Finally, some love for Kara Patterson...

One US Olympian we haven't been giving a lot of love to is Vancouver's Kara Patterson (left/photo by Paul Merca), currently a senior at Purdue University.

Patterson headlines the women's efforts for the Boilermakers, and is looking to win her third Big Ten Championship in the javelin in Columbus, Ohio this weekend, and improve upon her NCAA Division I-best toss of 58.41 meters (191-08), set at the Arizona State Invitational on March 28th.

She owns the Big Ten and conference championship record in the event, hurling an American collegiate record and Olympic qualifying mark of 61.56 meters (202-00) on her first throw at the 2008 conference meet. Patterson is sitting on a four-meter lead in the event and hopes to repeat as the Big Ten Women's Field Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships.

Patterson has had a low-key season, and has thrown sparingly so far in 2009, throwing at the Drake Relays and at the Georgia Spec Towns Invitational.