The next Bruce Jenner?

Don't go that far, but a Penn Stater may be able to fit those rather big shoes in the future.

As a sophomore in the first meet of this season, Brian Kelley set a school record in the pentathlon by scoring 4,033 points.

For those unfamiliar with track, the pentathlon is the abbreviated indoor version of the decathlon, the event Jenner brought back to the national spotlight at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

But it was never Kelley's goal to set a record.

"I was very surprised that I had set a (school) record," he said. "It was the first meet and I was just trying to do the best I could. I didn't care about a record, nor did I know what it was."

With Kelley being only a sophomore, is it almost a given that he'll break the record several more times before he graduates. Afterwards, he hopes to be able to concentrate on track full time.

"I'm not going to put any pressure on myself," he said. "If (the records) happen, they happen.

"I hope to compete on the track circuit after graduation if I stay healthy. I will then be able to train full time, which will definitely help."

Last season, Kelley scored 7,415 points in the decathlon, the event he's more fitted for.

"For the pentathlon, it is more of a sprinter/jumper event," Kelley said. "In the decathlon it shows who are the best all-arounders. I am more suited to the decathlon."

Track Coach Harry Groves is grateful for Kelley's talents.

"Brian's a very versatile athlete," Groves said. "He's an excellent hurdler/jumper. He's also a good runner, especially at 1500-meters."

Kelley's versatility was showcased at a quad meet in Ann Arbor, Mich., two weekends ago, and again this past Saturday.

In each of those meets, the pentathlon was not being run, so he was penciled in to run the 400-meters and part of the mile relay. The relay team was second and Kelley was second behind Ohio State's Rob Smith. Smith was the 1990 Big Ten freshman football player-of-the-year.

This past weekend in Syracuse, Kelley anchored the 4X400-meter relay and participated in the high jump. He finished tied for second in the high jump behind Tony Barton, the 1991 NCAA champ. In the relay, his blistering 48 seconds flat anchor leg led the team to a runner-up position despite a baton drop.

Assistant coach Bill Whitaker is also happy with the progress Kelley is making.

"He is doing really well," Whitaker said. "He's running well and his technique is very sound in his events."

Once the outdoor season begins late next month, Kelley has high expectations for the season.

"For this season, I want to qualify for nationals, and if I can, the (U.S. Olympic) trials," he said.

"But if I don't qualify, it's no loss," he continued. "Many of the top U.S. decathletes are in their late 20s, so I still have a lot of time, possibly '96 (in Atlanta)."

"Brian has a lot of potential," Whitaker said. "I don't want to put pressure on him, but he can qualify for NCAAs."

Groves, an assistant coach with this summer's Olympic track team, says a lot more than talent is needed to make an Olympic team.

"The Olympics is such a crapshoot," Groves said. "You need a lot more than direction, you need to be extremely lucky and have to pull out your best performance at the right time."