Dec. 13, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: December 13, 2008 - The Nittany Lion track and field team finally got a chance to show its stuff on Saturday, competing at the annual Blue/White intersquad meet at Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Among the many highlights on the afternoon, seniorEmma Schmelzer (Bloomington, Ill.) captured victories in both the shot put at the 20-pound weight throw, while NCAA All-American and seniorClarence Smith (Coatesville, Pa.) proved to be one to watch this season, posting an impressive leap of 52-6.50 (16.01) to win the triple jump. Senior Ryan Fritz (Parkesburg, Pa.) also impressed in the season preview, clearing 7-0.50 (2.15) to win the high jump.
The White Team squeaked out wins in both the men's and women's competition, with a 59-54 margin on the men's side, and a 60.50-56.50 decision in the women's standings.
Schmelzer was the lone double winner on the day taking the weight throw with a toss of 59-9.50 (18.22), and posting a toss of 43-7 (13.28) to win the shot put. Sophomore Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) took the shot on the men's side with a mark of 52-7.50 (16.04), while junior Adam Thielemann (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) posted a win in the men's 35-pound weight with a throw of 54-6.75 (16.63).
Smith's would-be NCAA provisional leap headlined the effort in the Lion horizontal jumps, while teammate Ryan Taylor (Spanish Town, Jamaica) won the men's long jump with a jump of 22-11.75 (7.00). Senior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) notched a win in the women's long jump, going 19-11.75 (6.09), with newcomer Tiffany Rosewag (New Oxford, Pa.) taking top honors in the triple jump with a mark of 38-8.25 (11.79).
Junior Brittany Maun (Greensburg, Pa.) showed outstanding promise for the coming season, clearing 5-8.75 (1.75) to win the high jump. Freshman Jocelyn Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.) and sophomore Caitlin Fairbairn (Coatesville, Pa.) tied atop the women's pole vault, both jumping 11-11.75 (3.65) to lead a quartet of Lion vaulters to clear the bar at just under 12-feet. Senior Brad Lawrence (Voorhees, N.J.) was tops in the men's vault, clearing 15-5 (4.70).
On the track, Ryan Foster (Tasmania, Australia) provided an outstanding final charge on his way to a win in the men's 1,000-meters, finishing in 2:23.69, while Tim Johnson (New Cumberland, Pa.) outlasted his competitors to win the 3,000-meters in 8:25.20. Janelle Young (Lemoyne, Pa.) captured the women's 3K in 10:08.42, while the team of Meghan Noecker (Reading, Pa.), Caitlin Lane(Greenwich, Pa.), Claire Percival (Sarnia, Ontario) and Kerry Swayne (Horsham, Pa.) recorded a win in the 4x1000-meter relay.
Sophomore Shavon GReaves (Lakewood, N.J.), juniorFawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.), and senior Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.) each picked up a win in the women's sprints and hurdles with Greaves taking the 55-meter dash in 7.13, Dorr notching the win in the 300-meters with a finishing time of 38.23, and Barber winning the 55-meter hurdles in 7.83. Sophomore Sam Hill (Queens, N.Y.) was the winner in the men's 55 dash, going 6.58, while Mike Cadau (Mahanoy City, Pa.) outran in the men's 300 field, winning in 34.39. Newcomer Jake Librizzi (Pa. Furnace, Pa.) won the men's hurdles in 8.98.
The Lions will officially open their 2009 campaign with the Penn State Relays on Jan. 10. Follow www.gopsusports.com for LIVE results during all home competitions.