If Connie Moore had her way she would probably take the Big Ten championship trophy with her to both meets over spring break. If she had her way she would probably cuddle the trophy as she sleeps too.

Moore leads a smaller Penn State women's track team to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference indoor track meet this coming weekend to face the east coast's premier track programs -- sans trophy.

Penn State women's track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan indicated that the Nittany Lions would be using this meet as a final chance for some athletes to qualify and prepare for the NCAA indoor championships.

The annual national indoor meet in Fayetteville, Ariz. is more of an all-star game for track and field -- the real prize is being there among the best of the best.

"Now that the [Big Ten] championships are over that element of team focus is off and the individual focus is on," Alford-Sullivan said. "The girls now are really able to hone in on their specialty."

Moore will be making her fourth and final appearance at indoor nationals competing in the 60- and 200-meter dashes. Also making a repeat appearance will be long and triple jumper Chi Chi Aduba. Last year at her first nationals, Aduba earned All-American honors for her performance. Seniors Ja'Nai O'Connor and Sara Dougherty are taking their first trip to compete in the shot put and pole vault, respectively.

If junior distance runner Molly Landreth improves her 5,000-meter time at the ECAC meet she could qualify for the NCAAs.

-- By Tim Ford