May 30, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C.: May 30, 2009 - Bolstered by gold-medal finishes from Karlee McQuillen (Johnstown, Pa.), Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio), and the women's 4x400-meter relay, the Penn State women's track and field team posted a second-place finish in the team standings, Saturday at the NCAA East Regional Championships, Saturday on the campus of North Carolina A&T University. Including their three event winners, the Nittany Lions will advance a total of seven athletes and a relay to the NCAA Championships, set for next month in Fayetteville, Ark. Also moving on to the NCAA Championships thanks to automatic-qualifying finishes will be Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.), Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia), Clarence Smith (Coatesville, Pa.) and Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J), all of whom notched top five efforts in their respective events.
The Nittany Lion women totaled 60 points to finish second for the second time in as many years. Florida State won the team title with 71 points, while Miami (51), Florida (48), and Virginia Tech (42) rounded out the top five. On the men's side, Penn State finished 13th overall with 17.50 points. Florida topped the men's standings with 84 points.
McQuillen, who will advance to her second-straight appearance at the NCAA Championships, launched a toss of 171-01 (52.16) on her first attempt of the competition, which would hold up for the win and her second-consecutive trip to the top of the regional podium. Teammate Kim Hanslovan (DuBois, Pa.) finished sixth on the day, posting a mark of 160-11 (49.06). Although Hanslovan did not finish in one of the top five automatic-qualifying spots, she is still alive for an at-large bid to the national championships. Hanslovan's career-best 178-3 (54.35) from earlier this season, is currently ranked fifth in the NCAA.
Dorr advanced in record fashion, clocking a new school record on her way to runner-up honors in the 400-meter hurdles. Dorr tore down the homestretch in the long hurdles, surging to a second-place finish and a school-record 56.91. Dorr finished just behind winner Tameka Jameson of Miami, who broke the tape in 56.65. Dorr's record run betters Aleesha Barber's 57.00 from 2007, and is also among the top seven times in the country this season.
Dorr wasn't done, however, anchoring the 4x400 relay to its second-consecutive East Region win. Senior Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.) led off on the mile relay, handing off to Greaves, who had already qualified individually in the 200-meters, on the second leg. Senior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) gave an outstanding effort on the third leg,
bringing her team into striking distance of the win. Dorr took the baton on the anchor and quickly positioned herself side-by-side with the leading team - South Carolina. Dorr laid down a blistering last 100-meters, nosing past the Gamecocks, and breaking the tape in a season-best 3:33.37 - the third-fastest time in the country this season. Both Hunter and Dorr would post 52-second splits on their 400 legs. Greaves' individual bid came in the 200, where she finished fifth in 24.02.
Franek would run away with the steeplechase, notching a victory for the second-straight year. This time, Franek bettered the field by nearly 20 seconds, winning in 9:51.89, which is also a new East Region record. Franek, who finished third nationally in the event as a sophomore, will enter the NCAA Championships with the third-fastest time in the nation at 9:43.57.
Foster also used a late charge to claim a spot at nationals, making several passes in the final steps to finish fourth overall in 1:49.70. Running just outside of the top five spots with less than 150 meters to go, Foster turned on the jets and sprinted up the inside to earn his second-career trip to the NCAA Championships, and his first individually. Teammate Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) placed seventh in the race with a finishing time of 1:50.98 - just short of automatic qualifying honors.
Smith, yet another Lion who clinched a repeat appearance at the national championships, finished third in an outstanding triple jump field, posting a season-best leap of 53-01.50 (16.19). Smith's leap is also ranked among the top 10 marks in the country this year.
John Vellenoweth (Wheeling, W.Va.) is still alive for an at-large bid to nationals after finishing in a fifth-place tie in the pole vault. Vellenoweth topped out at 16-11.00 (5.16) on the day, but had to come back in a jump off to decide the fifth and final automatic qualifying spot. Virginia Tech's Yavgeniy Olhovsky managed to clear 17-3 (5.26) in the duel, claiming the automatic bid. Vellenoweth's season-best 17-5.50 (5.32) is currently ranked 17th in the NCAA.
The Nittany Lions will be back in action at the NCAA Championships, set for June 10-13 at the University of Arkansas. At-large bids are scheduled to be announced early next week.