toss of 47-07.25 (14.51).
The Nittany Lions will take a weekend off before competing at the Big Ten Championships on Feb. 28 and March 1. The men are set to compete at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track, and the women are scheduled to travel to Indiana University.