Jan. 30, 2010
Complete Results | Complete Results 
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: January 30, 2010 - Juniors Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.) and Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.), sophomore Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia), and freshman Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) each punched their ticket to the NCAA Indoor Championships, posting automatic efforts in their respective events, Saturday at the Penn State National, at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. One of the most highly competitive competitions of the indoor season, the 2010 National did not disappoint, as event produced well over 50 NCAA-qualifying performances at the Division I, Division II, and Division III level, as well as three NCAA leaders at the D-I level.
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Foster and Loxsom highlighted what was one of the most hotly contested events of the entire meet - the men's invitational 800-meters - with Foster blitzing to a victory in heat one of the event, with a sizzling effort of 1:47.48, bettering the NCAA automatic standard by over half a second. Foster headlined a talented field all the way through, as teammate Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) also clocked a personal best, and NCAA provisional qualifier with a finishing time of 1:48.97.
Foster's mark was also good for new meet, facility, and Penn State records, as his impressive run bettered from Nittany Lion Ray Levitre's 1:48.19, set in 1987. Foster, who set school and facility records in the 1000-meters two weeks ago, would also claim his second Australian National Indoor Record, besting the previous record of 1:47.9, which has stood in 1969.
Loxsom was up next, holding his own against IAAF World Championship qualifier Moises Joseph of Haiti and Canadian professional standout Kyle Smith. Loxsom, who set a World Junior Best at 600-meter at the PSU Northeast Challenge, tore down the home stretch to finish in 1:47.98, which also bettered the previous Penn State, facility, and meet records. Junior Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) ran an outstanding race, turning in a performance of 1:50.14, also dipping under the NCAA provisional standard. Thanks to Foster and Loxsom, the Nittany Lions now hold the No. 1, and No. 2 fastest times in the country this year.
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Also sprinting her way into the record books was Nittany Lion alum and current Adidas competitor Shana Cox, who set a new American record at 500-meters. Cox, who also claimed meet and facility records, broke the tape at 1:08.70, just .01 seconds under the previous American record of 1:08.71, set by Jearl Miles-Clark. Miles-Clark's record was set at the 2004 Penn State National.
After posting a school-record and auto-qualifying 7.24 in the 60-meters on Friday, Greaves continued to shine, winning the invitational 200-meters in an NCAA automatic 23.16, which is also a new meet and facility record. Greaves, who is the NCAA leader in the 60, is currently the second-fastest collegian in the one-lap 200. Teammate Caitlin Defusco (Schwenksville, Pa.) impressed in the 200, clocking a PR 24.09 to win the morning sections, and post the second-fastest time of the day behind Greaves.
The Lion sprint duo would provide two of the four legs on the Nittany Lions' 4x400-meter relay, along with Doris Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.) and Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.). Racing behind Tennessee through the first 1000-meters of the relay, Greaves took the stick on the third leg and overtook her opponent, and handed off to Dorr, who sprinted away from the field to finish in 3:37.57 - the Lions' fastest performance of the year, and sixth-best in the NCAA. Dorr also had a tremendous afternoon individually, clocking a personal-best 53.10 to win the 400-meters, bettering her own provisional standing, with the third-fastest time in the country.
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In the throws, Kovacs unleashed a personal-best, and NCAA automatic-qualifying 63-06.25 (19.36) in the shot put, which vaults him to third on the NCAA descending order list. Kovacs' outstanding effort, which was good for second overall in a sensational field, was a personal best by nearly five feet, as well as the best mark in the Big Ten this year, and the second-best performance in Penn State history. Teammate Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) also got in on the action, placing third with a career-best and NCAA provisional-qualifying 60-01 (18.31). Eaton, who is now ranked second in the Big Ten, now stands 10th in Division I with a throw that ranks fifth in the Penn State record books.
The NCAA qualifying performances continued to roll in for the Lions, including a speedy section of the women's invitational 3,000-meters that saw three provisional performances by the Nittany Lions, and a national leader by Tennessee's Jackie Areson (9:07.27). Senior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) led the charge with a fifth place finish overall with a provisional-qualifying time of 9:18.04, while sophomore Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.), and senior Cheryl Spring (The Woodlands, Texas), who ran 9:24.53, and 9:27.41, respectively to finish sixth and seventh in the race.
 Shavon GReaves | |
Senior Brittany Maun (Greensburg, Pa.) claimed an individual victory in the high jump, clearing 5-08.75 (1.75).
The Nittany Lions will be back in action again next weekend, playing host to the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup, which is slated for February 5-6, at Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.