April 10, 2011
Patriot Open Invitational Results
Interview with Natalie Bower
Interview with Nabil Mubarak
FAIRFAX, Va. - Sophomore Nabil Mubarak (Loganville, Ga.) captured a pair of wins in the throwing events, while the Nittany Lion distance squad posted outstanding results, Saturday at the Patriot Open Invitational at George Mason University. All told, the Nittany Lions captured four event victories, including sophomore Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas) in the 400-meter hurdles, sophomore Erika Morgan (Chesapeake, Va.) in the high jump, senior Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) in the long jump, and junior Jane Swenson (Brandon, South Dakota) in the shot put. The Nittany Lions would add another quartet of individual wins on the men's side, with Mubarak taking the shot put and hammer throw, while junior Hanif Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) and sophomore Eli Skinner (Salladasburg, Pa.) took top honors in the triple jump, and javelin, respectively.
Mubarak scored a personal-best toss of 181-3 (55.26) to better the rest of the field by over 12 feet, and capture his first individual victory of the season. The sophomore followed up with a toss of 51-5.50 (15.68) to win the shot put. Skinner also impressed in the throws, posting a PR 199-10 (60.92) in the javelin victory, separating himself from the rest of the competition by nearly 20 feet. Skinner's effort in also the fifth-best effort in the Big Ten this season. Swenson led the Nittany Lions on the women's side, also capturing her first victory of the outdoor season, thanks to a season-best throw of 46-0.50 (14.03). Also faring well in the women's throws was freshman Taylor McNally (Ennis, Mt.), who recorded a season-best 148-6 (55.27) to finish as the top collegiate and second overall in the discus.
The Nittany Lions lit up the scoreboard in the 800-meters, covering three of the top six finishing spots in the event, led by senior Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) - running unattached) - who posted the second-fastest time of the evening at 1:49.51 to record a heat victory. On his heels was senior Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio), who crossed in 1:50.00 for fourth overall, and classmate Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.), who placed sixth overall in 1:50.36. The performances were season bests for both Borchers, and Williams, and currently rate fourth and fifth in the Big Ten, while Borchers' clocking ranks ninth in the NCAA East Region. Penn State also excelled in the distances on the women's side, with senior Maura Ryan (Doylestown, Pa.) taking third in the 800 with an outdoor personal-best 2:08.52 - the fourth-fastest effort in the Big Ten this season. In the 1500-meters, sophomore Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.) enjoyed a heat victory, thanks to a personal-best 4:30.58 to win her section by nearly five seconds and turn in the seventh-best time in the conference this spring. Turning in a second-place finish was freshman Emily Giannotti (Coudersport, Pa.), who broke the tape in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:47.18. The freshman's effort is among the top 10 performances in the conference for the year, and also ranks 10th in Nittany Lion history.
Britton paced the Nittany Lions in the sprints and hurdles, placing first in the 400 hurdles, and second in a hotly contested women's 100-meter hurdle final. Britton would clock a season-best 13.77 to place second in the 100 hurdles, just three hundredths of a second off winner Shericka Ward of Villanova. The sophomore's effort currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten.
Penn State also enjoyed a great deal of success in the jumps led by Johnson, who recorded his second triple jump victory in as many weeks after taking top honors at the Florida Relays a week ago. Johnson posted a jump of 49-6.25 (15.09) to win the event at George Mason. Morgan led the results on the women's side, taking the high jump with a clearance of 5-7 (1.70), followed by Fung in second. Fung would also turn in a victory of her own, taking the women's long jump competition with a leap of 18-7.75 (5.68).
The Nittany Lions will split its squads next weekend, traveling to the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., and the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn University. Competition at Mount San Antonio College is slated for Thursday through Saturday, April 14-16, while action at Auburn is slated for Friday, and Saturday, April 15-16. For more on Nittany Lion track and field, log on to www.GoPSUsports.com.