With a 64'4½" toss, shot putter C.J. Hunter placed second at the NCAA Championships, earned All-America status, set a new Penn State record and tossed a lifetime best over the weekend in Indianapolis.

"When you back off lifting to get ready for a meet, the only reason you wouldn't be ready is if you're not mentally prepared," Hunter said.

This was Hunter's fourth time competing at the meet, but he said everybody gets at least a little nervous.

"You just go out and do what you've been doing all year. You shouldn't put any added pressure on yourself," he said.

Phil Caraher also became an All-American by placing fifth with a toss of 60'8".

"I'm pleased, I'm really happy," Caraher said. "I accomplished all my goals for the indoor season."

Caraher said his goals for the season were earning All-America status and throwing over 60'0".

Mike Stulce from Texas A & M won the event with a toss of 70'6¼", which set a new NCAA record and tied the U.S. Collegiate record.

Coach Harry Groves said that Hunter has been asked to compete at a tri-meet in Scotland next weekend. Pending approval from Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Hunter will compete for the United States against Great Britain and the Soviet Union.

The Lions finished NCAAs with 10 points and tied for 13th place. Arkansas won the championship with 44 points, Texas A & M was second with 36 and Florida was third with 29 points.

Distance runner Steve Brown earned All-America status, but did not place in the 5,000-meter run. For an athlete to be All-American, he must be one of the top six American finishers in an event. Brown was the fifth American to finish the 5,000.

Brown suffered from a severe stomach cramp during the race. Groves said Brown was running the same pace that he ran during the IC4A race last weekend. Brown's one-mile split was a 4:24 and he passed the two-mile mark in 8:56. Groves said at that pace Brown would have finished third.

Distance runner Doug Walter ran 4:08.76 in the trial race for the mile, but his time was not good enough for him to advance to the final race.

Groves said the indoor season was successful and respectable.

"We were second in IC4As and we finished in the top 20 for NCAA. We're staying in the area of respectability," Groves said.