May 3, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Coming off multiple school records, and a handful of winning performances at the Penn Relays last weekend, the Nittany Lions will be in action at home on Friday, hosting the Jim Thorpe Open at Nittany Lion Track. The event, which is set to welcome team representation from Buffalo, Susquehanna, Juniata, and Westminster College, will also serve as the track and field squad's final tune up prior to the Big Ten Championships next week.
About the Jim Thorpe Open...
When: Friday, May 4 (3:00 p.m.)
Where: Nittany Lion Track
Results: Available at www.GoPSUsports.com
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Latest Nittany Lion Notes:
Another Athlete of the Week...
Following an NCAA-leading performance at the Penn Relays, senior Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) has been named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week for the third time this season. Kovacs bested a national-class shot put field at Penn last week, thanks to a career-outdoor best performance of 65-5 (19.94), which also ties the longstanding Penn State record in the event.
Another Wheels for a Bicycle...
Brought home by a stunning finishing kick by freshman Robby Creese (Mt. Airy, Md.), the Nittany Lions - including senior Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.), freshman Ryan Brennan (Chester, N.Y.) and junior Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) - added more hardware to the trophy case, winning the 4x800-meter relay at the historic Penn Relays Carnival, Saturday at Franklin Field. The Nittany Lions also added a Penn Relays victory on Friday evening, with Aaron Nadolsky (Altoona, Pa.), Brandon Bennett-Green (Elkins' Park, Pa.), Brady Gehret (Altoona, Pa.) and Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) picking up the program's second-straight "Championship of America" victory in the sprint medley relay.
Big Tosses in the Throws...
Sophomore Melissa Kurzdorfer (Lancaster, N.Y.) and freshman Lauren Kenney (State College, Pa.) turned in victories in the "championship" sections of their respective events, Thursday at the 118th running of the Penn Relays at Franklin Field, on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Kurzdorfer dominated the hammer competition, bettering the competition by nearly 10 feet, while Kenney paced an outstanding showing by the Nittany Lions in the javelin, with sophomore Laura Loht (McClure, Pa.) coming in third in the event. Kovacs would make it three Lion victories on Friday in his school-record and winning effort in the men's championship shot put.
Two Weeks, Two Records...
Senior Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) has ripped through the Nittany Lion record books over the past several weeks, beginning with a school-record 33:31.37 for 10,000-meters at the Mt. SAC Relays. Millhouse would return to run the anchor on the record-setting distance medley relay at Penn, along with teammates Bekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio), Ijeoma Iheoma (Holland, Pa.), Marta Klebe (Chesterbrook, Pa.). The squad clocked 11:08.41 to better a 30-year old school record.