cpoi> jrvJ Jc\ } 8 I Friday, Dec. 4,2009 - iineup Odrick named % 0R f ON T V The defensive tackle became the 77th first-team All ■ “ “ American under coach Joe becomes the Lions 94th p a temo. NBA first-team All-American. “This is a great Chicago at Cleveland honor,” Odrick sn m fqpn said in a statement ~KL m P \ , a , , By Nate Mink released by the |P Miami at L.A. Lakers collegian staff writer university. “There 10:30 p.m., ESPN are a lot of great The Big Ten’s defensive player D-linemen across - of the year is also a first-team All- the country, so I’m ON fHE WEB I America selection. — =rr flattered to receive For full stories: psucolleglan.com MEN'S SOCCER Lions expectations high for next year After a season that left the men s soccer team one game shy of a Big Ten Championship title, the Lions are lookng towards a bright tomorrow with nine of 11 starters returning next sea son. W. SWIMMING Technological suit bids new challenge Women’s swimming coach John Hargis expects this weekend’s Ohio State Invitational opponent’s to be donning the Speedo LZR a swim suit designed by NASA to give swimmers optimal performance. V l -v] . M S i SC S Senior guarantees first Big Ten title While women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said his team has the potential to be great this season, sen ior Brandi Personett guaranteed the team will win its first ever Big Ten title this sea son and even took a jab at perennial Big Ten power Michigan. P£NN STATE Veteran MLB writer shares anecdotes Esteemed sports writer John Lowe, a writer for the Detroit Free Press and presi dent of the Baseball Writers Association of America, spoke for an hour to about 40 stu dents Thursday in Carnegie Cinema, offering insight to aspiring writers trying to break into the journalism field. C ; U '-a 815 Polanco’s return overdue for Phillies When the Phillies announced they had signed Placido Polanco, it brought back memories of the first time he played in Philly. Polanco was the odd-man out as the Phillies were look ing to clear room for stud prospect Chase Utley and decided to stick with David Bell at third base, simply because Bell had a higher salary. But since Polanco left just four years ago, the organiza tion’s attitude has been revamped. No longer are unproduc tive, overpaid players like Bell kept around. Deadweight, like Adam Eaton and Geoff Jenkins, is dropped as the Phils match productive players with their new winning attitude. It took a while but now Phillies fans will get to watch the infield they should have seen all along. IHiVIA Q: Who is the only active NFL player to have played for the Houston Oilers? Thursday’s Answer Oregon won the Pac-10 title outright in 2001. Pe™ . State FOOTBALL announced Thurs- day senior defen sive tackle Jared Odrick was selected to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All- America Team. The lineman EN GARDE Olivia Benedek (right) practices with Monika Aksamit during fencing practice on Thursday evening at the White Building. The Nittany Lion fenc ing team will participate in the Pittsburgh open this weekend, where the men’s team will look to continue its success after last weekend’s Harvard Invitational while the women fencers will be looking to improve off of a 4-1 team mark in its opening competition last weekend. Jones readies for trip home By Stephen Hennessey COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Drew Jones knows his offense hasn’t “clicked yet” this season. In Penn State’s first seven contests, the 6-foot-10 jun- ior has not scored UCMIC double-digit MENS points. BASKETBALL But Jones said he’s not concerned. Nittany Lions coach Ed DeChellis said if Jones focuses on being more active on the offense end, it will allow his tallest player to get going. “My thing to him and some of our other post players is to defend, rebound and run,” DeChellis said. Battle adjusting to new role the play catapulted them to their second-straight victory and yet another win in the ACC/Big Ten With just less than four minutes Challenge. By Andrew J. Cassavell COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER remaining in Monday’s game at With freshman Tim Frazier Virginia, Talor Battle came around who got the assist on the play a screen, spotted emerging as a second option at up and hit a three point guard, Battle said plays like point shot, putting that one will become more fre the Penn State quent as the season progresses, men’s basketball Despite some struggles playing team up by 12 and off the ball early in the season, the forcing a Cavalier junior preseason All-Big Ten timeout. selection said he has finally For once, Battle worked the kinks out in an offen was the one Batfle s j ve sc h eme he isn’t accustomed receiving the pass to. off the pick instead of the one deliv- “I got frustrated at times at first ering it. because I really wasn’t making the Although Battle’s three did not shots,” said Battle, whose Lions ice the game as it seemed at the travel to Temple at 4 p.m. Saturday time the Lions (5-2) let that lead to face the 5-2 Owls. “But now after dwindle to one late in the game this game and the game before this award. This honor speaks about the play of our defense as a whole all season. “I’m privileged to be joining some of the great Penn State defensive linemen who have been All-Americans.” Andrew Jones (22) rebounds the ball during the Nittany Lion's 80-61 win over Robert Morris earlier this season. “It’s amazing how the ball will find matchup at the Liacouras Center, you. If you try to score, it just never Temple (5-2) is ranked No. 14 in really works out that way. You’ve RPI. The Owls lost a one-point got to find your rhythm offensive- game to then-No. 19 Georgetown ly.” and own wins over NCAA Jones will have an opportunity Tournament hopefuls Siena and to jumpstart his offense on Virginia Tech. Saturday in his native city as the Through seven games, Temple Lions travel to Temple for a 4 rm. See JONES, Page 10. All-American Odrick, who was named the Big Ten’s conference Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches last week, is the 94th first-team All- American in Penn State school his tory and the sixth defensive line man honored in the last 11 sea sons. He was notified of the honor via text message from AFCA officials. Odrick then forwarded the text message to his high school football coach, Bill Giovino, Thursday afternoon. “We’re so proud of him,” said Giovino, who coached Odrick at Lebanon High School. “All the hard work he’s put in since he’s been here in high school at that, I’m realizing that it’s a lot easier to play off the ball.” Battle, who led the nation in minutes played last season, noted that without the ball constantly in his hands he will suffer less wear and tear as Penn State approach es March. Head coach Ed DeChellis said he tried to do something similar last season with former Lion Stanley Pringle, but having a true point guard like Frazier in the offense makes it much easier. “I think [Battle] understands when you have another guy who can break guys off the dribble and penetrate and create, it just takes the pressure off of him to have to do the whole thing,” DeChellis said. “It’ll be an ongoing thing, and See BATTLE, Page 10. The Daily Collegian Lebanon High until now, it’s all paying off.” Odrick tied for fifth on the team with 41 tackles, 10 of which went for a loss. He had six sacks and also blocked a field goal. “We’ve always told him he’s des tined for greatness,” Giovino said. “It’s a matter of how much he wants to work for it.” Odrick helped lead the No. 10 Nittany Lions to a 10-2 regular sea son record. The Lions will learn their bowl destination Sunday night, when bowl announcements are made. To e-mail reporter: npmso2s@psu.edu Team preps to face speed By Andrew J. Cassavell COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER For the past two months, Darcy Dorton’s blocking style has been geared strictly toward power. PL laying in a conference with WOMEN’S some of the VOLLEYBALL nation’s strong- est hitters, dur ing the regular season there were few other options for the Big Tens freshman of the year. But with the Penn State women’s volleyball team set to kick off the first round of the NCAA tournament at 7:30 tonight against Binghamton (15- 15), Dorton may have to do her best to forget what she used to help the Lions to their seventh straight conference crown. “Binghamton is very different from the teams we’ve played in the Big Ten,” Dorton said. “We’re just working on changing our defense to match their hit ters because they have a differ ent quickness than the teams that we’ve seen so far.” The Lions led the conference with 3.23 blocks per set and held their opponents to a .105 hitting percentage, also the best in the Big Ten. They were the only See V. BALL, Page 10. Collegian staff writers Jfm breakdown this week end's Penn-Army matchup and explore Kelsey Ream’s return: psucollegian.com
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