March 13, 2010
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.: March 12, 2010 - Junior Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) captured bronze-medal honors, while classmate Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) posted an eighth-place effort - both earning All-America status - Friday at the NCAA Indoor Championships at Randal Tyson Track Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas. Junior Shavon Greaves (Lakewood, N.J.) paced the women's efforts with a third-place finish in the 200-meters, while senior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) added a fourth-place showing in the 5,000-meters.
Elsewhere, senior Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) coasted to a spot in tomorrow's 400-meter final, thanks to a career-best performance in the preliminaries. The Nittany Lions will have two representatives in tomorrow's men's 800-meter final, with juniors Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia), and Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) each claiming a qualifying spot on Friday evening.
Entering the competition as the fourth-seed, Kovacs came out and fired a solid 61-7 (18.77) on his first attempt, before posting a mark of 62-11.25 (19.18) - his top effort of the day, and just off his lifetime-best 63-6.25 (19.36). Eaton, who was in serious danger of missing a spot in the final after two attempts, stepped up and launched an effort of 60-4.50 (18.40) on his third and final attempt in the preliminaries to guarantee himself three more throws. Eaton would improve to 60-6 (18.44) on his fifth throw, good for eighth-place overall. Kovacs and Eaton, who were both participating in their first NCAA competition, are the fifth and sixth Indoor All-Americans in the shot put in the Nittany Lion record books, and the first Lions to capture top eight finishes in the event since Phil Caraher finished third in 1991.
Greaves clocked a speedy 23.11 in the 200 prelims - the fastest mark of the round - to earn a spot in the two-section final. The junior would hold her own in the final, finishing in 23.17 to take third overall and earn the fourth All-America honor of her already decorated career. Greaves matches the Lions' highest-ever finish in the event indoors, tying Connie Moore's bronze-medal effort in 2004.
The junior would also compete in the 60-meter dash, placing 11th in qualifying with a finishing time of 7.34. Also competing in the sprints was junior Caitlin Defusco (Schwenksville, Pa.), who captured a 17th in the 200 in her first-ever NCAA race.
Franek overcame a swift early pace in the 5,000, fighting back through the latter stages of the race to place fourth overall, matching her effort from last year. The senior broke the tape in 15:58.02, outlasting several competitors down the homestretch, thanks to an outstanding finishing kick. The All-America standing was the eighth of Franek's sensational career, and the third top eight effort in the indoor 5K.
Dorr looked sharp in the opening round, cruising to a personal-best and heat-winning effort of 52.53 in the quarter mile. Dorr's time was the fourth best of the day, and good for a lane in the faster of the two seeded final sections. Dorr, along with Greaves, Defusco, and freshman Doris Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.), will also take on the 4x400-meter field on Saturday evening.
Foster made a move with just under two laps to go in the first heat of the 800 and surged to the front of the field, eventually holding on for second with a finishing time of 1:49.39 - the third fastest in qualifying. Dawson bided his time in the middle of the pack in the second and final heat, before sprinting around the pack with just under 150-meters to go, and strided down the homestretch to place third in his heat in 1:49.72, good for one of the top three automatic-qualifying spots.
The Lions had four total athletes in the half mile competition, with Lionel Williams placing seventh in his prelim heat and 11th overall in 1:50.80, while freshman Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) took 15th overall in 1:53.99.
Both Nittany Lion squads are in fine standing following one day of competition, with the Penn State women standing fifth with six events scored with an 11-point total. Auburn leads the women's team race with 18, followed by Tennessee with 16, Arizona with 15.5 and Oregon with 13. The men's team is currently 13th with seven points, while host Arkansas is the top squad with 24 after six events.
Action in Fayetteville continues on Saturday. For full results and Penn State recaps, log on to www.gopsusports.com.