MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., MAY 18, 2003 - The Nittany Lions walked away from Bierman Field at the University of Minnesota on Sunday with a second place team finish, a conference Champion, four runner-up finishes, a Bierman Field record and four Penn State records broken at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The team's second place finish is the highest placing the Nittany Lions have ever earned in either a Big Ten indoor or outdoor Championship in the 13 years Penn State competed in the Big Ten Conference. Their score of 124 points tied Indiana for second. Michigan won the meet with 137 points. Ohio State was fourth with 83 points and Wisconsin rounded out the top five with 74 points.

Junior Connie Moore repeated as Big Ten Champion in the 100 meters while senior Deshaya Williams equalled the championship winning mark in the discus but was denied the title based on a tiebreaker. Williams tied Ohio State freshman Amarachi Ukabam with a mark of 170-11, good for NCAA regional qualifying. The tie was broken by comparing the competitors second best throws on the day and Ukabam prevailed denying Williams a repeat of her 2000 title in the event.

Moore won the 100 meters in a time of 11.37, which set a Bierman Field record and qualified her for NCAA regional competition and USATF competition. It was the second-straight year in which she claimed the title as the conference's fastest woman. Moore also broke her own school record in the 200 meters with a time of 23.08 and took second in that event after winning it last year. The time was als an NCAA regional and USATF qualifying mark.

Junior Chi Chi Aduba, who has had a very successful season thus far, broke the school triple jump record previously held by Shakeema Walker. Aduba took second with a distance of 44-3 *, which was also NCAA regionally qualifying. In the long jump Aduba took third (20-8 *) and her mark was NCAA regional and USATF qualifying.

Sophomore Molly Landreth took second in the 3,000 meter steeplechase breaking the school record she set earlier in the season with a time of 10:16.70. The time was NCAA regional and USATF qualifying.

The final school record broken of the meet came from the 4 X 100 meter relay team of Laurie Fox, Aduba, Sara Shoaff and Moore in a time of 44.81, which was NCAA regional qualifying. Other notable performances included sophomore Ashley Colley taking third in the javelin (157-11). Colley's mark was NCAA regional and USATF qualifying. In the same event senior Brianne Johnson took fourth (154-7) and sophomore Kristen Eash was fifth (142-10). Both earned NCAA regional qualifying marks.

Freshman Tracey Brauksieck took fifth in the 5,000 meters (17:00.86), was sixth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:39.95) and took seventh in the 1,500 meters (4:32.32). Brauksieck's time in the 3,000 meter steeplechase was NCAA regional qualifying. Sophomore Jenny Stevens came in sixth in the 1,500 meters (4:31.42) and senior Kathy Messner took sixth in the high jump (5-7), both qualifying for NCAA regional competition; and the 4 X 400 meter relay team (Fox, Cheryl Green, Danielle Bobo and Moore) also qualified for NCAA regional competition with a time of 3:45.10 taking seventh place.