Feb. 5, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: February 5, 2010 - Despite the snowy weather outside, day one of the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup got underway on Friday at Ashenfelter III Indoor Track, highlighted by outstanding performances by the Nittany Lions in all event areas. The Nittany Lions were paced by a winning effort from the women's distance medley relay, comprised of Lindsey Graybill (Macungie, Pa.), Megan Duncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.), Elizabeth Kearins (Doylestown, Pa.), and Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio). The women's DMR broke the tape at 11:27.81, just over a second off the NCAA provisional standard.
Junior Caitlin Defusco (Schwenksville, Pa.) led the charge in the Lion sprints, posting a personal-best 7.61 in the preliminaries, and going on to finish seventh in the final at 7.65.
Also turning in a scoring finish was junior Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.), who posted a personal-best 57-04.75 (17.49) to finish fifth in the men's 35-pound weight throw. Juniors Bianca Fung (North Babylon, N.Y.) and Kellyn Burns (Kennett Square, Pa.) tied for seventh in the long jump, both recording a leap of 18-3.75 (5.58). Also in the field, Caitlin Fairbairn (Coatesville, Pa.) and Jocelyn Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.) provided a three-four finish in the women's pole vault, with Fairbairn topping out at 12-3.50 (3.75), and Witmer clearing 11-9.75 (3.75). Sophomore Anna Muzio (Harrisburg, Pa.) scored a sixth-place finish in the women's 20-lb weight, tossing
In the distances, junior Paige Anderson (Carlisle, Pa.) placed eighth overall in the women's 5,000-meters, finishing in 17:40.61, while the men's distance medley squad of Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio), Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.), Mark Fuller (Camp Hill, Pa.), and Sam Havko (Fairview, Pa.) took third on the relay, combining to run 10:09.64 for third-place overall.
In the team standings, Princeton leads the men's competition after six events with 29 points, with Buffalo, South Florida, and Auburn in a three-way lock for second with 28 points apiece. On the women's side, South Florida is out in front with 44 points, with Cornell trailing in second with 41.
The Challenge Cup, which is named in memory of two long-time Penn State Track and Field officials, will continue tomorrow morning, with the men's pole vault, men's shot put, and men's triple jump set to go at 11 a.m., while the men's mile run will start the track events at 11:30 a.m.