Allen making a mark
ERIE — Talk about versatility.
Paige Allen and Ashlyn Carlsson both made all-conference in cross country last fall for Penn State Behrend. Carlsson placed eighth in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference meet while Allen was 12th.
The top 15 earned all-conference honors.
Now Carlsson, a freshmen and Knoch graduate, wants to follow Allen — a junior and Butler graduate — into the track and field record book for the Lions.
“She's an amazing athlete, so dedicated to the sport,” Carlsson said. “Paige is a leader on our team and on campus.
“She is president of the Student Athletic Association, she's involved in student government ... I don't know where she gets the time to do everything she does.”
Allen saves a lot of time on the track — by not being on it very long.
She owns 10 Behrend track and field records — five indoor, five outdoor — and just broke her own outdoor 200-meter record by running the event in 25.26 seconds at the Coastal Carolina Invitational last weekend. That marked the Lions' first outdoor meet of the season.
“I didn't come here looking to break records,” Allen said. “I came here because it suited my education (majoring in supply chain management) and it gave me a place to run.”
And run she has.
Allen owns Lion indoor records in the 55, 60 and 200 meters, 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Carlsson, Rachel Pell and Haley Yenchik run with her in the 4x200, Carlsson, Pell and Courtney Sargent in the 4x400.
“I knew Ashlynn from back home,” Allen said. “She's going to have a great career here. She's already started.”
Allen's outdoor records include the 100 and 200 meters, 4x100 and 4x400 relays and the heptathlon. The latter is a combination of the 100-meter hurdles, 200 and 800 meter runs, long jump, high jump, shot put and javelin.
“It was something to try,” Allen said. “I was attracted by the challenge.”Allen's collegiate success is no surprise to coach Greg Cooper, who saw her return from a broken collarbone resulting from a fall during a relay at the end of her freshman indoor season to set more school records that spring.“That was a freak accident and it only motivated her more,” Cooper said. “Paige didn't feel like she had the kind of sophomore year she wanted to — even though it was excellent — and was determined to push the record book further this year.“She joined the cross country team to stay in shape and wound up making all-conference. That's the kind of athlete she is. She relishes competition.”Her goals now are to be among the best nationally in Division III.“Just keep getting faster,” she said.Carlsson worked with Allen at a Dairy Queen and got talked into joining her at Behrend.“I was looking at Edinboro and Robert Morris,” Carlsson said. “Paige told me all about Behrend and they have an outstanding nursing program, which is what I wanted.“I'm glad I came here. She's setting the standard high and we've been successful.”Cooper said Carlsson has been hitting the weight room and doing the workouts in an effort to make an impact on the team.“She is already a part of two record relays with us,” he said. “Ashlyn is still young and we broke her in on those relays this year. I'm sure she will transitiion into strong performances as an individual.“We're talking about two very talented young ladies here.”
