June 11, 2009
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.: June 11, 2009 - Sophomore Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia) and junior Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) are still in the hunt for All-America honors, as both Nittany Lions captured lanes in the final round of their respective event, Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, at John McDonnell Field. The 4x400-meter relay - comprised of Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.), Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.), Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) and Dorr - are also alive in the Lions' NCAA title defense, advancing to Saturday's final with a season-best 3:31.63.
Barber would also advance on her own, claiming a spot in the semi-finals of the 100-meter hurdles with a finishing time of 13.54. Hunter had a busy day in her own right, completing the first four events of the heptathlon, where she stands seventh overall going into day two.
Foster would record a huge personal best for the second day in-a-row, going 1:46.78 to move onto Saturday's 800-meter final. The sophomore more than held his own with the nation's best, finishing second in his heat with the second-fastest time on the day. Foster, who came into the Championships with a personal-best of 1:48.79, dropped his career best to 1:47.57 to advance out of yesterday's preliminaries, before shaving yet another second off his PR on Thursday. Foster's performance also scales the Penn State ranks in the event, as the sophomore now moves to third in the Penn State record books, behind only Randy Moore (1:45.96) and Ray Levitre (1:46.62). The 800 final is set for Saturday at 12:28 p.m. CDT.
The 4x400 will also vault up the Nittany Lion charts, moving to the second-fastest relay combination of all-time. The relay contingent's performance stands behind only the Nittany Lions' NCAA winning 3:27.69 from 2008, which included Dominique Blake, Barber, Hunter, and Shana Cox. Standing outside the top two automatic-qualifying positions, Hunter closed the gap on the leaders, handing off to Dorr on the heels LSU and Southern California. Dorr would run step-for-step with the leaders and hold on in a furious finish, bringing the Lions home in third in 3:31.63 - just off of USC's 3:31.57. The Lions' mark was not only the third-fastest in their heat, but the third-fastest of the entire afternoon.
Dorr will make dual appearances in the final rounds after claiming the ninth and final qualifying spot in the 400-meter hurdles. Already a two-time NCAA All-American, Dorr sprinted to a finishing time of 57.89 over the barriers, placing fifth in her heat and earning an at-large qualifying spot.
Greaves was also one of the busier members of the Nittany Lion squad, qualifying through the first round of the 200-meters, thanks to a third-place finish in her heat with a finishing time of 24.04. Greaves would have to turn it around to run the 200 semi-finals just over an hour later, where she finished 17th overall with an effort of 23.69.
Hunter began the day with the heptathlon 100 hurdles, finishing in a personal-best 13.45 - the third-fastest time in the field and worth 1058 points. The senior followed up with a 5-04.25 (1.63) clearance and 771-point effort in the high jump. The five-time All-America continued the afternoon throwing 35-10.00 (10.92) - worth 590 points - in the shot put, and rounded out the day with a finishing time of 23.96 in the 200, good for 985 points and the second-fastest effort of the day. Hunter's day one total of 3404 is good for seventh place with three events remaining.
Action continues with the heptathlon long jump, Friday at 1:45 p.m. CDT.