Mr. and Ms. Penn hopefuls got it, flaunt it

For the last six weeks, Penn grad students Ben Studebaker and Shasta Jones have done nothing but sleep, eat and drink body building.

Their meals have been devoid of carbohydrates and filled with protein -- the cookies shelved for tofu, the beer left bottled for water.

"Free time" has been but a misnomer, as twice-a-day workouts have occupied the bodybuilders non-eating hours.

Not exactly the ideal life for most Penn students, but Studebaker and Jones are not your typical Penn students -- or at least after last night, not anymore.

They're the newest leading couple of the University -- the 2002 Mr. and Ms. Penn.

"This is the greatest feeling I've ever had in my entire life," Studebaker, a Penn Dental student said after his victory last night.

Though Studebaker was the ultimate men's champion in the 10th annual Mr. and Ms. Penn Bodybuilding contest, it was not he who was the first to advance to the final Mr. Penn flex-off.

That honor belonged to College and Wharton junior Eddie Lin, who captured the men's lightweight title for the third year in a row.

Lin -- who was Studebaker's training buddy for the competition -- bested 11 competitors in the largest of the four divisions.

"Going through the experience is so rewarding in itself," Lin said. "I really put my heart into it."

After Lin advanced to the men's finals, he ceded the stage to another past winner, Jones.

Jones took the gold medal in the women's short division for the second-straight year by outlasting a pair of Penn women's track team members, Sam Crook and Erin Rhodes.

The track duo provided what was one of the lighter moments of the evening during the finals of the women's short competition. While Jones was busy showing off her chiseled physique, the pair linked to perform a series of cartwheels.

Erin "is an absolute star," said event coordinator, emcee and Penn women's track and field assistant coach Tony Tenisci. "She was born to be on the stage."

After Studebaker joined Lin in the men's finals, Engineering senior and Penn women's track sprinter Amelia Zellander took the women's tall title to complete the final pairing for the Ms. Penn flex-off.

Following their respective wins, the new Mr. and Ms. Penn couple turned their joint attention away from the competition and onto their carboyhdrate-craving stomachs.

"I miss my chips and my cereal," Jones said.

"My mom baked me chocolate chip cookies," Studebaker said, "I can't wait for those."

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