Fairfax, Va., June 1, 2003 - The Penn State Women's Track and Field team brought home a fifth place finish from the NCAA East Regional Track and Field Championships held in Fairfax, Va. The Nittany Lions scored 53 team points in the competition finishing behind Florida (105), South Carolina (77), North Carolina (72.5) and Miami (63) among a 51-team field in the first year of the regional format.

Senior Deshaya Williams and sophomore Molly Landreth joined the list of Lions that qualified for the NCAA Championships at the Regional. Williams finished third in the discus competition with a throw of 175-0. Landreth claimed fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a school record time of 10:08.42. Freshman Tracey Brauksieck took sixth in the steeplechase in a time of 10:29.07, just missing NCAA qualification.

Williams and Landreth joined Connie Moore (100, 200 and 4X100 relay), Brianne Johnson (javelin), Ashley Colley (javelin), Laurie Fox (4X100 relay), Chi Chi Aduba (4X100 relay) and Sara Shaoff (4X100 relay) among the Penn State athletes that qualified for the NCAA Championships at the Regional. Penn State is expected to also advance some athletes on at-large bids later this week.

The top five individual finishers in each event and top three relays advanced to the NCAA Championships, June 11-14 in Sacramento, California.