April 22, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With several weekends of high-caliber competition under their belts, the Nittany Lion track and field squads will continue their charge towards the championship season, this weekend, at the Jesse Owens Classic, at Ohio State University. The trip will mark the Nittany Lions' first trip into Big Ten territory of the outdoor season, prior to the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, which are set for May 13-15, in Iowa City, Iowa. The competition is set to include conference rivals Ohio State, Michigan State, and Purdue, as well as West Virginia, Akron, and Kent State.
Leading the way in the field events will be redshirt-junior Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.), who was recently named Big Ten Co-Field Athlete of the Week thanks to an outstanding effort in the throws at the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn last weekend. Kovacs has been on a tear in recent weeks, scoring outdoor personal bests in the shot put, discus, and hammer at Auburn, including a Big Ten leading effort in the shot put at 62-0.50 (18.91), which also ranks fifth in Division I. Teammate Blake Eaton (Allegany, N.Y.) has also been on fire this outdoor season, posting a season-best effort of 60-6 (18.44) in the shot put at Auburn - the second-best mark in the conference, and a top 10 performance in the NCAA. Kovacs has also proven to be a conference contender in the discus, as his PR 180-6 (55.03) stands second in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions also stand to do some damage in the discus, as redshirt-freshman Will Barr (Urbana, Ohio) ranks fifth in the conference at 179-0 (54.55).
Also hitting their strides at Auburn were sophomore Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas) and senior Megan Duncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.), who posted a two-three finish in the 400-meter hurdles with finishing efforts of 57.96, and 59.08, respectively - season bests for both athletes, as well as the top and third-ranked performances in the conference. Britton would also turn in a season-best 13.71 in the 100-meter hurdles - a top five effort in the Big Ten this spring.
About the Meet -
The Jesse Owens Classic
Where: Ohio State University || Columbus, Ohio
When: Saturday-Sunday, April 23-24
Meet Information: http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/fls/17300/sports/m-track/08classic/welcome.html
Follow Penn State Track and Field: On Twitter - @JessRiden
On Facebook - www.facebook.com/pennstatecrosscountryandtrackandfield
The Nittany Lions will travel a full travel squad this weekend, which is also set to include distance standouts Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.), Maura Ryan (Doylestown, Pa.) and Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.). All three Nittany Lions stand to make a splash at the conference level next month, as Lane ranks fourth in the 5,000-meters (16:18.14) and fifth in the 1,500-meters (4:23.07), while Bower holds the third-fastest time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 10:21.87. Meanwhile, Ryan ranks sixth in the 800-meters at 2:08.52, just ahead of freshman Bekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio), who stands eighth in the conference at 2:09.50.
Also going into the weekend in solid conference standing are horizontal jumpers Hanif Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.), Tanaya Lloyd (Philadelphia, Pa.), and Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.). Johnson leads the conference in the men's triple jump at 51-8.50 (15.76), while Lloyd stands second on the women's side with a season-best 40-7 (12.37). Fung currently ranks fifth in the women's long jump with a season-best 19-11 (6.07).
Action in Columbus is set to begin with women's javelin and men's discus at 6:00 p.m., on Saturday evening. For more on Nittany Lion track and field, log on to www.GoPSUsports.com.