Jan. 29, 2011
Full Results | Men's Heptathlon Results | Women's Pentathlon Results
Meet Coverage by Flotrack.org | Ryan Foster Interview | Shavon Greaves Interview | Beth Alford-Sullivan Interview | Clemson Head Coach Lawrence Johnson on Competing at Penn State
Casimir Loxsom Interview
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Highlighted by a trio of athletes dipping under the four-minute barrier in the mile, a packed house at Ashenfelter III Indoor Track was treated to a slew of NCAA automatic-qualifying performances, several meet and facility records, as well as a pair of school records from the Nittany Lion squad, Saturday at the Penn State National. Senior Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia) had a sensational afternoon, setting a new school record in the mile run with an NCAA automatic-qualifying 3:58.49, while teammates sophomore Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) and senior Shavon Greaves (Lakewood, N.J.) also turned in automatic performances with Loxsom going 1:47.36 in the 800-meters, and Greaves sprinting to a season-best 23.18 in the 200-meters.
The Nittany Lions also enjoyed a record-setting run in the men's 4x400-meter relay, which combined to run a school-record 3:09.08, with the quartet of Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.), Loxsom, Brady Gehret (Altoona, Pa.), and Aaron Nadolsky (Altoona, Pa.). The record bettered the previous all-time Lion best 3:09.43, set by Brian Derby, Chris Lolagne, Jaret Campisi, and Ernie Terrell in 2003.
The Penn State National extended its streak to five-straight years of sub-4:00 performances, however, this marks the first year that more than one athlete has broken the barrier at the competition. Ohio State's Cory Leslie was the event winner at 3:57.97, followed by former Buckeye Jeff See at 3:58.15. Foster's effort bettered Samuel Borchers's (Yellow Springs, Ohio) 4:01.98 school record from 2008. Foster is also the second athlete in Penn State history to break 4:00 indoors or outdoors, joining Larry Mangan, who ran 3:58.4, outdoors in 1980. Leslie and Foster are now ranked second and third in the NCAA in the event, following only Indiana's Andy Bayer at 3:57.75.
Loxsom ran away with the victory in the 800, bettering the field by over a second and setting new facility and meet records in the process. Loxsom was within a eyelash of breaking the school record, which remains 1:47.32 - set by Foster last indoor season.
Greaves posted an auto qualifier in her first 200 appearance of the season, finishing second on the afternoon by the narrowest of margins. Greaves' 23.18 was second-to-only the 23.17 run by Central Florida's Aurieyall Scott. The pair of auto marks are the fourth, and fifth fastest in Division I this year. The senior would come back to run an outstanding third leg on the women's 4x400, combining with teammates Doris Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.), Megan Duncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.) and Ije Iheoma (Holland, Pa.) to run 3:37.25 - the fourth fastest effort in the NCAA.
The Lions got another track victory from junior Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.), who cruised to a personal-best 4:41.49, which is also the second-fastest time in school history. Penn State's squads enjoyed numerous personal bests from all event groups, including a PR 9:30.06 from Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) in the 3,000-meters. Millhouse would finish third overall in a race that saw a national leader from Tennessee's Jackie Areson at 9:01.91.
Senior Bryson Hartzler (Belleville, Pa.) was a winner in the field events, topping out at 7-0.25 (2.14) to win the high jump. The win was Hartzler's second event victory in three tries this season. The Nittany Lions also had an outstanding presence in the men's shot put, covering three of the top six places. Senior Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) led the way at 61-3 (18.67), while Blake Eaton (Allegany, N.Y.), who threw 60-5 (18.47), and Nabil Mubarak (Loganville, Ga.), who turned in a best effort of 57-7.75 (17.57) finished fourth and sixth, respectively. All three marks are among the 30 best in the country.
Meanwhile, in the triple jump, redshirt-sophomore Hanif Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) finished just an inch shy of an event victory, posting a leap of 50-10 (15.49) for second.
The Nittany Lions will make their final home appearance of the indoor season next weekend, hosting the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup, which is set for Saturday, February 5. The Nittany Lions will also host their first annual fundraiser for the breast cancer research - Run Pink, Jump Pink, Throw Pink - in conjunction with the competition.