Feb. 14, 2008

Ever since she stepped foot on the University of Pittsburgh campus, track and field star Janessa Murphy has been improving by leaps and bounds- rather in leaps and bounds.

Murphy (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) burst onto the scene as a freshman with an all-conference honor at the Big East Indoor Championships by taking second place in the long jump and hasn't let up since. Now a junior, Murphy has added three more All-Big East plaudits, including two long jump titles at last year's indoor and outdoor meets. In addition to those Big East accomplishments, she has also added three All-ECAC honors to her distinguished athletic resume, including last year's outdoor long jump crown.

She currently ranks among the nation's best in the event, reaching a ranking as high as No. 11 at one point this season, and sits atop the conference's performance list with a season-best distance of 6.21 meters.    

"We're just beginning the championship season and I believe she's only going to get better," commented Tripon. "Right now she's working hard to get to a championship level and it's exciting to see her dedication in practice paying dividends again this season."

At the New Balance Invitational this past weekend, Murphy competed against some of the top jumpers in the country and placed fourth in the championship division.

"When I go into a meet like that, I try not to worry about the other competitors," said Murphy. "I try to focus on executing the things that Coach Tripon and I worked on in practice and if I can do that, I'll finish where I'm supposed to.

"For the New Balance meet, Coach Tripon told me not to think too much. She said to just compete and execute my jumps. That's what I tried to do."

Murphy and the Panthers will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete in the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 15-16. She is scheduled to compete in the 60 meter dash, as well as the championship section of the long jump with teammate Martina Hallman (Miami, Fla./Miami Southridge).

Among the others making the trip down south will be Kaetlyn Brown (Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley) and Kari Hedderick (Erie, Pa./Fort Lebouf), who have both recorded ECAC qualifying times in the 400 meters and 500 meters and will make up half of the 1600-meter relay team.

Shantea Calhoun (New Haven, Conn./Wilbur Cross), and her sister Shanea Calhoun, will both compete in the 60 meters, 200 meters and 1600-meter relay. In the 200 meters, they are ranked second and fourth in the Big East, respectively, and have both registered ECAC qualifying times. Junior Raquel Bender (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills) will also compete in the 60 meter and 200 meter sprints.

Mycaiah Clemons (New Kensington, Pa./Virginia Tech) will compete in the 60 meter hurdles.  She became an ECAC qualifier in January at the Penn State National Open with a time of 8.60.

The 1600-meter relay, consisting of Hedderick, the Calhoun sisters and Brown looks to extend their success after garnering an ECAC qualifying time of 3:45.30 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational last week.

Upon returning from Arkansas, the women will prepare for the Big East Indoor Championship which will take place on Feb. 23 and 24 in New York, N.Y.