Trackmen to host Jim Thorpe Invite

The Nittany Lion men's track team will be at home and outdoors among the elements for the first time this season at noon tomorrow on their home turf for the Jim Thorpe Invitational, a meet open to collegiate and post-collegiate athletes.

"The transition (outdoors) can be a difficult one," coach Harry Groves said. "You're changing over to a wetter condition that you didn't have at all and then you add in wind resistance and varying temperatures. It can seem like a whole new ballgame."

"No one wanted to risk spending a few thousand dollars to come up here when the weather is so unpredictable," Groves said.

As a result, the meet will feature only athletes competing as individuals. There will be no team scoring, but Groves said most of the Lions will be competing in order to better adapt to the outdoor conditions before the team-scored meets begin.

"Most of the outdoor season involves continually adjusting to the weather as it changes," Groves said. "It seems like every time you adjust, the weather does something else."

For this reason, many have speculated that Southern teams have a distinct advantage. With the warmer and more consistent weather, these teams have more chances to qualify under better conditions for the NCAA Championships in June.

Sophomore sprinter/hurdler John Whelan said even though most teams would rather head South early in the season to go for the best marks, the Lions are ready to get out there and compete. But that's not to say that being outdoors won't be a difficult transition for the team.

"The weather's supposed to be nice (on Saturday) but there's always gale-force winds down there," Whelan said. "But we've been practicing and preparing well, so I think we'll probably be able to do pretty well for ourselves."

A key aspect of tomorrow's meet that could indicate where the Lions stand is the performance of the returning three who qualified for the NCAA Championships in the indoor season, John Gorham, George Audu and Neal McNutt.

For the outdoor season, McNutt will make the transition from the 35-pound weight throw, an indoor event, to the hammer throw -- events Groves said are completely different.

"Good 35-pound weight throwers aren't always going to be good with the hammer," Groves said. "I guess the first real test will be on Saturday."

Whether or not this test will properly indicate the success of their transition, it will prepare the Lions to run, jump and throw themselves into the heart of their schedule as they travel to Williamsburg, Va., for the Colonial Relays on April 3rd and 4th. Fans can watch the Lions take this test in stride tomorrow, running in the shadows of The Bryce Jordan Center.