Imagine if someone came to your door saying, "Hey, here's a scholarship to attend college here in sunny Southern California. You can train on our world-class track year round in the 70-degree weather of home!"

Imagine then trying to convince the same 18-year-old track prodigy to spend those four years training indoors at a cold, northeastern school.

No easy task.

Somehow, Penn State women's indoor track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan has accomplished that task.

What's the secret?

"I think a lot of our success [in recruiting] is thanks to assistant coach Jeff McAuley," Alford-Sullivan said. "We got Coach Jeff from Southern California two years ago, and he's really helped bring in some talent there."

This year's freshman class certainly showcases its share of West Coast talent.

Lena Bettis of Riverside, Calif., was a two-time All-American in the long jump and, if her last name sounds familiar to western Pennsylvanians, it should. The freshman comes from same bloodline as Pittsburgh Steelers' running back Jerome Bettis.

Just don't call her "the Bus."

Bettis placed just out of point contention at last Saturday's U.S. Coaches Association Series meet, finishing ninth in the triple jump (points are awarded for the top eight finishers).

The overall depth of this year's squad allowed Alford-Sullivan to redshirt Bettis's fellow Riverside star Ashlee Brown.

A high school teammate of Bettis, Brown was a two-time California state champion hurdler and will compete for the team next season.

Both were part of J.W. North High School's 2000 and 2002 California state championship teams.

The class of 2007 isn't all West Coast.

Freshman Briene Simmons of Atlanta was clutch in her first meets last Saturday, taking first place in the 800-meters.

It has been a blast so far for Simmons Representing the South at Penn State, she wasn't exactly all about the weather.

"I love Penn State and all, but its too cold up here," she said.

Freshman Kara Dickman is accustomed to the brutal northeast winters.

The Westborough, Mass. native placed seventh in the long jump, earning two points for the Nittany Lions at Saturday's meet.

"I always knew in the back of my head that I wanted to come to Penn State," Dickman said. "Then, when I came for my visit, I went to a football game, met some of the girls and I just had so much fun."

Dickman isn't the only standout freshman from the northeast this year.

Kamilah Salaam was the most productive freshman at last Saturday's meet, racking up 13 points.

The Delaware native finished fourth in the 200-meters and 60-meter hurdles, and anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay team.