10 I TUESDAY, AUG. 31, 2010
Nairn playing new role
By Andrew Robinson
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Christine Nairn is the reigning
Big Ten Freshman of the Year, a
2009 first-team All-Big Ten selec
tion. led the con
ference with 10
In=I2IMIIMI
as an attacking SOCCER
central midfielder
and was named a
preseason 2010 All-American.
But through three games this
season, Nairn has done a lot of
defending thanks to a new role
playing deeper in the midfield.
Though the sophomore is no
longer as much of an offensive
threat in the current formation,
Joe Paterno speaks at football media day on Aug. 12. Paterno will hold the first of his weekly press conferences today at 12:30 p.m., where
he's expected to announce Saturday's starting quarterback. For a column by Andrew J. Cassavell on the QB race. I SPORTS, Page 12.
New setter adds enemy,
By Emily Kaplan
COLLEL,I,•% APPR
Kristin Carpenter is always
willing to help out a teammate
even if it means she'll fall flat on
her face.
At a track prac
tice in high
school, Carpen
ter now a
„*Pphomore on
the Penn State women's volleyball
team was whizzing through
hurdles, but her friend was lag-
WR Brackett's role changes
By Andrew J. Cassavall
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Team-wise, there are a lot of
things Brett Brackett wants to
accomplish this season.
Individually. his
objectives are
simpler and tooTBAJ
fewer. His at er
said he has only one.
:s. - &%.'=": 4 lfis goal has always been to
Bob Brackett said.
'ln an offense that figures to u§e
plenty of three-wide receiver sets
t.. 4 • . MLB
adelphla at Los Angeles
10:10 tonight, CSN
Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs
8:05 tonight, FSN
Q: Who was the last Phillie to lead the
NL in ERA?
Monday's answer: 1999, his first season
she has grown as a leader on the
field.
"Being on the national [level],
well everything there is, she's a
good role model to look up to,"
freshman midfielder Taylor
Schram said. "She's a leader on
the field and she takes care of
everyone, she organizes every
thing. It's really an honor to play
next to her, I learn a lot from her."
With the Nittany Lions starting
three forwards this season, Nairn
has played as a true center mid
fielder, as opposed to the attacking
role she occupied as a freshman.
Consequently, Nairn has had to
adapt a more defensive presence
on the field and said that's been
the biggest change from her
ging e
Carpenter turned
around to offer
encouragement,
but while doing
so. took a nasty
spill.
The next week
end Carpenter Carpenter
had a club volley
ball tournament.
With a busted lip, swollen cheeks
and a look her father, Curtis,
describes as "really, a pretty
sight," she arrived in a T-shirt
::I_LF%'B:Ai..L
this season following the depar
ture of a pair of NFL-bound tight
ends, a starting spot for Brackett
seemed very likely. But when the
final summer depth chart was
released Sunday, Brackett
remained on the second team,
with sophomore Devon Smith
plugged in for the injured Curtis
Drake.
Brackett was lost in the shuffle
last season, catching just three
passes for 13 yards. In Saturday's
season opener against
Youngstown State, Brackett will
Clemens pleads not guilty
Roger Clemens put his right hand on
the lectern, leaned down toward the micro
phone and made what might bikthe most
important pitch of his life: 'Not guilty, your
honor"
Those words, uttered Monday in a
strong, confident voice by the seven-time
Cy Young Award winner sporting a black
blazer and blond highlights in his hair,
marked the official beginning of a court
case that could taint baseball even further
and land the "Rocker in jail.
U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton
presided over an arraignment hearing that
lasted less than 14 minutes in the ceremo
nial courtroom at the federal courthouse.
mindset as a freshman
In the U-20 FIFA World Cup this
summer, Nairn played the same
role for the United States. Against
Virginia and William & Mary last
weekend, Nairn covered the
entire field for the Nittany Lions,
chasing down attackers and trying
to create offense when the ball
went through the middle.
Covering as much ground as
she has in the last three games,
Nairn said she is learning how to
pace herself on the field, too.
"You get to a certain point and a
wall where you're like, 'Oh my
gosh, I'm exhausted,' " Nairn said.
"But as soon as you get past that
wall it's just like, 'Let's do this,'
See NAIRN, Page 14,
inked with a slogan she designed
herself "I fell over a freaking hur
dle. That's what happened."
It's that light-hearted determi
nation that has made Carpenter
one of the most energetic players
on the No. 1 Nittany Lions' roster.
It has also helped her become
the team's new starting setter.
"[Carpenter is] a really critical
part of our team's success," junior
Katie Kabbes said. "She's a
spunky little player."
Last weekend at the Lions' sea
son-opening tournament in North
be back in the H-Back role he
played in 2008, where he'll be sent
in motion and used as a blocker
out of the backfield, while still pos
ing a threat as a slot receiver.
"I didn't have the year I was
looking for but luckily I was only a
junior," Brackett said during
spring practice. "This year I have
another opportunity to make an
impact receiving the ball."
With the departures of Mickey
Shuler and Andrew Quarless, red
shirt freshman Garry Gilliam
appears poised to take over the
Manny era finished in LA
Manny Ramirez captivated Los Angeles
when he arrived two years ago, lifting the
Dodgers into the playoffs and beguiling the
fans with his dreadlocks, his smile and his
big swing.
It all ended Monday when the Chicago
White Sox claimed the slugger on waivers
from the Dodgers, who received nothing in
return.
In reality, though, Mannywood had gone
into foreclosure a long time ago.
Ramirez parted ways with his team
mates after the team's flight from
Colorado arrived in Los Angeles on
Sunday night.
But some remembered him fondly on
Monday, believing his short stint among
them was well worth everything it brought,
both good and bad.
1 111 )
4.t z
i 0 40'4
. 1 11
Ail 6
Sarah Finnegan/Collegian
Christine Nalm (10) goes up.
enthusiasm
Carolina, Carpenter played a
majority of the first-team reps at
setter. And she shined, quarter
backing an offense that attacked
at a .461 clip in the weekend's
finale against Campbell.
Her performance gave her a
Read more tidbits about
sophomore Kristin
Carpenter on the Can You
ON THE Dig It? blog:
BLOG psucollegian.com
in time for senior year
vacant tight end spot. The inexpe
rience at the position may mean
more spread formations, where
Brackett could fill the role of the
graduated, pass-catching tight
ends.
During his sophomore season,
See BRACKErt Page 14.
*Read the football writers'
preseason BCS projec
tions and hear the newest
ON THE podcast on the Footblog:
BLOC psucolleglan.com
See CARPENTER, Page 14
OUR THOUGHTS
Herbie still giving PSU ove
ESPN's Ku* Herbstreit'ranke4Penn
State No. 1 in the "Stay In Schoofftp
Student SectkOns" category nthigOth
Annual Herbie Awards, saying 'lnn
State's White Out is a sight to beold."
Herbstreit also recognized ENE
i
Royster as a top running back named
Stefen Wisniewski to his "All-He ie" team.
College football is just about k, and it
looks as if Herbsteit's adoration r the
Lions has returned for yet ano season.
Unfortunately, though, the He -
Awards mean close to nothing.
But we can always hope they i
the guys that vote on the real am
December.
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
Spikes
lose
fourth
in row
By Jake Kaplan
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
The Batavia Muckdogs contin
ued to show the State College
Spikes why they are the first
place team in
the Pinckney
SPIKES
Division.
A 6-2 Spikes'
loss to the
Muckdogs
Monday night at
Dwyer Stadium
in Batavia, N.Y. Bildlffia
marked the
fourth-consecu-
Batavia came State College
out on the win-
ning end against
the Pittsburgh
Pirates' short-season Class A
affiliate. It was also the seventh
win in the last eight games fot
Batavia which owns the sec
and-best record in the New York
Penn League and its 10th vic
tory in its last 12 contests.
The Muckdogs, who tallied 4
hits combined in the first thre
games of the five-game tilt
first two games of the seris
were played in State College -
continued to have success Inn
the batter's box Monday nigt.,
adding 10 more base knocks o
their series total.
"They've been really goo,"
said Spikes second basemn
Kelson Brown of Batavrs
offense. "They seem to hit ie
fastball really well, and are ral
ly disciplined at not chasing ad
pitches. It's a good approach ad
they've been executing, an it
seemed like their entire limp
hit."
Batavia opened the scong
Monday night. A single ail a
double began the third innii in
which the Muckdogs sent ght
batters to the plate and scred
three runs on three hits.
State College starting piker
Brandon Cumpton, makingust
his second professional art,
didn't survive the innim as
Kevin Decker relieved him t get
the third out of the staza.
Cumpton, who was respozible
for all three of the runs i the
third stanza, was tagged wu his
first career loss.
Three doubles tw off
Decker and one off left-hider
Justin Ennis helpec the
Muckdogs improve their lid to
6-1 in the sixth inning.
Batavia's pitching stafikept
State College (32-37) in heck
the entire game. The Mucdogs
starting pitcher, John ;ast,
improved his record to 6- and
his ERA to 1.54 on the stson
with his performance. Th left
hander, who was a sixthound
See SPIKES, Poe 14.
Brett Brackett (83) runs wattern