Nationally Ranked Foes to Penn State National Meet

From Jess Riden at Penn State:

Cross Country Welcomes Conference Rivals; Nationally Ranked Foes to Penn State National

Nittany Lion women ranked No. 16 nationally; men looking for breakout performance

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: October 14, 2009 – In its final tune up prior to the Big Ten Cross Country Championships, the Nittany Lions are set to host the Penn State National, Friday at the Blue/White Golf Course.  Typically one of the top competitions of the fall, the Penn State National will feature top programs from around the country, including third-ranked West Virginia, and Big Ten foe and No. 23 Michigan in the women’s race, along with 10^th-ranked Georgetown headlining the men’s field.  The Nittany Lion women have been running at full steam already this fall, entering the weekend at No. 16 in the nationally rankings with seniors Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) and Cheryl Spring (The Woodlands, Texas) leading the pack. The Penn State men, who finished 25^thnationally last season, are also poised for a big performance on their home course, led by sophomores Vince McNally (Smoketown, Pa.) and Kyle Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.).

Meet: The Penn State National

Where: Blue/White Golf Course (University Park, Pa.)

Race Times: Men – 10 a.m.; Women – 11 a.m.

Race Distances: Men – 5.2 Miles; Women – 6,000-Meters

Men’s Race Preview

Once again the Penn State National has attracted a competitive field, spanning over several of the NCAA’s nine cross country regions.  From the Mid-Atlantic Region, the field features 10th-ranked Georgetown, which took top honors at the meet last year, led by individual winner Andrew Bumbalough.  Bumbalough finished the 5.2-mile course in 25 minutes, 10 seconds - the fifth-fastest time ever run on the Blue/White Golf Course.  Elsewhere, the Nittany Lions will welcome out of region foes Kentucky, George Mason, Marist, and Binghamton, along with in-state rivals La Salle, Bucknell, Duquesne and Pennsylvania.  So far this season, the Nittany Lions competed at the Spiked Shoe Invitational, UMES Cappy Anderson Invitational and Notre Dame Invitational, led by sophomore Vince McNally (Smoketown, Pa.) and freshman Danny Pawola (Naperville, Ill.).  Also looking for a top finish at the Penn State National is sophomore Kyle Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.).  Dawson placed fifth at the competition last year, and went on to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.

Women’s Race Preview

The Penn State National has featured some of the top competition of the cross country season over the past decade and will not disappoint in 2009, as the field is set to include two-time defending National Invitational champions, and No. 3-ranked West Virginia.  Also slated to attend the event is Big Ten rival and No. 23 Michigan, as well as No. 25 Providence from the Northeast Region.  Individually, the race will likely feature three of the top five finishers from last year’s meet in Lion senior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio), and Mountaineers Keri Bland and Clara Grandt.  Also set to race is 2008 NCAA Division II runner-up Neely Spence of Shippensburg.  The Nittany Lion women, entering the competition as 16th-ranked team in the country, had a banner performance at the Notre Dame Invitational, scoring victories over several perennial powerhouses, including then third-ranked Florida State. Franek led the charge with a seventh-place finish overall, while classmate Cheryl Spring turned in an impressive 13th-place effort.  The Lions have been on a roll throughout the fall, with Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.), Spring, and Franek each earning Big Ten Runner of the Week accolades.

Competing Teams:

Men (USTFCCCA Ranking; Region, Rank)

Akron

Binghamton (Northeast, No. 9)

Bucknell (Mid-Atlantic, No. 10)

Cornell (Northeast, No. 7)

Cortland State (D-III, No. 2)

Duquesne (Mid-Atlantic, No. 11)

East Carolina

East Stroudsburg

George Mason

George Washington

Georgetown (USTFCCCA No. 10; Mid-Atlantic, No. 1)

Georgia State

Indiana (Pa.)

Kent State (Great Lakes, No. 10)

Kentucky (Southeast, No. 8)

La Salle (Mid-Atlantic, No. 5)

Lehigh

Lock Haven (D-II, No. 17)

Marist (Northeast, No. 12)

Mount St. Mary’s

Penn State (Mid-Atlantic, No. 7)

Pennsylvania (Mid-Atlantic, No. 9)

Rider

Slippery Rock

St. Francis (Pa.)

Yale (Northeast, No. 10)

Women (USTFCCCA Ranking; Region, Rank)

Boston College (ORV; Northeast, No. 3)

Bucknell (Mid-Atlantic, No. 9)

Connecticut (Northeast; No. 10)

Cornell (Northeast; No. 6)

Cortland State (D-III, No. 35)

Duquesne (Mid-Atlantic, No. 11)

East Carolina

East Stroudsburg

George Washington (Mid-Atlantic, No. 12)

Georgia State

Indiana (Pa.)

Kent State (Great Lakes, No. 14)

Kentucky (Southeast, No. 6)

La Salle (Mid-Atlantic, No. 10)

Lehigh (Mid-Atlantic, No. 15)

Lock Haven

Michigan (USTFCCCA No. 23; Great Lakes, No. 1)

Mount St. Mary’s

Penn State (USTFCCCA No. 16; Mid-Atlantic, No. 4)

Pennsylvania (Mid-Atlantic, No. 6)

Providence (USTFCCCA No. 25; Northeast, No. 2)

Rider

Shippensburg (D-II, No. 6)

Slippery Rock (D-II, No. 18)

St. Francis (Pa.)

Stony Brook (ORV; Northeast, No. 4)

VCU

West Virginia (USTFCCCA No. 3; Mid-Atlantic, No. 2)

Yale

ORV – Others Receiving Votes in National Poll

Results:

Full results and complete Nittany Lion recaps will be available at www.GoPSUsports.com at the conclusion of the races.  Results will also be posted at www.RunHigh.com.

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