State College, Pa, Oct. 18, 2003 - The No. 18 ranked Penn State women's cross country team claimed third Saturday in a high powered Penn State National Cross Country Meet at the Blue/White Course in State College, Pa. The Nittany Lions were led by junior Molly Landreth and posted a team total of 84 points in the race that featured five teams ranked in the top 30 in the nation.

Landreth finished third leading Penn State for the fourth race this season. She posted a course record breaking time of 20:30.25. The top three finishers in the race all broke the previous record of 20:32.34 on the six-kilometer course. A pair of Providence runners, Kim Smith (20:14.59) and Mary Cullen (20:24.12), finished first and second, respectively, in leading tenth-ranked Providence to the team title with 49 points. Ninth-ranked Columbia was second with 58 points followed by Penn State, No. 20 Colorado State (89) and No. 28 Tennessee (No. 28) in the top five.

Penn State put five runners in the top 25 on the day. Junior Chelsea ran a career best Penn State course time of 21:20.26 to finish 14th. Senior co-captain Maureen Thomas did likewise placing 20th in 21:26.18. Sophomore Jenny Stevens was next across the line for the Lions finishing 22nd in 21:28.14. She was followed by senior Tara Johnson who finished 25th in 21:38.65. Juniors Kayla Matrunick and Michelle Wale rounded out Penn State's top seven placing 36th and 37th, respectively, in times of 21:49. 43 and 21:52.99.

Penn State is next in action November 2 at the Big Ten Championships in East Lansing, Mich.