The key word for the Penn State indoor men's track and field team this season was consistency. You have to be consistent if you want to be one of the best teams in the nation. More importantly, if you want to be a top-notch team in one of the elite conferences in the nation, the Big Ten, you have to perform when it is game time.

"We definitely did not compete as should have at the Big Tens," Penn State co-captain Dave Bollinger said. "I think a lot of it has to do with the attitude of the team."

It seemed that at the beginning of this season, the Nittany Lions had the right attitude. At its first meet, the Penn State Relays, the Lions broke two records on the track side, one in the 1,600-meter sprint medley and the other in the 4x200-meter relay.

The Lions also had some strong performances on the field, where they snatched the top three places in 35-pound weight throw.

"We had a great indoor season right up to the Big Ten," Penn State head coach Harry Groves said. "It was the illnesses and injuries that killed us."

"We gradually orchestrated to be ready by the Big Ten," Groves said.

Heading into the Big Ten Championships, the Lions were ranked eighth in the nation according to the USTCA Team Power Rankings. Despite all this, the Lions knew it would be difficult because every Big Ten is of national caliber and are well-rounded teams.

"We thought we were going to run a little bit faster this year," senior Jaret Campisi said.

Alas, it was not to be, as Penn State finished ninth, one position down from last year.

"We didn't compete as we should have," Bollinger said.

Part of the reason for the less than par performance could have been attributed to the youth of this year's team.

"Part of being in a team is learning about how to get yourself in order so you contribute as opposed to being a detriment," Grove said.

Illnesses and injuries were also a major factor, as major point scorers such as seniors Ernie Terrell and junior Matt Lincoln were hampered by injuries all season. Terrell had problems with both his ankles. At the NCAA Championships, the streak of bad luck continued for Penn State. For every event, 11 athletes/teams were taken based on their times or measurements but for the 4x400-meter relay event, only the top 10 teams were taken. The Lions were the 11th team.

"This is a pretty good team but the bricks have to fall their way," Groves said.

As a result, Penn State did not have a single qualifier in the NCAA National Championships.

Despite the disappointments, the Nittany Lions also have many reasons to celebrate. The DMR team consisting of juniors Lincoln, Dan Michael and seniors Campisi and Chris Foster ran in a time of 9:36.29, shattering an 11-year old Penn State record. Groves called it one of the best and most exciting in his 37-year coaching career at Penn State.