Bridget Franek Class: Junior Hometown: Hiram, Ohio High School: Crestwood Position: Distance Experience: JR

Personal Bests

Indoor
800m - 2:11.95
1000m - 2:49.92
Mile - 4:44.34
3000m - 9:18.59
5000m - 16:09.39
DMR - 11:14.78 (PSU Record)

Outdoor
800m: 2:14.07
1500m: 4:21.16
5000m: 16:26.86
3000mSC: 9:59.21 (PSU Record)
4x1500: 17:57.28 (PSU Record)

Franek's Nittany Lion Resume ...

* 2007 Big Ten Freshman of the Year

* Three-Time Penn State Record Holder
~ 3000mSC - 9:59.21
~ 4x1500m - 17:57.28
~ DMR (Indoor) - 11:14.78

* Three-Time Big Ten Medalist
~ 2007 Outdoor (3000m SC, 5000)
~ 2007 Indoor (DMR)

* 2007 Penn Relays Steeplechase Champion

* Four-Time NCAA Championships Participant
~ 2006 Cross Country
~ 2007 Indoor (Mile - 4:46.11, 11th; DMR - 11:41.98, 13th)
~ 2007 Outdoor (3000m SC - 10:11.68, 12th)
~ 2007 Cross Country

* NCAA Regional Qualifier
~ 2007 3000mSC (3rd, 10:00.57)
~ 2007 1500m (DNR)
~ 2007 5000m (DNR)

* Four-Time Big Ten Athlete of the Week

On the International Scene ... || 2008 Outdoor || Posted a second-place finish in the steeple while competing for the United States at the NACAC Under-23 Championships.

On the National Stage ...
|| 2008 Outdoor || Finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:58.74) at the NCAA Championships - the highest-ever finish by a Penn State athlete in an NCAA distance event ... Took top honors in the steeple at the NCAA East Regional Championships in 10:01.56 ... Competed in the US Olympic Trials, posting a 16th place finish among the nation's best steeplechasers. || 2008 Indoor || Picked up a pair of All-America finishes, taking seventh in the 5,000, and 10th in the 3,000 at the NCAA Indoor Championships.|| 2007 Outdoors || Placed 12th in an outstanding steeplechase field at the NCAA Championships (10:11.68) ... ran 10:08.24 in the prelimary round to advance to the final ... Clocked 10:00.57 - her second-fastest time of the season - to finish second at the NCAA East Regional Championships, earning an automatic bid to NCAAs ... Also made the steeplechase final at the USATF Championships. || 2007 Indoor || Just missed the mile final at the NCAA Championships, running 4:46.68 to finish 11th in the preliminaries. || 2006 Cross Country || Finished fifth with a career-best 6K time of 20:44 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.

At the Big Ten Championships ...
|| 2008 Outdoor || Won her first career Big Ten title with a school-record 9:58.56 in the steeplechase ... also finished seventh in the 5,000. || 2008 Indoor || Posted fourth-place efforts in the 3,000 (9:18.59) and 5,000 (16:09.39), clocking PRs in both events. || 2007 Outdoor || Had a sensational weekend, finishing third in both the steeplechase (10:05.96) and 5000-meters (16:26.86) ... was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for her efforts. || 2007 Indoor || Ran a then-personal record 4:45.73, the best time in the opening round ... finished seventh in the final ... Anchored the DMR (11:32.55) to a bronze-medal finish, splitting 4:47 on the 1600-meter leg ... Clocked 16:43.49 for 5,000-meters, good for fifth place in her first-career attempt at the distance.

Around the Track ... || 2008 Outdoors || Ran a season-best 4:23.03 in the 1500 to finish eighth at the Sun Angel Classic ... Took second in the steeplechase at the Oregon Pepsi Challenge. || 2008 Indoor || Finished first in the 3000 at the Virginia Tech Elite meet and Tyson Invitational ... Won the 1000-meters at the Penn State Open ... Finished second in the mile at the Penn State National with a PR 4:44.34. || 2007 Outdoors || Ran a school-record 9:59.21 to win the steeplechase at the Penn Relays - the second-fastest time ever run at historic Franklin Field ... also competed on the 4x1500-meter relay that ran 17:57.28 - also a Penn State record ... Posted a time of 10:16.40 in her first-ever collegiate steeplechase, setting a new facility record at the Bucknell Team Challenge. || 2007 Indoors || Ran a personal-best 2:50.97 for 1000-meters at the Penn State Open ... Ran the mile leg on Penn State's school-record setting and provisional-qualifying distance medley relay (11:14.78) ... Hit the NCAA provisional qualifying standard in her first collegiate mile competition, running 4:46.90 at the Penn State National. || 2006 Cross Country || Won her first collegiate race at the Lock Haven Invitational ... Took second at both the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, and the Penn State National ... Named Big Ten Runner of the Week on Oct. 10. || High School || Won four state titles at the 2006 Ohio State Championships (4x800, 800, 1600, 3200) ... Finished fifth in the mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals ... Placed 18th at the 2005 Footlocker Cross Country Championships || Personal || Daughter of Tom and Rosalie Franek ... Born November 8, 1987 ... Majoring in Kinesiology