12 I Wednesday, Nov. 17,2010
Austin brothers creating legacy on swimming team
By Sean O’Connor
FOR THE COLLEGIAN
John Austin has faced stiff
swimming competition during his
four years at Penn State. Now his
biggest rival may come from with
in his own family.
The newest talent on the men’s
swimming team is none other
than Austin's younger brother,
Shane.
John, a senior co-captain, readi
ly admits his brother has slowly
been taking him down over the
last couple years.
T can already tell you that, com
ing in as a freshman this year, he's
already probably going to have
more success than I will this year
and build on that the next three
years." John said. "I can't wait to
sec where it goes."
The Austin brothers have been
training together for years, but
first competed on the same squad
w hen Shane was a freshman and
John was a senior at Unionville
High School. In 2006-07. they raced
together in the 200-meter medley
relay and won the state title.
Training together has allowed
the Austins to build a healthy com
petition between them.
"If you look at his times as a
freshman, he’s already faster than
I am. He was faster as a junior in
high school than me when I was a
Freshman sprinter Gehret looking to provide spark
By Stephen Pianovich
: CP fHE COLLEGiAN
One of the nation's top sprint
recruits from last year will be join
ing Penn State's
track and field
team this season.
It's easy to see
win Bradv
TRACK AND
(Jehret was heavi
ly recruited out of high school.
He ran a 46.39 in the 400-meter
in 2010. the best time in
Pennsylvania last season.
He also ran 33.51 in the 300-
meter. which was the best in the
nation last year and sixth best in
high school track history.
(rehrel received manv offers
McCoy and Tebow have proven to be
By Jared Shanker
Spokts columnists gloat
when they're right and
refuse to acknowledge
hnv HI lidniil mruHfliuw
that 1 was wrong.
[{(‘ally, reallij wrong.
Prior to the start of the college
football season. I ranked Florida
No 2 in my preseason poll. I had
Texas No. 4.
Eleven weeks later, not only is
neither team ranked, but neither
even garnered one measly vote in
the most recent USA Today or AP
polls.
For a point of reference,
Delaw are received a vote in the
AP Top 25 Delaware is part of the
Football (’hampionship
Subdivision, better known as
Division 1 AA.
Join faculty and fellow students to learn more about studying next summer in
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Spanish Language. Art. and Mexican Culture
Wednesday, November 17,
6:00 p.m.
234 Burrowes Building
i:uMea<.h proprams of the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Arts and Architecture, the College of Health and Human
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sophomore in college,” John said.
“But I hang in there. I can still
whoop his butt in practice. When it
comes to the end of the year and
the meets, he can step it up.”
Austin’s ability to speak candid
ly about his brother reflects his
attitude as a captain. When asked
if he might play favorites, John
quickly dispelled the idea by
speaking about the team as a
whole and how there is a definite
sense of teamwork this year. The
idea that he would treat his broth
er differently runs completely
against the team dynamic.
Penn State coach John Hargis
is also excited about the possibili
ties of the younger Austin.
“Phenomenal talent," is how
Hargis describes Shane. “I think
by the time he leaves here he’ll
probably leave as one of the best
swimmers Penn State has ever
had."
Coach Hargis is very hopeful
that Shane can take this year with
his brother to learn all that he can
from John. He hopes the entire
team can match John's work
ethic, and noted the elder Austin
was a "role model" for the squad.
Perhaps John has been teach
ing his little brother too well.
Shane has already started to
make a name for himself in varsi
ty events. The big time college
atmosphere hasn't scared him.
from schools, including Baylor
and Arizona State, but the Altoona
native decided to stay close to
home and run at
Penn State
Coaching was a
big factor in
Gehret's decision
to come to State
College.
"I definitely like
the coaches here,
and I thought that Gelwet
they would make
me the best out of all the coaches
that I saw." Gehret said.
Being close to home and know
ing someone on the team also
played a role in Gehret's selection
of Penn State.
Florida and Texas have a com
bined record of 10-10, and it's
unlikely Texas will make it to a
bowl game for the first time since
1997.
Mack Brown has never had a
losing record as coach of the
Longhorns, who are 4-6 and just
2-5 in the Big 12.
To be honest. I didn't see this
coming. I don't think anybody else
did either.
Why? Because we alt bought
into the hype of Florida's John
Brantley (I actually thought he
could contend for a Heisman) and
Texas' Garrett Gilbert, and forgot
they were replacing two of college
football's most successful quar
terbacks of all-time.
As we found out. you can't
replace Golt McCoy and Tim
Tebow. and how could you 11
McCoy won 45 games in his four
years, the most wins by a stalling
quarterback in NCAA history.
His 76.7 completion percentage
as a junior is also an NCAA
record, and he holds just about
every passing record in school
history..
You can make a case for Tebow
Check out The Daily Collegian's n M
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“I can still whoop
[Shane’s] butt in
practice.”
although he admits to butterflies
during competition.
"We've had two meets so far,
and I was really nervous for
those," the freshman said.
"It was a lot more competition
than I'm used to, but I'm really
excited for the rest of it. and to
start swimming really fast at the
end."
In his two meets he placed third
in an individual sprint and second
in the 400-meter medley and
freestyle relays. His early success
leaves much to hope for over the
next four vears.
Then again, this is no surprise
when considering his success in
high school. Just like his brother.
Shane was a four-year varsity
swimmer at Unionville and in that
time captured seven All-American
honors and won a PIAA state
championship in the iOO-meter
freestyle his junior year.
In coming to Penn State. Shane
was following in his brother’s foot
steps, but insists that the familial
competition was not his only rea
Current Penn State sprinter
and Gehret's former teammate at
Altoona Area High School, red
shirt freshman Aaron Nadoiskv
said, "when I was a senior in high
school and I had already made my
decision. I was always pushing
him to come here."
Gehret will be joining a group of
Nittanv Lion sprinters that return
every runner from last year.
This group is also a tight knit
bunch of friends off of the track.
"We hang out all the time." said
senior sprinter Jacob Lihn/./i
"Brady acclimated well to tlie
atmosphere of Penn State, espe
cially our sprint group mentality
and how we operate, he fits in rea!
well."
as one of the greatest college
football players ever. Tebow won
two national championships and
won 48 games at Florida. 35 of
which came as a starter
In 2007, Tebow accounted for 55
touchdowns: only 26 Football
Bowl Subdivision teams about
one-fifth of the entire FBS popula
tion scored that many touch
downs in 2007.
He also passed Georgia legend
Herschel Walker as the SE< ”s all
time leader in rushing touch-
downs.
There is just no way to make
up for all those wins, numbers
and records.
Players such as McCoy and
Tebow only come around even so
often.
Florida tans and Texas lans got
greedy and saw all the talent
their programs were piling up
and expected to be immune trom
six- and seven-win seasons.
Some disillusioned Florida tans
even looked forward to the end ol
the Tebow era and the beginning
of Brantley's, pointing to
Brantley's prototypical skill set as
a welcome relief to Tebow s run
>TATE
PENN
John Austin
senior swimmer
John Austin (left) and his brother, Shane Austin pose at practice
son for choosing the school.
"I really liked the people here a
lot more than anywhere else."
Shane said.
"It just seemed like the right
choice."
.John admits that he wanted to
have his brother on the team.
"I was definitely pushing him
this way a lot last year, but I mean
I think he came here for the whole
package." the elder Austin said.
No matter' if it was Shane or his
brother who made the most con
vincing argument tor- Penn State,
the team is luckv to have them.
Gehret's speed is benefiting the
team by helping to push other
sprinters during practice, and his
teammates are thankful for his
commitment.
"He makes everyone want to
work harder." said Nadoiskv.
His endurance is another
aspect of his running that moti
vates teammates.
"We might be tired, but Brady is
still capable of going, so that moti
vates. everyone else to keep
going." Librizzi said.
One thing Gehret is excited
about for sprinting coliegiately is
the higher level of competition
lie'll face.
"I love having tough competi
tion. so I'm definitelv looking tor
"To be honest. I didn't see this coming. I don’t
think anybody else did either.”
first, pass-second, do-whatever-it
lakes-to-win mentality. J wonder
it Florida fans wanted Brantley
over Cam Newton, too. who
began his career in Gainesville'?)
We saw the recruiting ranking
next to Brantlev and Gilbert's
name and forgot that recruiting
stars don't amount to anything on
tht' field
Brantley, ranked the 25th best
high school player in 2007 by
FSI’.N. has looked unsettled in
the pocket ail season.
He has eight touchdowns
through 10 games; Tebow had
eight touchdowns after just six
quarters ol football his first year
as a starter.
(filbert was No. 11 in 2000 but
has just seven touchdowns to 15
interceptions this year as a soph
omore; McCov. who has cast a
shadow in Austin larger than Big
I'ex s. had just 2u interceptions
over his final two seasons.
The Daily Collegian
With only one year of varsity com
petition to share, the Austin broth
ers plan on making it special.
"The fact that they're together
one year as brothers, as brothers.
I think it's great." said Mary
Austin, the boys mother.
"When they swim together in a
relay it really is a neat feeling. I'm
very 7 proud. Penn State proud."
oThe women's swimming
team ends its four-week
hiatus this weekend:
AT psucollegian.com
“Brady acclimated
well to the
atmosphere of Penn
State.”
ward to the upcoming season,
said Gehret.
Gehret has had a minor setback
recently
A foot injury has kept him from
going full speed at practice, but it
does not seem to be too serious
and Gehret thinks that he will be
able to fully practice again after
Thanksgiving.
irreplaceable
Now: it would be unfair to place
all of Florida's and Texas' strug
gles on the inexperienced
Brantley and Gilbert, who both
never started a game prior to this
season.
Florida didn't allow more than
20 points once in the regular sea
son last year but opponents have
topped that number four times
against the Gators this year. The
Longhorns are ninth in the Big 12
and 75th in the country in rush
ing.
But it all starts with the quar
terback.
Brantley and Gilbert haven't
been able to fill the size-20 cleats
left behind by Tebow and McCoy.
Then again, who could?
Jared Shanker is a senior majoring in
history and journalism and is the
Collegian s sports columnist and men's
basketball writer. His e-mail address is
jpss226@psu.edu.
Kelley King/Collegian
Jacob Librizzi
senior sprinter