"We're looking forward to the heightened competition," Alford-Sullivan said. "Our training is coming to a peak ... we'll use this week in our favor to prepare for Big Tens." Penn State and Michigan should be the favorites to win the competition, and both are looking at this meet as a good way to prepare for the conference championships.
"Our goal is to use this weekend as a final tune-up for the championship," Michigan women's track and field coach James Henry said. "I think Penn State has a chance at Big Ten finals this year, so they should be a good test for us."
Alford-Sullivan is optimistic for a strong performance from her squad and fully expects them to contend for first place.
"Our primary goal is to keep the [Challenge Cup] here," Alford-Sullivan said. "We're going to do everything we can to win it."
BASEBALL
at University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Noon Saturday and 1 p.m., Sunday
In February, baseball's biggest enemy tends to be the winter weather.
The season-opener will signify the first time that the Penn State baseball team will be playing outside, on real grass.
The Nittany Lions have spent the past two weeks practicing indoors at Holuba Hall. Penn State pitching coach Handy Ford said that he doesn't mind the travel if they have the opportunity to play outside in warm weather.
"I'd take being in the 50-degree weather any time," Ford said.
The weather is possibly not going to be as nice as Ford expects, as rain is in the forecast. Charlotte baseball coach Loren Hibbs said that he hopes the weather doesn't play too big of a factor.
"We hope it doesn't rain too much," Hibbs said.
If the raindrops don't fall heavy enough to postpone the game, the Lions will send right-hander Clayton Hamilton to the mound on Saturday.
He finished last season with a record of 2-8 with an earned-run average of 6.48.
Ford said that Hamilton is a classic power pitcher.
"He has gained a lot of experience," Ford said. "He's really put it together over the summer and has come in and been strong."
BOXING
vs. Army Navy, Mansfield and Lock Haven
7 p.m., White Building Main Gym
Penn State hosts its only home bouts this year until the Northeast Regional tournament. The team will test its new endurance schedule that went into effect after last week's Navy Invitational. In a rematch from last November, Miles Rivas looks for revenge on Rick Weil from Navy in the 156-pound bout.
Another boxer to watch is the 147-pound Patrick Sullivan, who is looking to improve upon his 2-1 record. He will go against Bobby Villanueva of Navy.
Both boxers won last week in Annapolis against different opponents. Penn State has 11 boxers competing and will only face Army and Navy as its opponents.
FENCING
Junior Olympics
10 a.m., Fri.-Mon., Colorado Springs, Co.
Freshman fencers Marten Zagunis and Chris Miller will head to Colorado this weekend to represent Penn State in the Junior Olympics, the premier open event for under-20 fencers. Competing at the Junior Olympics, however, is nothing new to Zagunis and Miller.
"I've been fencing at the Junior Olympics since I was about 12," Zagunis said. "It's a big deal for some people in the national fencing circuit, but I don't think people at our level think it's a big deal."
This weekend will mark the last time that Zagunis and Miller can step onto the Junior Olympic fencing strips.
"Since it's our last [Junior Olympic] competition, we'd like to finish on a good punch," Miller said. Zagunis then added, "Yeah, I'll probably buy a T-shirt or something." Though the competition figures to be more challenging than the traditional open tournament, Zagunis and Miller said they won't be reluctant to be aggressive.
"We've fenced a lot of these guys since we were very young," Miller said "There'll be some people that will be surprising, but for the most part, it'll be the same [competition that we're used to].
DIV. I ICERS
vs. St. Clair College
9 p.m. tonight, 3:30 p.m. tomorrow at Greenberg Ice Pavilion
There's a dilemma that's been plaguing Penn State ACHA Div. I lcers coach Joe Battista all week.
"I have mixed emotions about this weekend," Battista said. "On one hand, I'd like to go in [to the ACHA national tournament] with a couple of wins. Part of me, however, wants to rest some of the guys."
When St. Clair College comes down from Canada to play the lcers in a two-game series this weekend, it will most likely be one or the other.
The 2001-2002 champions of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association, the Saints bring an imposing league record of 13-1-1 to Happy Valley. Boasting a well-balanced attack, St. Clair has been putting an average of almost 6.3 goals on the board each game, while allowing only 1.87 over the same stretch.
A good portion of the Saints offense runs through the talented Pavel Shtefan, who leads the team with 13 goals and 27 points.
Saturday's game will also mark the final home contest of the year for nine Icers seniors, who in their careers have won 58 games at the Ice Pavilion.
MEN'S GYMNASTICS
at Temple
vs. Temple Illinois and William and Mary at 3 p.m. Saturday
The No. 1 Penn State men's gymnastics team will travel down to Philadelphia for a quadrangular meet with three other Top-20 squads. For sophomore transfer Ed Seward, the competition will be a homecoming, as he will return to his hometown and compete against his former Illini teammates for the first time since he left.
"I'm really ready for this meet," Seward said. "It will be a lot of fun to see the guys on the team, and really nice to be home and have a great crowd at the meet. There's really no pressure on me. It will just be a fun meet with a lot of excitement." While several Nittany Lions competed in last weekend's Winter Cup, the majority of the squad is coming off a two-week competition layoff, and is eager to try out new skills and work out some problem areas. Additionally, with a deep squad, the team will be able to rest members such as senior captain Jose Palacios, who is suffering from a sore elbow and will more than likely abstain from the pommel horse.
"We are pretty hungry to get back out there," Penn State men's gymnastics coach Randy Jepson said. "All three are very good teams, and it will be a challenging meet, but we feel on top of things now and hope to do well."
With a healthy squad, the Lions hope to continue their winning streak, and give Seward a proper homecoming.
W. GYMNASTICS
at West Virginia
vs. West Virginia and Rutgers, 2 p.m. Sunday
After plunging to defeat against Oklahoma, the Penn State women's gymnastics team is heading for the hills.
The team will be in action Sunday as it competes against West Virginia University and Rutgers University in a tri-meet at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W Va.
Narrowly defeated by the University of Oklahoma a week ago, Penn State (5-5) is looking to minimize its mistakes.
"Our main goal heading into the match is to not fall off of any of the equipment," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said.
West Virginia (5-2), looking to be tough competition, has a total season average of 194.062 and is led by seniors Dinorh Boyd and All-America candidate Amanda Halovanic.
With a score of 196.275-192.750 in last year's meet, West Virginia destroyed Penn State.
"Based on their scores so far, West Virginia and Rutgers are both performing solidly," Shephard said. "Both teams are regional rivals, and we are looking forward to facing them."
Although not as powerful as West Virginia, Rutgers (10-6) is not to be overlooked.
The Scarlet Knights, with a total season average of 191.112, are guided by head coach Chrystal Chollet-Norton and seniors Kamla Modi and Kristen Marino.
Predicting success, Shephard believes that Penn State will crack the 196 barrier Sunday for the first time during the 2003 season.
SOFTBALL
at Stanford
For a team like Penn State that is coming from the frigid east, nothing looks better than the bright sun of California. The Nittany Lions open their season with atournament that will see them play five games against some top competition.
"We look forward to it a lot; we've been inside for a while and we just want to get out to the warmer weather and real grass and dirt," senior Gina Bianchini said. No. 14 Stanford (4-1), the host team, is considered the favorite after a successful showing last weekend at theArizona State Fiesta Bowl Tournament. The Lions could be in trouble against the Cardinals if they run into senior buzz-saw Tori Nyberg. The Cardinal ace has four starts and four victories, allowing just one earned run in 22 innings of work.
Penn State sophomore Scarlett Neal said that this is just the beginning of the team's run to compete for the Big Ten title.
With the wealth of experience and leadership the team has the Lions are expected to improve on their fifth-place Big Ten finish from where they were last season.
MEN'S TRACK
USTCA Sykes/Sabok Collegiate Challenge Cup
5 p.m. today, 11 a.m. tomorrow at Multi-Sports Complex
Just because the Big Ten Championship is around the corner, don't expect the Penn State men's track and field team to take things easy this weekend. In fact, expect to see a confident Nittany Lion team that hopes to continue its three-scored meet winning streak in their last indoor home meet.
"We're all competitors, and as competitors you always want to win," senior Chavous Nichols said.
Some of the teams that the Lions will be matching up against in the 11-team meet are intrastate rival Pittsburgh, Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan, and West Virginia.
Last year's winner, Indiana, will not be competing this year. Last year the Lions were runners-up to the Hoosiers' 105.25 points with 99.25.
This will be the Lions' toughest meet up to this point in the season. They can expect some tough competition in the weight throw and shot put with Big Ten co-athlete of the week, Ohio State's Dan Taylor. Taylor is ranked first in the nation in the weight throw and third in the shot put. As a result, Penn State men's track and field coach Harry Groves rested some team members at last week's meet, saving them up for this meet. For Lions seniors such as Nichols and co-captain Brian Derby, winning their last home indoor meet would be special.
And with home-field advantage, the Lions are determined to erase the memories of last year.
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
at IUPUI-Fort Wayne & Ohio State
7 p.m. tomorrow; 7 p.m. Sunday
The No. 9 Penn State men's volleyball team will have to get used to playing on the road again.
Penn State (5-3, 3-0 EIVA) leaves State College this weekend for the first time in almost a month, after playing six straight games in the friendly confines of Rec Hall. The team plays 13 of its next 14 matches away from Penn State, including the next six weekends. The Nittany Lions will take on No. 13 IPFW tomorrow night and then close out the weekend against Ohio State Sunday.
The Lions are coming off a weekend in which Penn State men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik was encouraged by his team's play, despite a loss to No. 5 Lewis during the Penn State Invitational.
Penn State had won its previous five matches before losing to the Flyers in four close games.
"The guys were disappointed," Pavlik said, "but they've responded well this week in practice."
IPFW comes in with a 4-1 record, having won its first MIVA match last Friday against Quincy. The team is led by fifth-year senior outside hitter Jeff Ptak.
Ptak has played well in the past against Penn State, as he recorded his career high in aces with four when the two teams last met in 2000. Pavlik said that Penn State knows it will have to contain Ptak and his extraordinary leaping ability to beat IPFW
WRESTLING
at Michigan, Michigan State
6 p.m. Saturday at Cliff Keen Arena and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Jenison Field House
The road for the Penn State wrestling team's Big Ten season comes to an end as it runs through the heart of Michigan.
After a two-week homestand, the Nittany Lions (10-6, 3-3 Big Ten) hit the road one last time before the end of the regular season.
The trip will present a challenge, something Penn State wrestling coach Tray Sunderland said the team needs before they enter the postseason tournaments.
"That's what our kids need," Sunderland said. "To go through a little bit of adversity and be ready to compete, no matter what the situation."
The situation this weekend will be battles with the Wolverines (8-6, 3-2) and Spartans (7-5, 4-1). A weekend sweep would result in a winning Big Ten record for the Lions this season.
The Lions are coming off of consecutive losses to Ohio State and Iowa. The squad will look to get back on track this weekend, led into action by five ranked wrestlers. Michigan State recently pulled off a surprising run, upsetting Oklahoma, Iowa and Michigan in its last three matches.
Michigan is on a two-match losing skid, falling to Minnesota and the loss to the Spartans. The Wolverines have a pair of 20-match winners in Foley Dowd (21-4 at 133 pounds) and A.J. Grant (26-5 at 125). Sunderland expects this weekend to be an exciting one.
"Both matches are going to be barnburners," Sunderland said. "There's going to be a lot of close matches. We have to be on our toes and be able to wrestle like we have shown here at home"
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