April 14, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: April 14 - The Nittany Lion track and field squads will split its efforts this weekend, sending contingents to both the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn University, and the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. Both the men's and women's teams have been on a roll over the opening weeks of the outdoor season, putting up outstanding results at Florida Relays and the George Mason Patriot Open Invitational during the month of April. This weekend is shaping up to be no difference, with stellar distance fields set to race at Mt. SAC, and exceptional competition at Auburn across all event areas.
About the Competitions:
The 53rd Annual Mt. SAC Relays
Where: Mt. San Antonio College || Walnut, Calif.
When: Thursday-Saturday, April 14-16
Meet Information: http://www.mtsacrelays.com/
The War Eagle Invitational
Where: Auburn University || Auburn, Alabama
When: Friday-Saturday, April 15-16
Meet Information: http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/072407aaa.html
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The Nittany Lion middle distance crew will head cross country to Mt. SAC, with seniors Maura Ryan (Doylestown, Pa.) and Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio), junior Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.), and sophomore Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) making the trip. Lane, who will run the 1500-meters this weekend, has already run well in the state of California this spring, clocking a team-best 16:18.14 for 5,000-meters at the Stanford Invitational last month. Loxsom will toe the line in the 800-meters for the first time this season, coming off second-team All-America honors in the event indoors. Loxsom is no stranger to high-powered competition, having qualified for the NCAA Championships in the half mile on three out of three opportunities. The sophomore also lit the world on fire this past summer, taking silver-medal status in the event at the IAAF World Junior Championships, via a personal-best effort of 1:46.57.
Meanwhile, Auburn is slated to feature outstanding competitions in the sprints and field events, with Nittany Lion All-Americans Shavon Greaves (Lakewood, N.J.), Brady Gehret (Altoona, Pa.), Aaron Nadolsky (Altoona, Pa.), Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.), Blake Eaton (Allegany, N.Y.), Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.), and Karlee McQuillen (Johnstown, Pa.) headlining the travel roster.
Gehret enjoyed an outstanding opening weekend in Florida, running a personal-best 20.93 for 200-meters, and 46.88 in the 400-meters. Both performances rank in the top three in the Big Ten conference this spring. Gehret would also combine with teammates Nadolsky, Williams, and Loxsom to set a new Penn State record in the 4x400-meter relay at 3:07.19 - the fastest time in the conference this season.
Kovacs, Eaton, and McQuillen will pace the Nittany Lions in the throws, with Kovacs and Eaton with two of the top four marks in the Big Ten in the shot put at 60-3.75 (18.38), and 59-4 (18.08), respectively, and McQuillen leading conference competitors in the javelin throw with a season-best toss of 160-0 (48.78). The experience-laden throws crew will also be joined by some young talent in Auburn, including redshirt-freshman Will Barr (Urbana, Ohio), who owns the second-best discus mark in the Big Ten at 179-0 (54.55), and freshman Laura Loht (McClure, Pa.), who ranks fourth in the conference in the javelin.
To following the results throughout the weekend, and for more on Penn State Track and Field, log on to www.GoPSUsports.com.