While their teammates were donning their blue-and-white uniforms and making headlines at the Multi-Sport Facility this winter, a few members of the Penn State women's track and field team only sat and watched.

Without their own indoor event, the javelin throwers would have to wait patiently for the outdoor season before they could make their mark.

Already two weeks into the young outdoor season, three javelin throwers have qualified for the regional championship. When the Nittany Lions opened up at the Raleigh Relays on March 23-24, sophomore thrower Heidi Nadeau shattered her personal best by almost 10 feet, with a mark of 149-09 feet, the first of the three qualifying throwers.

"She's having a phenomenal year so far," throws coach Dayna Holston Wenger said of Nadeau. "She worked hard all year. We watched her throw into the net here, and we knew she was gonna pull some things together."

Her strong work ethic in the offseason can be attributed to the close relationship she has with her workout partner, returning All-American and senior thrower Diana Bruch. At this past weekend's Jim Thorpe Invitational, the pair finished one-two, with Bruch taking first and throwing 150-08 feet, qualifying for the regional competition.

The fact that both have found success early in the season is not coincidental. Their relationship goes beyond simply being workout partners. They often critique each other's technique in practice and view each other as healthy competition during the meets. Their energy and support for one another feeds their success.

"We're both really good positive motivators for each other," Nadeau said. "We know how to deal with each other in competition, and it's a good positive connection."

The elder Bruch was Nadeau's host when she toured Penn State while being recruited. Outside of the track, the girls have remained close, socializing and giving each other advice. Both are kinesiology majors, and Bruch also offers the younger Nadeau advice on what courses to take.

"It's not necessarily teaching," Wenger said. "It's just support and encouragement, and they can watch each other in practice and learn and learn more about themselves, so I love that atmosphere."

The third javelin thrower to make her mark this year is senior Ashley Colley. She also qualified for the regional championship the first week of the season at the Raleigh Relays with her throw of 143-07 feet, even though she placed fourth in the event. Having a different attitude than both Bruch and Nadeau, she gets her strength more from her personal drive and concentration, rather than from a bond with a teammate.

Colley missed all of last year recovering from shoulder surgeries and a pinched nerve in her elbow. The last time she competed prior to this season was at the Olympic trials in July 2004. Her recovery will be a battle she will continue to fight all season, as she slightly re-aggravated her shoulder this past weekend. Making the qualifying mark so early in the season, however, will give her a chance to take it easy in the upcoming meets.

"Getting that mark the first meet is just relaxing," Colley said. "Then we don't have to push to throw every meet, like if I'm injured or I'm feeling tight."

Even though three of the athletes have had exceptional starts to their season, the team does not think they will stop there. In addition to improving on the qualifying marks, Holston Wenger expects at least one more Lion to qualify for regional championships in the javelin. As for the athletes who will compete in the javelin in the Big Ten championship, Nadeau believes each one will score.

Since the javelin squad has been so dominant in the throws category this year, it has shown that its lack of competition in the indoor season was actually for the better. Those long days of sitting by the scorer's table and throwing into the nets at the Multi-Sport Facility have finally paid off.

"It gets you riled up and gets you energized for the outdoor season," Bruch said. "You're just itching like, when is it my turn?"

The coaching staff has taken note of the incredible work ethic of the javelin throwers and considers them some of the most dedicated athletes on the team.

"One of our assistant coaches said it's too bad the javelin throwers can't have an indoor event because of their intensity and their work ethic," Holston Wenger said. "They're a great group. They definitely are intense when they're competing, and that's what you want to have around."