State College, Pa, Oct. 18, 2003 - Penn State sophomore Dan Mazzocco (Pittsburgh, Pa.) took the lead in the final mile and then put it in high gear as he pulled away for the victory at the Penn State National Cross Country meet Saturday at the Blue/White Course in State College, Pa.

Mazzocco lowered his career best time on the Penn State course by nearly 30 seconds as he finished the 5.2-mile course in 25:29.69 outrunning second place finisher Andre Laboy of St. Francis who finished in 25:36.35. The Nittany Lion was fourth with just over a half mile to go when he made his move to the front of the pack. Mazzocco looked strong in extending his lead in the final quarter mile as he led Penn State to a fourth place finish overall in the 20-team meet. The Lions posted a team score of 103.

Ninth-ranked Colorado State won the meet with a score of 36. Penn State was second among collegiate teams in the meet as Speed River Track Club (78) and West Virginia Track Club (84), both teams featuring post-collegians, finished second and third.

Mazzocco led a group of five Penn State scorers that finished in the top 32. Junior Joel Moceri took 18th in a time of 26:32.83 and was followed by sophomore Shaun Cavanaugh, 22nd in a time of 26:36.85. Senior Josh Loren was 30th in 26:53.55 and fellow senior Scott Munro was 32nd in 26:55.62. Sophomore Dorian McDonald (34th in 26:57.44) and freshman Dan Deichert (44th in 27:17.87) finished out Penn State's top seven on the day.

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