June 27, 2011
EUGENE, Ore. - Bolstered by outstanding finishes from Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) and Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio) in the 800-meters, and Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) and Blake Eaton (Allegany, N.Y.) in the shot put, the Nittany Lion track and field squads closed out four stellar days of competition, Sunday at the USATF Outdoor Championships at Historic Hayward Field. Also notching an sensational effort was 2010 Penn State graduate Bridget Franek, who will move on to represent the United States in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in August.
Franek, who now calls Eugene home as a member of the Oregon Track Club Elite, zipped to a second-place finish in the steeplechase, crossing the finish line in 9:44.90 - just off Emma Coburn of Colorado, who won the event in 9:44.10. Franek, who enjoyed her career-best USATF finish on the day, makes her second-consecutive World Championships squad, after qualifying for the championships in 2009 in Berlin, Germany. Fellow former Penn State athlete Stephanie Pezzulo also held her own in the final, placing 11th in 10:09.43.
Loxsom and Borchers would cap an impressive run through the rounds of the 800-meters, placing sixth, and seventh, respectively in the Sunday's final. Making up one quarter of the 800 final, the duo finished as the second and third-best collegiate athletes in the field, crossing the finish line in 1:47.89 and 1:48.91. Loxsom, who will be a junior for the 2011-12 seasons, has developed quite a successful reputation at the USATF level, having won the USATF Junior title in the 800 a year ago.
Also faring well among current college competitors were Kovacs and Eaton, who placed 14th and 15th overall in one of the deepest shot put competitions on record. Kovacs, who has one season of outdoor eligibility remaining, notched his top effort of the day on his first attempt, going 62-10 (19.15), while Eaton's 62-8.75 (19.12) came on his third and final attempt of the competition, as well as his last put in a Penn State uniform. The Nittany Lion duo also provided a two-three finish against fellow collegians, just off Kansas' Mason Finley, who placed 11th with a toss of 63-10.50 (19.47).
Former Arizona State Sun Devil and current State College resident Ryan Whiting was on fire in the men's shot, placing fourth overall with a throw of 70-0.25 (21.34). Whiting will make the trip to Daegu in the event, qualifying for his first-career appearance at the IAAF World Championships. Adam Nelson of Saucony won the event with a monster toss of 72-5.75 (22.09), followed by Nike's Christian Cantwell, and Reese Hoffa of the NYAC. As the defending World Champion, Cantwell receives an automatic-qualifying bid to Daegu, making it possible for the United States to enter four athletes in the event.
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