14 I FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 2010 Freshman impressing early By Jared Shanker COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER "In dub, you get to show what you can do on every event," she said, "and now it's just you only do the events that you're put on. ... As a freshman you have to prove yourself even more. "I like it, though. It keeps me motivated and wanting to work hard. That's just my personality. Before performing on bars I want to be an all-arounder." and floor last weekend, Merriam Right now, vault is the only competed in only two events event holding Merriam up from total in the season's first three competing in the all-around. meets, both on floor. That was Shephard, though, thinks that something she never dealt with with a little consistency and con before. She was used to compet- fidence, vault can become one of ing all-around for her dub team her best events because of her in Maryland, where she won a height. pair of state championships and At 5-foot-8, Merriam is one of finished second in two other the tallest gymnasts in the Big events at the USAG 2009 state Ten. It would seem her height championships. would be a disadvantage for Now she's competing with Merriam, and she admits it does equally skilled gymnasts with hurt her when it comes to quick much more experience, and that ness and flipping. Overall, how is just on her team alone. Before ever, her length gives her an Merriam can prove herself to edge over the prototypical gym the rest of the country, she has to nast, she said. prove herself to Shephard, "With my height, my line, the things that I do look better on me than someone that is 5-foot," Merriam said. "Bars, especially, because the way I swing, my release move, it just looks good because I have really long legs." Shephard points to Merriam's balance and use of her leverage as reasons why the normal restrictions height presents doesn't apply to her. "Traditionally, as you can imagine, there is a mechanical disadvantage to have long lever age like she has," Shephard said. "But, she has managed her height and the leverage that she has extremely well." Coming off a season-high 196.025, the Lions will continue to lean on Merriam this week end against Illinois to provide a spark at the top of the lineup on bars. Merriam could even break into the beam lineup against Illinois. Along with floor, that would put Merriam in three events. In contrast, Merriam didn't compete in a single event three weeks ago at the Denver Wmterfest Classic. Merriam's quick rise into the Lions' lineups comes as no surprise to Shephard, though. "We anticipated that she was gonna be a major-impact person for us all along," he said. "That's why we recruited her. She's someone were counting Sharaya Musser competes in the uneven bar competition Jan. 23 at on." Rec Hall. Musser's teammate, freshman Madison Merriam, has Watching from the side was a completely new experience for Madison Merriam. She wasn't -d to hr use.. laving to compete with her own teammates just for a chance to compete against the opposition. WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS The freshman gymnast has embraced it, though, and has worked her way into the lineup for No. 17 Penn State as it pre pares to take on No. 23 Illinois at 7 Saturday night in Rec Hall. Prior to last weeks tri-meet against Alabama and Minnesota, coach Steve Shephard hinted at changes to the lineup as a way to spark the Nittany Lions. One of those changes was the insertion of Merriam on the uneven bars. Competing on bars for the first time as a Lion at that meet, Merriam made Shephard's deci sion of replacing a senior for a worked her way into the starting lineup hance < Intercollegiate Athletics to w in a 32 Tv, \ NMEIN - THE GRID Men's Basketball Lady Uons Wrestling Men's Lacrosse Women's Lacrosse Men's Volleyball Men's Track Women's Track Men's Gymnastics Women's Gymnastics Men's Fencing Women's Fencing Women's Golf Men's Tennis Women's Tennis Men's Swimming Women's Swimming Ice Lions freshman look genius. Merriam scored a 9.800, tied for second highest among the Lions. "I was really proud of my bar routine because I was definitely more nervous actually being in the lineup," said Merriam, who performed exhibition on bars previously "I know I can even score high- vs. Minnesota vs. Ohio State vs. Northwestern, Michigan vs. Hobart vs. La Salle vs. Rutgers-Newark, Springfield College vs. No. 10 Rhode Island Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup 2010 Winter Cup Challenge vs. No. 23 Illinois vs. MIT, Brandeis, Air Force, North Carolina vs. MIT, Brandeis, Air Force, North Carolina Lady Puerto Rico Classic vs. Maryland Noon Sunday at Purdue vs. Buffalo and Lehigh 4 p.m. Fri., 1 p.m. Sat 1 p.m. McCoy Saturday Natatorium vs. UMBC, Montclair State Bp.m. Fri., Baltimore, Greenberg 10:15 p.m. Sat Ice Pavilion vs. Lehigh SPORTS which is no easy task for a fresh man. Doris Anyanwu. Sharon Greaves the meets and usually has more and Fawn Dorr has placed first in riding on it. both of their races. The team provi- "There are tons and tons of peo sionally qualified for March's ple standing there screaming your NCAA national championships. name." Dorr said. - R sounds like with times of 3 minutes. 39.13 sec- you're standing on the highway, onds and 3:37.57, respectively. with cars just running by me. You Now two meets and two lineups just hear the erupting noise and deep in the 2010 indoor track sea- you can feel the ground shaking son, the team may move runners with everybody screaming. If that around. Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan isn't motivation, I don't know what's discussed the possibility of a new going to motivate you." lineup this week with assistant The team would have to break coaches, saying it takes time to find Penn State's record time of 3:33.39 the ideal mix and placement. to qualify for the NCAAs, which "I think we're running very well." calls for a 3:33.00 finish. Alford-Sullivan said. "But we want One of the few events not to go to get our time down a little more. Penn State's way in the 4x400 was and we may have some other play- the loss of Aleesha Barber, who ers coming into the mix this week- remains eligible for the outdoor end, and we'll test it out and see track season only. But when Barber what we've got with people. We're makes her first appearance during going down to .Arkansas next week. outdoor, Dorr said to expect great and we'll have the opportunity to things. run another good relay there. So "The thing with Penn State is these two weeks will be good for that we typically have five to six us." girls who are capable of running Halfway through each of the past the 4x4, and we really don't know two races, however. Penn State who's going to be on the relay until found itself trailing in either third ten minutes before," Dorr said. or fourth place. In each, Greaves "When Aleesha comes on, people and Dorr dug the team out of its are going to be fighting for that hole, earning the first place finish. fourth spot. She's a 52 second 400 Both Dorr and Greaves insist runner. She's very good." they are better runners trailing To e-mail reporter: jpss226€psu.edu from behind because the competi- To e-mail reporter: zefsoos@psu.edu TIME PLACE TV WHAT TO LOOK FOR 2 p.m. Saturday 1 p.m Sunday 7 p.m. Fri., 1 p.m. Sun. 1 p.m. Saturday 1 p.m Sunday 7 p.m. Fri., 4 p.m. Sat 9 p.m. Fri., 3:30 p.m. Sat. Friday to Saturday S ato 10 a.m Saturday 7 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m Sunday 9 a.m Sunday Sunday through Tuesday 2 p.m. Friday Shavon Greaves leads the pack of runners during the women's 4x400- meter relay at the 2008 Penn State Open. Lineup Coaches aren't always certain which runners will compete in cer tain events in upcoming meets. Such is the case with the women's 4x400 relay team. WOMEN'S The team, corn- TRACK prised thus far in ND FIELD the season of Caitlin DeFusco Bryce Jordan Center Bryce Jordan Center Rec Hail Holuba Hall Holuba Hall Rec Hall Greenberg Ice Pavilion Multi-Sport Facility Multi-Sport Facility Las Vegas Rec Hall Durham, N.O Durham, N.O San Juan, Puerto Sami Tennis Center West Lafayette, Ind. McCoy Natatorium By Zack Feldman COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER BTN The Lions don throwback jerseys as they seek first Big Ten home win. The Lady Lions will try and slow down the dynamic duo of Jantel Lavender and Samantha Prahalis. The Lions look to build on their 2-2 Big Ten record The team starts its season with the first of two exhibi tions before the regular season opener Feb. 20. A week before the 2010 regular season opener, Penn State takes on La Salle for a scrimmage. The No. 8 Lions look to bounce back from their loss last weekend at Loyola-Chicago. Penn State and Rhode Island meet in two huge games this weekend with the conference title on the line. Ryan Foster looks to continue his early dominance Bridget Franek aims to lower her 3k time Three Penn State gymnasts and two assistant coaches compete individually in the prestigious tournament. No. 17 PSU looks to beat a Big Ten opponent for the third-consecutive week. The men look to come back from their loss to No. 2 Notre Dame. The women look to dominate the weekend against their unranked opponents. The Penn State women's golf team will kick off its spring season at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. Penn state returns to Happy Valley after splitting at the ITA Kickoff Weekend tournament Penn State needs to win the tournament in order to advance to the NCAA tournament next weekend. Penn State swims its last home meet and says good bye to seniors on Saturday. Shedding of tears from seniors in their last home meet as Nittany Lions. The Ice Lions take on former head coach Mike Brinton who is now an assistant coach for UMBC. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN in limbo tion pushes them. One of the secrets, Dorr said, is the order of the runners. - We're really starting to get a feel for what we're doing. The key thing in the 4x4 is to get your order of who's running where," Dorr said. - The first person sets up the race, the second person secures your position, the third person runs like hell and the fourth person every thing comes down to the anchor." The 4x400 relay is the last race at
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