Bronx, N.Y., Nov. 22, 2003 - The Penn State men's cross country team took third Saturday in the IC4A Championships without the services of top runner Dan Mazzocco (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Mazzocco, who won the Mid-Atlantic Regional last weekend, did not compete as he prepares to represent Penn State at the NCAA Championships on Monday. Mazzocco, who also finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships and won two races for the Nittany Lions on the year, was named the Mid-Atlantic Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year at the NCAA Pre-Championship Banquet Saturday.

Meanwhile, junior Joel Moceri led the Penn State team at the IC4As finishing 13th in 25:36 just ahead of senior Chris Pruitt who was 14th in 25:44. Penn State posted a team score of 112 finishing behind team champion James Madison (71) and Princeton (86) in the meet held at Van Cortland Park in the Bronx, N.Y. Senior Josh Loren (21st in 25:51), junior Tim Walker (31st in 26:05) and freshman Dan Deichert (52nd in 26:23) also scored for Penn State.

Mazzocco will represent Penn State on the 10-kilometer NCAA course among the nation's top runners Monday. He will need to be among the top 25 Americans to cross the line to become Penn State's first All-American in cross country since 1993. The men's NCAA race begins at 11:00 a.m. (CT).