Trackwomen en route to excellence

Teri Jordan has the reputation of being a tough, but fair, coach. She pushes the Penn State women's track team to its limit, but gets results, which is why the Lady Lions always seem to have a formidable lineup.

So when Jordan said yesterday at spring sports media day this year's squad was "one of the nicest teams" she's been around in her 13 years of coaching, one can only imagine the success this team is striving for this year.

Flanked by senior tri-captains Erin St. John (1,500-, 3,000- and 5,000-meter run), Kim McGreevy (1,500- and 3,000-meter run) and Becky Gusic (javelin), Jordan recounted the achievements of the indoor team, hoping that team's success will carry over to the outdoor season, beginning March 28.

"Our distance medley relay team is ranked fourth in the nation," Jordan said. "Out of the six seniors (distance runners) who are on the team, three are top competitors in the U.S."

But Jordan wasn't getting ahead of herself. The short-term goals of the indoor team outweigh the predictions of the outdoor team.

"What happens in two weeks (at Big Ten indoor championships) is what is important right now," she said.

Still, Jordan and her representatives from the outdoor team couldn't help but show their enthusiasm for the 1997 outdoor season. They said the Big Ten, especially Wisconsin, will offer stiff competition.

One of St. John's and McGreevy's goals is to beat out Badger Kathy Butler in distance running. Butler, the 1995 and 1996 NCAA Outdoor 3,000-meter champion, also was the Big Ten outdoor champion in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter run. St. John and McGreevy compete in most of the aforementioned events.

"Kathy Butler provides a lot of formidable competition for us," McGreevy said. "We've accomplished a lot, but we can do more. We're never quite satisfied."

St. John, who competes in all of Butler's events, is more familiar with the degree of difficulty involved in unseating the Badger standout.

"Kathy dominates the Big Ten," St. John said, "but our goal is to just keep our heads in there and not think about that."

One thing to think about, though, is graduation. St. John, McGreevy and Gusic are in their final years as Lady Lions. Jordan said the recruiting process is going well, and the future begins, not ends, with the new recruits.

"We've signed two (recruits) early," Jordan said. "We've had a good pool of people come in. It's easy to attract great people when you have great people. We'll definitely miss our seniors. They always led by example, but we won't lose when these people leave."