March 26, 2011
PALO ALTO, Calif.: March 25, 2011 - Junior Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) bettered the Penn State 10,000-meter record by nearly 30 seconds while the Nittany Lion track and field contingent posted a bevy of outstanding performances, Friday at the Stanford Invitational at Cobb Track and Angell Field on the campus of Stanford University. Millhouse's performance was the highlight of a slew of season bests, including stellar efforts from sophomore Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.) and junior Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.).
Millhouse clipped off a PR of 33:31.93 for 10,000-meters, finishing 10th among collegiates and bettering Natalie Updegrove's 34:00.00 from 1983. Millhouse not only set a school record, but was the first Penn State woman to dip under the 34-minute barrier. Currently, the junior's performance stands as the 10th-best in Division I.
Elsewhere, Lane recorded a personal-best 16:18.14 to place 17th in her section of the 5,000-meters. Lane, who is coming off an NCAA appearance in the mile run, also made a name for herself in the Penn State record books in the effort, turning in the eighth-best mark in school history. Sophomore Brooklyne Ridder (Cincinnati, Ohio) also recorded a finish in the 5K, running 16:45.08 - good for 11th in her section.
Bower was stellar in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking 10:21.87 to place third in her section, and claim the fifth-fastest time in the Penn State record books. Also competing was senior Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia), who placed fifth in the top section of the 1,500-meters in 3:45.56. The senior recently placed third in the mile run at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
The rest of the Nittany Lions will kick off the outdoor season next weekend at the Florida Relays, set for April 1-2, in Gainesville, Fla. For more on Nittany Lion Track and Field, log on to www.GoPSUsports.com.