Penn State men's track and field coach Harry Groves has said that going to the Big Ten Championships is like going into a pit of lions, tigers and bears. The conference is so competitive that it is difficult to excel in any one event, let alone the multiple events it takes to win a championship.

So when the plane leaves Harrisburg International Airport for Iowa this afternoon, two Nittany Lions freshmen will be heading into the pit of beasts ranked at the top of the conference in their respective disciplines.

Ryan Fritz and Chris Morrisey have both posted top marks in the Big Ten -- Fritz in the high jump, and Morrisey in the heptathlon.

Fritz's personal best mark of 7-1.25 places him a mere .75" higher than a trio of Minnesota Golden Gophers who are nipping at his heels. The first-year jumper realizes the high jump is never a given, but, at the same time, feels he can compete.

"I feel like the higher competition level will push me," he said. "It should be very competitive, and I feel that the higher level may allow me to raise my jumping and compete for the title."

Groves adds that Fritz has a chance but high jump is impossible to predict.

"With those trees nipping on his tail he is going to have to jump at least his personal best to win," Groves said. "High jumping is so technical that it is difficult to repeat the same jump time after time, and, if everything clicks, he has a good shot."

Morrisey, who has only done the heptathlon once this year, will have a more difficult time.

The rankings may seem deceiving because during the indoor season some athletes do not compete in the multiple events, like the heptathlon, until the Big Tens.

The different events that make up the heptathlon also make it much more difficult to be successful.

Since each event is worth so much, one clipped hurdle or not marking in a field event can mean the end.

But with that said, Morrisey, like Fritz, is also eager to compete against the stiffer competition at the Big Tens.

"I feel that the better competition will allow me to perform better," Morrisey added. "When I'm pushed, I feel I may be able to provisionally qualify for the NCAAs."

He missed the provisional qualifier by six minuscule points at the Penn State National.

When asked about Morrisey's ranking, Groves mentioned that not all of the athletes have competed yet, but also added that Morrisey will be in the thick of things.

"He may not be as high as his ranking shows," Groves said. "But he will be all right, and should still be competitive."

Although they may be freshmen, Fritz and Morrisey are excited and prepared for the stiff test they will be facing at the Big Tens. And even though they may not be actually entering a pit of lions, tigers and bears, they will be entering a track full of Badgers, Wolverines and Gophers, which, when speaking of track, may be even more dangerous.