Day One Results
Videos on GoPSUTV
Video Recap with Coach Sullivan
Saturday Heat Sheets
Anchored by a big kick by freshman Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md), and stellar performances from freshman Wade Endress (Altoona, Pa.), redshirt-sophomore Aaron Nadolsky (Altoona, Pa.) and junior Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.), the men's distance medley relay captured gold-medal honors, Friday at the Big Ten Indoor Championships at the University of Nebraska.
The Nittany Lion quartet was just one of several sensational performances, including seniors Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) and Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.) providing a two-three finish in the women's 3,000 meters. Also putting together a stellar relay was the foursome of Bekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio), Ije Iheoma (Holland, Pa.), Marta Klebe and Brooklyne Ridder (Cincinnatti, Ohio), who placed third in the women's distance medley.
Robby Creese |
Coming into the anchor with Minnesota holding a six-second lead over the pack, Creese bided his time, reeling in the Gopher miler, before unleashing a 26-second last 200 to clinch the Lion's first-ever title in the event. Endress brought the Lions through in 3:03 on the 1200, followed by Nadolsky with a 48.2 readout for 400, and Loxsom, who handed off to Creese at the head of the chase pack, at 1:50.6 for the 800. Creese closed in 4:01.6.
The squad's effort helped the Lions to 15-point total for day one, which stands sixth overall with five events in the books. Host Nebraska leads with 45 points, with Wisconsin following in second with 32, and Ohio State in third at 27.
The women were also outstanding on the day's closing relay, led by Simko splitting 3:26.9 on the opener, Iheoma going 54.8 on the 400 to keep the Lions in the hunt with a big close on the 400 leg. Klebe split a solid 2:09.6 on the 800, before giving the stick to Ridder, who held her own with a 4:47.0 anchor. Michigan ran away with the race with a meet-record 11:11.54, while the Hoosiers of Indiana nosed the Nittany Lions with a finishing time of 11:16.85, to Penn State's 11:18.96. The Lions' finishing time also stands as the third-fastest time in the Penn State record books.
Millhouse sprinted to the lead in the closing laps, winding up in a two-woman battle with Nebraska's Ashley Miller, who managed to out-lean Millhouse at the tape in front of her home crowd, 9:17.28-9:17.48. Lane would also close very well, picking off several competitors down the stretch to finish in 9:22.18 and bronze-medal honors.
Coming up with a big PR in the field was senior Logan Caldwell (Ebensburg, Pa.), who turned in a fourth-place effor in the shot put. Caldwell launched a career-best of 61-7 (18.77) - a PR by over three feet. The senior's toss is also fifth-best in school history, and a top 15 mark in Division I.
Competing well in a day one event final was sophomore Brittney Howell (Wyncote, Pa.), who kicked off the women's pentathlon competition with a personal-best 8.61 in the 60-meter hurdles. Howell wound up fifth with a total score of 3870, which ranks third in Penn State history. Senior Anya Uzoh (Laurel, Md.) is also faring well in the multi-events, standing seventh after four events with a total of 2989 points, and well within reach of a top five finish.
Getting the qualifying rounds rolling was Lane, who clipped off a heat victory in the mile at 4:43.82 to automatically advance to Saturday's final. Penn State will also have a Lion in the fight in the men's mile final, thanks to a heat win by freshman Creese. Creese clocked 4:06.19 - the second-fastest effort in qualifying - to earn a spot on the line in Saturday's final.
One of the Nittany Lions' most successful events of the afternoon was the 400 meters, with two qualifiers making it through to the final in both the men's and women's competitions. On the women's side, Iheoma fended off a hard-charging Illini foe to win her heat, and advance to Saturday's final. Also coming through with a heat victory was redshirt-freshman Kirsten Nieuwendam (Parimaribo, Suriname), who finished in 54.99. The duo ranked fourth and fifth in preliminary qualifying, both turning in season bests on the afternoon.
Sophomore Brandon Bennett-Green (Elkins Park, Pa.) and Nadolsky and would both advance thanks to heat wins for the Nittany Lion men. The pair of Penn Staters posted identical finishing times of 47.91. Also competing in the 400 were sophomore Brady Gehret (Altoona, Pa.) and freshman Matt Gilmore (Elkins Park, Pa.), who placed 12th and 13th, respectively, coming up just shy of spots in the final.
Nieuwendam would qualifying through in a second event, clocking 23.79 in the 200 meters - the fifth-fastest time in qualifying. Also through in the one lapper was Mahagony Jones (Cleveland, Ohio), who finished in 23.76 - the fourth-best effort of the day.
The championships continue tomorrow morning with the men's heptathlon 60-meter hurdles at 10:00 a.m., CST.