March 28, 2013
Stanford Invitational Meet Information
PALO ALTO, Calif. - The Nittany Lion track and field squads will officially start the 2013 outdoor campaign this weekend, competing at the Stanford Invitational on Friday evening. A small contingent of distance runners will represent the Blue and White on the West Coast this weekend, while the rest of the Nittany Lions are slated to get things rolling at the Crimson Tide Invitational at Alabama on April 6. The Invitational - which is known primarily for its high-caliber races in the distance events - will give the Nittany Lions the opportunity to open up in top-notch fields, as well as ideal weather conditions.
The Nittany Lions open up the outdoor season in stellar standing in the national rankings as the Penn State women's squad stands at No. 20, and the men rate at No. 21 in the USTFCCCA preseason rankings.
Making the cross country trek this weekend are 5,000-meter entrants senior Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.) and freshman Tori Gerlach (Perkasie, Pa.) on the women's side, as well as senior Tyler Corkedale (West Windsor, N.J.), junior Nick Scarpello (Jamison, Pa.), and redshirt-sophomore Matt Fischer (Kennett Square, Pa.). Bower is the Nittany Lions' top entrant in the women's field, coming off a PR 16:17.81 for the 5K during the indoor season. Gerlach has enjoyed a sensational start to her rookie campaign, turning in a lifetime-best 9:31.91 for the 3,000-meters indoors. This weekend's race will be Gerlach's first collegiate attempt at the 5K distance.
Fischer already has several solid 5K performances to his credit, including an outdoor-best 14:11.47 at the Stanford Invitational a year ago. The redshirt sophomore's overall 5K best is 14:09.87 from the 20132 indoor campaign. Also looking for a fast 5K performance is Corkedale, who came on strong during the indoor season this winter, clocking a personal-best 4:03.66 for the mile, to go along with a PR effort of 8:10.85 for 3K. Scarpello also enjoyed a lifetime best in the 5K during the indoor season, running 14:39.89 at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.
Elsewhere, sophomore Abbie Benson (Elma, N.Y.) will represent the Nittany Lions in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, after placing third in the event at the USATF Junior Championships in 2012. Benson wrapped up her rookie campaign with a PR of 10:35.53 for the steeple - the 10th-fastest effort in the Nittany Lion record books.
Taking on a new event will be junior Emily Giannotti (Coudersport, Pa.), who is set to run the women's 10,000 meters. Giannotti has been an outstanding contributor on the Nittany Lion roster over her career, including All-Big Ten and All-Region finishes in cross country, as well as a steeplechase appearance at the NCAA First Round as a sophomore.
Also competing in the 10K is former Nittany Lion and school record holder Kara (Millhouse) Foster. Foster set the Nittany Lion standout in the event last spring, going 32:57.33. Foster will be seeded in the top section of the event, while competing for Oiselle Running.
Action at Stanford begins at 10:40 a.m., PDT, on Friday and continues until late Friday evening.
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