State College, Pa., June 2, 2004 - The Penn State women's track and field team, fresh off its best-ever fourth place finish at the NCAA East Regional, will send seven women to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, June 9-12, in Austin, Texas.

The Nittany Lions garnered three automatic qualifiers at the regional meet with senior All-Americans Connie Moore (100, 200 & 4X100) and Chi-Chi Aduba (long jump, triple jump & 4X100) earning trips along with senior Ja'Nai O'Connor (shot put) by virtue of their high placings. Joining them with at-large bids selected by an NCAA committee are junior All-American Ashley Colley (javelin), junior Kristen Eash (javelin), sophomore Sara Shoaff (4X100) and freshman Kamilah Salaam (4X100).

Moore, the regional champion in the 200 for the second year and runner-up in the 100, will take the second best time in the nation in the 200 (22.45) and the11th best in the 100 (11.39) into competition as she looks to add to her nine All-American titles. The eight-time Big Ten Champion will be a favorite for the NCAA title in the 200 meters.

Aduba, who claimed the long jump title and was runner-up in the triple jump at the regional, will bring the sixth best jump in both events into competition as she looks to add to her two All-America titles. The Big Ten long jump champion, she has a best mark of 21-6 in the long jump and 44-6 in the triple jump, both Penn State records, coming into NCAA action.

O'Connor, the Big Ten Champion in the shot put, finished fifth at the regional and brings the 11th best throw of 55-4 3/4, a Penn State record, into NCAA competition.

Colley, who finished 11th at last year's NCAA Championships, was selected at-large with the 16th best throw in the nation (158-4), while Eash was selected with the 20th best throw (156-3). The 4X100-meter relay team of Salaam, Aduba, Shoaff and Moore also received an at-large invitation with the 15th best time in the nation (44.38).

Penn State placed a best-ever 10th in the team standings with six All-Americans at last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships after taking 11 qualifiers. Competition begins Wednesday, June 9. The top eight American placers in each event earn All-America honors.