Jan. 7, 2010
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: January 7, 2010 - In their first competition of the 2010 season, the Nittany Lion track and field teams will get things started on Saturday, hosting the Penn State Relays at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Both Penn State squads are primed and ready for big successes this year, as the Nittany Lion women are coming off a runner-up effort at the 2009 Big Ten Indoor Championships, while the men captured third place at the conference meet a year ago - the best indoor finish in program history.
This year, which will be the sixth for the Penn State Relays, the Nittany Lions will welcome competitors from Duquesne, Gwynedd-Mercy, IUP, Lock Haven, Rider, Robert Morris, Rutgers, St. Francis (Pa.), St. Joseph's, and Villanova. Action is slated to begin with the women's 35-pound weight throw, set for 10 a.m., Saturday morning.
Scheduled to make their 2010 debuts this weekend are star returners senior Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) and junior Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.), both of whom earned a total of three All-America finishes over the course of the 2009 indoor and outdoor seasons. Greaves is also the reigning Big Ten Conference queen in the sprinting events, after picking up titles in the 60- and 200-meters as a sophomore. Dorr is also a defending champion at the conference level, winning the individual title at 400-meters last winter. Both Lions were also members of Penn State's winning 4x400-meter relay at the conference championships and would go on to earn bronze medals in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
On the men's side, the Lions return a slew of talent in the middle distances led by All-American and defending Big Ten 800-meter champion Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia), and fellow 800-specialists Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) and Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.). Both Dawson and Williams would capture silver-medal honors at the Big Ten Championships a year ago, with Dawson completing a one-two Penn State sweep in the 800, and Williams taking second in the 600-meters.
In the field, the Nittany Lions will look to juniors Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) and Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) for strong performances in the throwing events, along with a wealth of talented freshmen. Redshirt freshman Hanif Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) will lead the Lion jumps contingent after posting an NCAA-regional qualifying performance in the triple jump during the 2009 outdoor campaign, as well as a fourth-place effort in the triple jump at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
Junior Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) is the top returner in the women's field events, after posting an NCAA outdoor appearance in the long jump as a sophomore. Fung is also one of the Lions' top high jumpers, and will be joined by senior and 2009 NCAA-regional qualifier Brittany Maun (Greensburg, Pa.).
For complete results and Nittany Lion recaps following the event, log on to www.gopsusports.com.