New trackwoman impresses

Last year the Penn State women's track team sported a lineup that would make opposing schools cringe at the sight of its personal bests.

The 1997 Lady Lions feature a different team. After losing Sue Huelster, who was part of a distance medley relay team that set a school record, coach Teri Jordan was forced to insert a freshman in her place. And the Lady Lions became even more frightening.

Some things never change.

Susanne Heyer continued Huelster's winning ways by helping her relay companions Kim McGreevy, Erica Bosler and Erin St. John to a national qualification. That distance medley relay team is also No. 3 in the nation.

The Lady Lions distance medley relay team competes at 4:15 p.m. today at Butler University. The rest of the team races at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Canada-American Classic in Ithaca, N.Y.

Heyer, a native of Leipzig, Germany, came to the team after being out with an injury for a year.

"I knew I could run fast," she said. "I was worried. I hadn't competed in a long time, but it all came back to me."

What didn't come back to her was confidence.

"I wasn't confident because of the injury," Heyer said. "But the team was very supportive. They'd say, 'Yeah, come on! You can do it!' It really helped that they were positive."

Jordan also credits the team's success with its versatility.

"We have a more diverse group this year," Jordan said. "Erica (Bosler) could run the 800-leg (of the distance medley relay) or the quarter. Heyer could run the mile leg or the quarter . . . we have a lot of flexibility."

Jordan said the No. 3 distance medley relay team will not be competing at Butler today. Instead, Heyer, McGreevy, Bosler and senior Joetta Dweh will be running the relay.

Heyer will run the three-quarters leg, Dweh the quarter, Bosler the 800 and McGreevy the mile leg.

As Jordan said: "We have a lot of people who know what it takes to get the job done."