April 19, 2014
LEWISBURG, PA. - Both the Penn State men's and women's track & field teams had strong showings at the Bucknell Team Challenge Saturday, including several facility records and numerous event sweeps for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State started off the day strong and never looked back. The Nittany Lions swept the women's javelin throw with senior Laura Loht (McClure, Pa.) leading the way with a toss of 163-01. Senior Megan Boyer (Millersburg, Pa.) and junior Melanie Leszcynski (Audobon, Pa.) finished second and third with throws of 141-11 and 136-08.
Senior Melissa Kurzdorfer (Lancaster, N.Y.) brought home wins in both the discus (158-05) and hammer throw (189-10). Teammate Rachel Fatherly (Williamsport, Pa.) took third in the hammer (173-08), but found victory herself in the shot put with a throw of 49-09.25. Nittany Lion freshman Alyssa Robinson (Saint Clairsville, Ohio) was second in the shot put (44-09.75).
The Nittany Lion women enjoyed great success in the jumps as well, sweeping the triple jump and high jump and going 1-2 in the long jump. Both the long and triple jumps went to freshman Dannielle Gibson (Nassau, Bahamas). Gibson measured a jump of 5.82 meters in the long jump and 12.05 meters in the triple jump en route to the double victory. Senior Marlene Ricketts (Old Westbury, N.Y.) was second in the long jump (5.75m) and third in the triple jump (11.77m). Sophomore Kaitlyn Lopez (Buffalo, N.Y.) was second in the triple jump (11.80m). Junior Sarah Palmer (Gansevoort, N.Y.) placed first in the high jump with a clearance of 5-08.75. Senior Erika Morgan (Chesapeake, Va.) was second and freshman India McCoy (Ambridge, Pa.) was third. Both had jumps of 5-05.00.
The Penn State women went 1-2 in the pole vault as well, with redshirt-freshman Erin Knabe (Voorhees, N.J.) and freshman Lexi Masterson (Jeannette, Pa.) both clearing 12-09.50. That mark ties the duo for second-best all-time at Penn State.
On the track, the team's dominance was highlighted by two facility records. Sophomore Kiah Seymour (Washington, D.C.) set a new facility record with her win in the 200 meters, crossing the finish line in 23.66. All told, the Nittany Lions had four runners in the Top 5 in the event including junior Dynasty McGee (Flint, Mich.), senior Brittney Howell (Wyncote, Pa.) and Megan Osborne (Chillicothe, Ohio). Seymour and McGee also made up half of Penn State's winning 4x100 meter relay team, which set the new facility record of 45.34. Redshirt-senior Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas) and redshirt-senior Mahagony Jones (Cleveland, Ohio) also helped pace the relay.
Junior Shelley Black (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) won the 100 hurdles in 13.92, while Britton took the top spot in the 400 hurdles in 59.69.
In the 1500 meters, Abbie Benson (Elma, N.Y.) won with a time of 4:36.00 with freshman Julie Kocjancic (Kane, Pa.) finishing third in her lifetime best of 4:37.14. In her 3000 meter steeplechase debut, freshman Stephanie Aldrich (West Chester, Pa.) won with a time of 11:15.02.
Redshirt-senior Will Barr (Urbana, Ohio) was a double winner on the men's side, with victories in the discus (179-09) and hammer throw (196-08) while senior Russell Hedrick's (Schwenksville, Pa.) throw of 191-10 took the top spot in the men's javelin, marking his first collegiate win for Penn State. Junior Darrell Hill (Philadelphia, Pa.) completed the Penn State sweep of the throwing events with a 62-8 in the shot put, just short of his best throw ever.
Junior Brian Leap (Bellwood, Pa.) won the triple jump with a jump of 15.21 meters. Freshman Jonathon Jacoway (Sharon, Pa.) was third with a jump of 14.40 meters. Junior Michael McClelland (Washington, Pa.) finished second in the high jump (6-02.25). Junior Dylan Bilka (Seven Fields, Pa.) took home first place in the pole vault (15-11.00).
The men's track performances were highlighted by a sweep of the 400 for the Nittany Lions. Senior Brandon Bennett-Green (Elkins Park, N.Y.) won, crossing the finish line in 47.44. Sophomore Alex Shisler (State College, Pa.) was second (47.62) and senior Aaron Nadolsky (Altoona, Pa.) was third (47.84).
Alex Kenney (State College, Pa.) won the 100 meters with a time of 10.71, while junior Sancho Barrett (Amityville, N.Y.) and Rob Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.) were 1-2 in the 110 hurdles. Cardina's time was a lifetime best for the freshman decathlete.
Senior Nick Scarpello (Jamison, Pa.) rounded out Saturday's winners in the men's 3000 meter steeplechase. The performance came in his season debut at the event with a time of 9:21.79. Redshirt-sophomore Tom Damiani (Tunkhannock, Pa.) was third in the 1500 meter run. Junior Christopher Campbell (Newtown, Pa.) was second in the 3000.
Penn Relays are up next for the Nittany Lions. Follow @PennStateTFXC on Twitter for live updates on race weekends.