The Best and the Brightest

"Athletics is for education and recreation, nothing else. Winning is important only in that you learn more."-Coach Harry Groves, 5/21/2011 at the Alumni "Run".

With Coach Groves' words, we must point out that Penn State is excelling not only on the track, but in the classroom and in the world beyond.

Penn State's academic success was honored recently with a record number of Spring Academic All-Big Ten athletes in all sports.  But at the head of the class were 2 PSU Track athletes with perfect 4.0 grade-point averages, also tops in the Big Ten, Emily Giannotti and Katie Rodden.  A tip of my cap goes to both.

Emily Giannotti

Katie Rodden

Thirty-four track and field athletes attained All-Big Ten honors:

Men's Track and Field (13)
Bernard Bennett-Green	Sr.	Journalism	Drexel Hill, Pa.
Ryan Brennan	Jr.	Security And Risk Analysis	Chester, N.Y.
Robert Cardina	So.	Communications	Lancaster, Pa.
Robert Creese	Jr.	Mathematics	Mount Airy, Md.
Thomas Damiani	So.	Science	Dalton, Pa.
Matthew Fischer	Sr.	Marketing	Kennett Square, Pa.
Russell Hedrick	Sr.	Energy Engineering	Schwenksville, Pa.
Jonathan Hendershot	Sr.	Supply Chain And Information Systems	Nazareth, Pa.
Daniel Jordan	Sr.	Recreation, Park, & Tourism Management	Boalsburg, Pa.
Alex Kenney	Gr.	Communication Arts and Sciences	State College, Pa.
Michael McClelland	Jr.	Communication Arts and Sciences	Washington, Pa.
Aaron Nadolsky	Sr.	Communication Arts and Sciences	Altoona, Pa.
Nicholas Scarpello	Sr.	Advertising/Public Relations	Jamison, Pa.
Women's Track and Field (21)
Leigha Anderson	Jr.	Labor Studies and Employment Relations	Carlisle, Pa.
Abigail Benson	Jr.	Nutritional Sciences	Elma, N.Y.
Shelley Black	Jr.	Kinesiology	Hanover Township, Pa.
Dynasty Boxley-McGee	Jr.	Journalism	Ypsilanti, Mich.
Megan Boyer	Sr.	Human Development & Family Studies	Millersburg, Pa.
Rachel Casciano	Jr.	Advertising/Public Relations	Wyomissing, Pa.
Gabrielle Cocco	Sr.	Journalism	Allentown, Pa.
Kelsey Couts	Sr.	Interdisciplinary Digital Studio	Powell, Ohio
Emily Giannotti	Sr.	Counselor Education	Coudersport, Pa.
Lauren Kenney	Jr.	Kinesiology	State College, Pa.
Marta Klebe	Sr.	Supply Chain and Information Systems	Chesterbrook, Pa.
Erin Knabe	So.	Science	Califon, N.J.
Danielle Kocjancic	Sr.	Communication Sciences & Disorders	Kane, Pa.
Melanie Leszcynski	Jr.	Marketing	Audubon, Pa.
Olivia Mangan	Sr.	Psychology	Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
Lauren Mills	Jr.	Nutritional Sciences	West Chester, Pa.
Sarah Palmer	Jr.	Kinesiology	Gansevoort, N.Y.
Gwenndolyn Porter	Sr.	Kinesiology	Clearfield, Pa.
Kathleen Rodden	Jr.	Kinesiology	Ardmore, Pa.
Kiah Seymour	So.	Communications	Washington, D.C.
Sarah Underwood So.		Undeclared	Alexandria, Va.

Of personal note are the superb performances of Olivia Mangan, daughter of our Chief Laundry and Morale Officer Larry Mangan, our very own newest Author Nick Scarpello, and Jonathan Hendershot, son of former Holder of the Golden Putter Dennis Hendershot,   And Baseballs Taylor Skerpon, son of vaulter Don Skerpon.

Javelin Army

If we were living in antiquity and about to go to battle. These are the men and women I would want on my side. Throwing spears, not at me, but at the enemy.

From the Sun Angel Classic at Arizona State.

          Women's Javelin

          1 Laura Loht SR 170' 3"

          2 Lauren Kenney JR 164' 3"

          6 Megan Boyer SR 140' 2"

          9 Kianna Weinzheimer SO 133' 7"

          11 Olivia Mangan JR 131' 7"

          Men's Javelin

          2 Cole Proffitt FR 217' 9"

          3 Michael Shuey SO 213' 9"

          5 Robert Cardina FR 200' 4"

          11 Russell Hedrick SR 184' 6"

Full Results from TFRRS. Another scored meet (hooray!) with the men taking fourth place and the women in second. Not bad considering it wasn't a full squad as the distance runners competed at Bucknell. This weekend it is the Mt. Sac Relays for some and the Bucknell Team Challenge for others. Penn Relays in two weeks!

I add this photo for artistic purposes only.  I hope Matt doesn't feel I am stepping on his blog toes! -skwilli

Achilles Learns the Javelin by Giovanni Battista Cipriani.

Lions and Tigers and One Bear

The Women Lions won the Crimson Tide Invitational in Tuscaloosa and the Men placed third. The Missouri Tigers were there too. Our man in the field Larry Mangan found some time before the Javelin competition to bring us a delightful photo of Paul "Bear" Bryant's bust with a little added PSU Track Alumni Wrist Band!  Yeah, you heard that right, Larry Mangan watched the javelin competition where his daughter Olivia Mangan threw a PR.

Paul "Bear" Bryant gets a dose of PSU Track Alumni goodness.

I'm more interested in finding out how the barbeque was in a place I've never been!



In other news, Tyler McCandless traveled to the nation's capital for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, where he was the first American in a PR 49:01.

Tyler McCandless, 8th Place Cherry Blossom 10 Miles 49:01

Addendum:  From Tyler himself, I learned of several other Lion Alums taking over Washington DC!

Patrick Murphy , and Scott Munro ran 54:20 and 54:26 respectively. Chris Pruitt in 53:32!  Stephanie- Pezz Pezzullo was 9th American in the US Championships too!!
 

PSU is Javelin U

Penn State has had a strong tradition in the Women's Javelin and this early season has seen some good performances to keep the tradition alive. Last week at the LSU Invitational, Penn State again dominated the event:

1 Laura Loht                SO Penn State              49.91mM    163-09 
      44.91m  49.91m  49.48m  49.06m  46.08m  49.53m
  2 Lauren Kenney             FR Penn State              47.47m     155-09 
      FOUL  47.33m  45.39m  43.94m  46.71m  47.47m

8 Megan Boyer               SO Penn State              40.59m     133-02 
      40.59m  38.86m  FOUL  34.70m  39.57m  38.36m

10 Melanie Leszcynski        FR Penn State              35.49m     116-05 
      35.49m  34.40m  34.35m            
 11 Olivia Mangan             FR Penn State              33.81m     110-11 
      31.59m  31.45m  33.81m 

Speaking of the javelin, here's a neat article about  Dana Zatopkova, Emil Zatopek's widow.  She was once the World Record Holder in the Javelin and the Olympic Gold Medalist in the event.  She made 4 straight Olympic teams starting in 1948.  She still has her wooden javelin used to win the Gold, now the handle of a broom.

And for you javelin aficionados out there, I have a question for you.  What is the optimal release angle for the javelin?  While I'm at it, what is the optimal release angle for the shot put, discuss and hammer too?   And would your answer be the same as what a Physicist would answer?

Just Like Old Times

My aversion to actually attending a PSU Football game led me to miss a great mini-reunion of some of my best friends and PSU Track Alumni Golfers.  Rarely seen Don Ziter even traveled from either Boston of Florida to attend the festivities.  Mark Hawkins, Larry Mangan. Steve Balkey, Jeff King, (current PSU trackster) Olivia Mangan and Nick K. all braved the gorgeous weather for a few runs and a tailgate before the Iowa football game. They apparently even made a foray up Four Hills at the end of a run, which must have been a thrill for everyone.  I'm pretty sure it's also illegal now, but maybe I'm mistaken.

Some of them even braved the ancient cavern known as Rec Hall for a shower prior to the tailgate.  The same showers that were the scene of a certain brave future Best Man's hour-long shower while seated in a folding chair after a particularly difficult work-out.  The best water pressure in the world was counterbalanced by the need for immediate action if anyone flushed the toilets nearby.  Most everyone ever using the facility knows what I'm talking about. I'm still healing some of the burns.

Here's some poor quality video of the showers at Rec Hall, demonstrating the amazing water pressure that was so welcome after work-outs and mountain runs.

PSU is 800 U and Other 800 News

Greg Fredericks brings us this Official Emblem for our "PSU is 800 U" motto. I'll have to alter it a little bit to put it onto some merchandise in the store, but we can certainly appreciate the glory of it on our humble blog.

I was a spectator at the York Suburban Relays (now the Herb Schmidt Relays) over the weekend.  This event is unique in that all field events are a "relay" of two participants, the combined distance or height is what counts.  They also have a Mixed 3200 M Realy (2 boys and 2 girls), which would be really cool thing on the college level also.  I have a feeling PSU could dominate such an event!

Larry Mangan spent the weekend at the only Outdoor Meet of the season, the Jim Thorpe Invitational.  He also helped move his daughter out after her last final.  Do any of you remember when we were still in school on JUNE 8?  Or do any of you remember when we had at least 3 Outdoor Meets at PSU, even when we didn't have a track?  Olivia Mangan competed unattached at the meet while red-shirting.  It must be great to watch your daughter competing on the same track as you once did, (before they invented color, as my daughters would say).  I'll bet the butterflies are more, however! Larry reports that the 800 M races were the highlight of the meet for him.

Records Coming in Bunches

Coach Sullivan and our group's Director of Youth Development, Artie Gilkes confer during this weekend's Nittany Lion Challenge.  Many records have already been set this year.  I won't even list them, but you can see the official report here.  I will give a shout out to the sprinters this time though, both on the Men's and Women's sides!  Even this slowpoke recognizes speed when he sees it!

And I've included a great photo of former Lion great Larry Mangan, Coach Groves and one of the newest Nittany Lions, Olivia Mangan.