March 1, 2014
GENEVA, Ohio; March 1, 2014 - A total team effort gave the Penn State Men's Track & Field team a third-place finish at the 2014 Big Ten Indoor Championships. Sophomore Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio) captured Penn State's only individual victory of the championships by defending his title in the 800 meters with a lean at the line in 1:49.52.
"Our men had a few mistakes on day one that cost us on overall points," said Penn State Head Coach and Director of Track & Field Beth Alford-Sullivan. "We had a great team effort and everyone gave their very best. I am proud of our top 3 finish. We will be back in it again next year!"
Wisconsin took home the Big Ten Championship with a total of 122.5. Nebraska was second with 118 points. Penn State finished third with a tally of 72 points.
In addition to Kidder's win in the 800, sophomore Za'Von Watkins (Liverpool, N.Y.) finished fifth and redshirt-junior Ryan Brennan (Chester, N.Y.) took seventh place.
Senior Bernard Bennett-Green (Elkins Park, Pa.) made the podium in the 400 with his time of 46.80 while freshman Byron Robinson (Chesapeake, Va.) finished eighth. Bernard Bennett-Green and Robinson were also part of Penn State's fourth place 4x400 meter relay team. The pair was joined in the relay by Bernard's twin brother Brandon Bennett-Green (Elkins Park, Pa.) and senior Aaron Nadolsky (Altoona, Pa.).
A freshman with a bright future for the Nittany Lions, Rob Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.) tallied 5,511 points in the heptathlon, a new school record and fourth-place finish at Big Tens.
To round out scoring on the track, juniors Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.) and Wade Endress (Altoona, Pa.) scored points for the Nittany Lions in the mile with a seventh and an eight place finish for the duo.
Junior Steve Waithe (Parkville, Md.) narrowly missed a victory in the triple jump, finishing just one centimeter short of the winning jump. Junior Brian Leap (Bellwood, Pa.) jumped to a fifth place finish in the event. Senior Jon Hendershot (Nazareth, Pa.) placed fifth in the high jump, also scoring points for Penn State.
Redshirt-senior Will Barr (Urbana, Ohio) reset his own school record in the weight throw with a toss of 70-6.5, making him the first Penn Stater to break the 70-foot barrier. His throw was good enough for fifth place.
The NCAA Indoor Championships on March 14-15 in Albuquerque, N.M., are next up for the Nittany Lions.
--NITTANY LIONS--