April 11, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After stellar results and a solid night of competition on Friday, the Nittany Lion track and field teams continued show outstanding promise for the outdoor season, winning 15 events, Saturday at the Bison Outdoor Classic at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium. Highlighting the bevy of sensational performances was sophomore Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia), who sped to a blistering 1:48.79 in the 800-meters - the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season - to win the event, better the NCAA regional qualifier and set a new stadium record. Foster's performance is also the seventh faster in Penn State's rich half miler history.
Teammate Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) also ran well in the race, taking second overall in 1:50.27 - also dipping under the regional-qualifying standard. The Lions had an outstanding showing all the way through the 800, as Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) finished out the Penn State sweep in third place, clocking 1:50.99.
"Our teams showed great progression, achieving another 10 regional qualifiers," said Director and Head Coach of Track and Field Beth Alford-Sullivan of the Lions' weekend performance. "We had some outstanding early season performances and proved both competitive Penn State squads with be ready to que up for championship time. It was excited to see a school record from Bridget Franek (3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday) to go along with all the regional qualifiers across the board."
In the field, junior Adam Thielemann (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) launched a personal-best 175-3 (53.41) to win the discus and punch his ticket to the NCAA Regional Championships. The Lions were just as impressive in the shot put, as Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) and Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) posted a one-two finish in the men's shot put, with efforts of 55-0.25 (16.77), and 54-07.25 (16.64), respectively. Senior Emma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) would take the women's shot with a heave of 44-3.50 (13.50). Penn State covered three of the top four spots in the event with Anna Muzio (Harrisburg, Pa.) and Bradlee Foerschner (North East, Pa.) finishing third and fourth.
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Sophomore Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.) - already a regional qualifier in two events - bettered her own season best with a winning effort of 23.67 in the 200-meters. Senior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) followed in second clocking 23.78, also bettering the regional standard. Hunter added another win to the Lion haul in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking 13.75 - well over half a second ahead of the rest of the field.
The Lions also recorded a one-two punch in the 400-meters with Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) leading the way in 55.39. Greaves ran well for second, finishing in 55.91. Dorr would come back to win the 400-meter hurdles - marking the second-straight week that she won the 400/400 hurdle double - finishing in 1:01.12, just ahead of teammate Megan Duncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.), who took runner-up honors in 1:01.91.
Junior Mike Cadau (Mahanoy City, Pa.) was the top Lion in the men's sprints, taking the 400 in an impressive 47.89. Cadau also had a strong showing in the 200, placing third in 21.77.
Sophomore Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) took top honors in the long jump with a leap of 19-7.50 (5.98) - just two centimeters off the regional standard. Freshman Hanif Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) finished first in the triple jump with a mark of 49-1 (14.96), edging out teammate Clarence Smith (Coatesville, Pa.) in a stellar competition. Smith finished second with a jump of 49-0.25 (14.94). In the women's triple jump, freshman Tanaya Lloyd (Philadelphia) highlighted the Lion effort with a second-place showing, posting a leap of 38-0.25 (11.59).
The Lions were also on their game in the distances, including another one-two sweep - this time from Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) and Kathryn Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in the 1500-meters. Millhouse recorded a personal collegiate best 4:39.55 to run away from the pack, with Fitzgerald taking second in 4:42.62. The duo would finish nearly eight second ahead of the rest of field.
The Lions got another pair of winners in the vertical jumps with John Vellenoweth (Wheeling, W.Va.) taking the men's invitational pole vault with a season-best clearance of 16-2.75 (4.95), and Brittany Maun (Greenville, Pa.) capturing top honors in the high jump with a leap of 5-7 (1.70).
The Nittany Lions are back in action next weekend at the War Eagle Classic at the Auburn University. Action is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2009 in Auburn, Alabama.