April 17, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After two cross country journeys in the past two weeks, the Nittany Lion track and field teams will get a much needed break from traveling this weekend, making the short drive down Route 45 for the Bucknell Team Challenge, set for Saturday, April 19, at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium. The Nittany Lion women's squad enters the weekend as the 10th-ranked team in the NCAA - the highest of any team in the Big Ten.
The Nittany Lions rolled in the competition last year, winning both the men's and women's team titles, and setting over 10 stadium records. This year's field is scheduled to include Bucknell, Binghamton, UMBC, Penn State, Lock Haven, Duquesne, and St. Francis (Pa.).
After setting a new school record in the 100-meter hurdles last weekend, Penn State's resident hurdle queen Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.) will be in action again this weekend, along with fellow 400-meter hurdle specialists Megan Duncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.) and Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.). On the men's side, senior Ron Jules (Tom's River, N.J.) will look to continue his hot streak in the 110s, after running a regional-qualifying 14.17 last weekend.
Senior Dominique Blake (Bronx, N.Y.) is also scheduled to compete at Bucknell, following a career-best 52.91 in the 400-meters last weekend. Blake put the entire nation on notice with a blistering PR and second-place finish in the invitational section at Arizona State. Blake's mark is currently rated fifth in the country and second in the Big Ten. Blake will drop in distance this weekend, as she is slated to compete in the 200-meters.
The Nittany Lion men are poised for some big performances in the throws, with freshman Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.), and senior Tyler Hoffman (Lewisburg, Pa.) already on the regional-qualifying list. Juniors Clarence Smith (Coatesville, Pa.), Ryan Taylor (Spanish Town, Jamaica), and Jay Pagana (Selinsgrove, Pa.) will lead the Lions in the horizontal jumps. Smith already has the regional triple jump mark under his belt this season.
Junior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.), freshman Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.), and senior Lena Bettis (Riverside, Calif.) will head the jumps group on the women's side, with Hunter and Fung both posting regional marks in the long jump last weekend.
Several of the Lions' top athletes will get a much deserved breather this weekend, including 400-meter star and reigning Big Ten Athlete of the Week Shana Cox (Westbury, N.Y.), as well as freshman javelin standout Karlee McQuillen (Johnstown, Pa.), who set a new American Junior record in the event at last weekend's Sun Angel Classic, and Big Ten 800-meter leader Mark Miller (Shillington, Pa.).
Action is slated to begin with the men's triple jump at 10 a.m., Saturday morning. The track events are scheduled to get underway at 12 p.m. Log on to www.GoPSUsports.com for a full Nittany Lion recap and complete results following the day's events.