Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

 
Though both legs often hurt, he was developing asthma, and dealing with seasonal allergies throughout his career, distance running was a breeze for Baldwin High School’s Dan Mazzocco. “It’s not the people who have the easiest ride who get to the top, it’s the ones who continue to get back up after having a bumpy ride,” Mazzocco told Penn State’s Daily Collegian. Mazzocco won PIAA Championships in the 1,600-meter run as a sophomore in 2000 and the 3,200 as a senior. During his junior season, Baldwin’s distance medley relay team that included Mazzocco, Ryan Sheehan, Jeff Conroy, and Mark Best achieved high school All-American status. As a senior, Mazzocco was WPIAL and PIAA Cross Country Champion and won the PIAA indoor mile. Meanwhile, a stress fracture was forming in his left femur. By the time he arrived at Penn State, the asthma flared up and he took a redshirt. Then, because he was favoring his left leg, the right femur developed a stress fracture. He often would drive home on Fridays for treatment on his leg, returning to State College in time for Monday classes. Finally healed, he became a two-time All-American cross country runner for the Nittany Lions. He punctuated his career by finishing 31st at the NCAA meet, passing 20 runners over the final mile.