Jan. 30, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: January 29, 2010 - Junior Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.) set a new school record in the 60-meters, highlighting an outstanding Nittany Lion effort at the Penn State National, Friday at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. The event was a hot one in the sprints and hurdles, as a well over 20 athletes dipped under NCAA standards over the three rounds of the 60-meter dash, and 60-meter hurdles, with Greaves and Virginia Tech's Queen Harrison (60H - 8.08) better the NCAA automatic standard.
Greaves, who already sat third in the NCAA in the 60, motored to a school-record 7.25 in the 60 semi-finals, finishing second-to-only St. Augustine's Barbara Pierre, who clocked a blistering 7.18 to set a new facility record. Greaves' mark bested Nittany Lion great Connie Moore, who clocked 7.27 in 2004, and is also the number-one mark in the country this season, and an NCAA automatic qualifier. Greaves wasn't finished, however, resetting her own Penn State best, and NCAA leader 90 minutes later, with a scorching 7.24 to finish second in the final.
Besting the women's 5000-meter field was senior Jessie Babcock (Irvine, Calif.), who clocked a PR 17:02.29 to take top honors in the event. Teammate Claire Berryman (Morgantown, W.Va.) placed third overall, finishing in 17:16.67. Sophomore Vince McNally (Smoketown, Pa.) was the top finisher in the men's 5K, going 14:36.04 to finish eighth in the invitational section.
In the field, senior Brad Lawrence (Voorhees, N.J.) topped out at a career-best 16-8.75 (5.10) in the pole vault, placing fifth in the elite invitational section. Sophomore Anna Muzio (Harrisburg, Pa.) captured a top 10 effort, placing 10th in the 20-lb weight throw with a toss of 54-04 (16.56). Sophomore Anya Uzoh (Laurel, Md.) also got off to a fine start in the men's heptathlon, standing third after four events with 2837 points.
Action at the PSU National continue tomorrow morning, beginning with the men's heptathlon 60-meter hurdles at 9:30 a.m.