IUP senior Nicole Blaesser has been named the PSAC Track Athlete of the Week for the first week of the 2007 outdoor season.

Blaesser (Oxford/Oxford) won the 10,000 meters at the Wake Forest Invitational and provisionally qualified for outdoor nationals with a time of 35:50.68.  Her time is the top mark so far this season in Division II and was just 50 seconds shy of an automatic qualification.

Blaesser finished 35 seconds ahead of the race’s runner-up from Syracuse University and was only 11 seconds shy of the meet record. 

Blaesser competed in the 10,000 at outdoor nationals last spring and finished in 14^th place.  Earlier this month, she was 12^th in the 5000 meters at the Division II indoor championships.

The IUP track and field team will host the Western Pennsylvania Championships on Saturday at Miller Staidum.

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