When the announcer read the results of the women's 20-pound weight throw competition at the Multi-Sport Facility at the Penn State Relays on Saturday, a collective gasp arose from the astonished crowd.

With her throw of 70-2.25 feet, Jennifer Leatherman not only broke the Penn State team indoor record and the four-year facility record, but she also automatically qualified for the national competition -- with her very first throw of the season.

Although her throw was exceptional, the team was not expecting anything less from the three-time All-American.

"Jen's performance was amazing," Penn State women's track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "We've been waiting for a long time, she's been preparing to throw at 70 feet or further, to open up with that, with her goals on task, she really did a great job."

Leatherman ended her season last year with three Big Ten titles, including one in the weight throw. Her throw of 69-11.5 in that 2005 meet shattered the Michigan facility record and the three-year old Big Ten record. Picking up where she left off last season, she has continued her record-breaking trend. Her throw Saturday broke her own Penn State team record from last year.

"Jen has been extremely focused on her goals this year and everything she wants to achieve, and the meet result from this weekend was expected just from how hard she's been working and how good she's looked in practice," throws coach Dayna Holston Wenger said. "I couldn't be more pleased with her performance in the weight throw."

"This is definitely the best start I've ever had," Leatherman, a senior, said. "I feel like I'm in a really good spot right now. I'm prepared."

On Saturday she also finished first in the shot put with a throw of 48-08. Even though she finished first in both of her events, she looks to improve upon both of her performances this season.

As incredible as her throw was, Leatherman had actually set a goal to throw 72 or 73 feet. The key to her past success has been all about setting personal goals, and so far she's been able to achieve them.

"Last year my goal was I want to qualify for the NCAAs, then when I got to the NCAAs, I wanted to be an All-American, but this year I've had a different goal from the get-go. It's, 'I want to win,' " Leatherman said.

Both her goals and her tough competitors have served as her motivators. Her biggest rivals in the Big Ten are the Ohio State, Purdue and Minnesota throwers. Always with her "eyes on the prize," Leatherman has put extra effort in her workouts to make sure that she captures that goal of winning, not just Big Tens, but the NCAAs as well.

"Once I meet one step, I always just move up to the next step, so there's always pressure to be improving," Leatherman said.

After the team's second-place finish in Big Tens last year, the team was looking to its veteran leaders for motivation. Leatherman was one of the athletes who had been expected to set the tone for the team. She assumed that role with her strong work ethic in the offseason, an effort that has paid off so far giving her an automatic bid to nationals.