Feb. 6, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Track & Field will host their final home meet of the season this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, when eight schools join the Nittany Lions to compete at the annual Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup.
The Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup arrives a week after a stellar performance by the Nittany Lions on the track, as more than 20 personal records, including two Penn State records, were broken at the Penn State National. Senior Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas) broke the Penn State record in the 60-meter hurdles (8.15 seconds) and was named Big Ten Female Track Athlete of the Week.
The seventh-ranked men's team had outstanding performances at the Penn State National, most specifically in the distance medley relay. Sophomore Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio), senior Brandon Bennett-Green (Philadelphia, Pa.), sophomore Za'Von Watkins (Liverpool, N.Y.) and junior Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.) set the new Penn State record ran the second fastest collegiate DMR ever, posting a 9:26.59.
The Sykes/Sabock Challenge Cup is named after two long-time Penn State track and field officials. "Dutch" Sykes was the Intramural Director and Dr. Ralph Sabock a professor in the Department of Kinesiology during their Penn State tenures. Both men served for over 30 years as Penn State Track and Field and Cross Country officials working as clerk of the course, starter and finish judge. They officiated NCAA Champion¬ships, all regular season meets, Special Olympics, and physically challenged events. Dr. Sabock's book "Coaching" is still used as a text at Penn State.
Competing teams are: Binghamton, Buffalo, Connecticut, James Madison, Liberty, Penn, Princeton, and UNC-Wilmington.
All events will take place on the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track at the Indoor Multi-Sport Facility at the corner of University Drive and Dauer Drive on campus, behind the Penn State Lacrosse Field. Admission is free.