Consuella Moore: National Champion and A Few (More) Good Men (and Women)

In no particular order:

• Ryan Fritz, 6th High Jump, 7' 2 1/2"
• Fawn Dorr, 3rd 400 M Hurdles,  55.99
• Blake Eaton, 16th Shot Put, 51' 11 1/4"
• Bridget Franek, 5th 3000 M SC, 10:07.49

And former PSU star Consuella Moore, National Champion, 200 M, 22.40.  She came back after a two-year hiatus!


It was a very good year for PSU Track and Field.  Get involved and help make the future even more exciting.  Operators are standing by. And remember, the golf part is entirely optional!

Addendum:  Kate Curran '06, current Head Coach of St. Lawrence University, has alerted me that I missed Shakeema Welsch's ('99) second place finish in the Triple Jump.  Blog fact checkers responsible for the slight have been sacked. 

On to the NCAA Championships

Bridget Franek winning the Steeplechase. (Photo from Michael Scott.)

Fifteen individuals and 2 Relays qualified for the NCAA Championships in two weeks.  Some of the usual suspects and a couple of great surprises.  Nine women and six men will make the trek to Oregon's fabled Hayward Field.

Because of Bridget Franek's win in the steeplechase, she will toe the line in the event as the favorite.  Three also qualified in the 400 Hurdles with Fawn Dorr, Megan Duncan and Evonne Britton moving on.  The Sprints are also well represented with Aleesha Barber, Shavon Greaves.  Bianca Fung also qualified in the long jump and Karlee McQuillen tossed the javelin to third place booking her ticket to Oregon.

The Men also impressed, placing six individuals into the Championships.  800 U qualified two in the event, with Casimir Loxsom and Ryan Foster two-lapping into the next round. In the distances, Tyler McCandless ran a strong 10000 M to move on.

My emphasis on the track aspects of PSU Track and Field led a few Field Eventers to mildly protest at the Reunion, so here is another headline just for you!

Penn State Field and Track Team Impresses Crowd

In the Shot Put, Joe Kovacs and Blake Eaton both qualified for a trip to the West Coast.  Ryan Fritz also jumped at his chance of moving on and tied for first in the High Jump.

Championship Week

A second and two-third place finishes topped the indoor season for PSU at the NCAA Meet. The Women placed 7th overall, first among the Big Ten.
Gayle Hunter set a school record in the Pentathlon with 4342 points. Ryan Fritz placed third in the high jump to lead the Men.

Others garnering All-American Honors included Bridgit Franek in the 5000 M, and the Women's 4 X 400 M Relay squad with Fawn Dorr, Aleesha Barber, Shavon Greaves and Gayle Hunter. The Men's Distance Medley quartet just missed 8th place by less than 2/10ths of a second.

In the USATF 15 K Championships, James Carney placed 10th in 44:13 and honorary PSU Track Alum Golfer Rebecca Donaghue placed 8th in 51:05.

Addendum: Odds for a hole-in-one at our tourney have been figured at (40 X 4/12,750) or 1 in 78. Good luck, and you can't win if you don't play!