Meet Results: http://pennrelaysonline.com/Results/schedule.aspx
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., April 24, 2014 - The Nittany Lion track and field squads wrapped up day one at the Penn Relays with two individual titles and impressive finishes in numerous events. Penn State looks to continue momentum as they head into day two of the Penn Relays at Franklin Field.
Leigha Anderson (Carlisle, Pa.) finished Thursday's competition with the Championship of America 10,000-meter title with a 33:52.22 finish. Anderson is the second Nittany Lion to ever finish the event in less than 34 minutes. Emily Giannotti (Coudersport, Pa.) added a Top 10 finish to the event coming in eighth with a new personal best of 34:46.89.
Leading the Penn State contingent was Laura Loht (McClure, Pa.) as she repeated as the Penn Relays Championship of America javelin champion with a throw of 167-8. She was joined on the podium by teammate Lauren Kenney (State College, Pa.), who was third (162-6). Additionally, Alyssa Robinson (Saint Clairsville, Ohio) claimed the Eastern shot put championship with a toss of 46-7.5.
Loht continued Penn State domination in the javelin at the Penn Relays, becoming the fifth-straight Nittany Lion to win the event (Karlee McQuillen - 2010, 2011; Lauren Kenney - 2012). Loht's 2014 win is the third Penn Relays win of her career, having won the javelin crown as a high school senior and college junior.
Melissa Kurzdorfer (Lancaster, N.Y.) continued the Nittany Lion success as she grabbed a fourth place finish in the Championship of America hammer throw with a toss of 196-7 and a ninth place effort in the college division discus (150-11). Rachel Fatherly (Williamsport, Pa.) added a trio of solid performances with a second place finish in the college division hammer throw (178-0), sixth place outing in the Championship of America shot put (48-4.5) and eighth place finish in the college division discus (153-1).
Penn State also had a solid showing in the jumping events as three Nittany Lions found their way into the Top 10 in the Eastern division high jump. Brittney Howell (Wyncote, Pa.) was the top finishing Penn Stater with a mark of 5-7.75, while Sarah Palmer (Gansevoort, N.Y.) came in fourth (5-7.75) and India McCoy (Ambridge, Pa.) was 10th (5-4.5). Howell added fourth place finish in the Championship of America long jump with a leap of 20-4.25.
Erika Morgan (Chesapeake, Va.) notched a fourth place mark in the college division high jump by clearing 5-6.
The Nittany Lions also found their stride on the track on the opening day of the Penn Relays as Tori Gerlach (Perkasie, Pa.) recorded a runner-up standing and personal record in the Championship of America steeplechase. Her time of 10:21.40 surpasses her previous personal best of 10:32.69 that was set at the 2013 Bison Outdoor Classic.
The 4x400 squad of Dyansty McGee (Flint, Mich.) , Mahagony Jones (Cleveland, Ohio), Tichinia Rhodes (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Kiah Seymour (Washington, D.C.) recorded the third-best qualifying time with a mark of 3:34.92 and will move on to the 4x400 Championship of America race on Saturday at 5:50 p.m.
Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas) posted a Top 10 finish in the Championship of America 400 hurdles, coming in ninth with time of 59.47. Kiah Seymour crossed the line in 11th (59.87). Danielle Kocjancic (Kane, Pa.) was 13th in the Championship of America 5,000-meters with a time of 17:00.24.
On the men's side, Glen Burkhardt (Kennett Square, Pa. ) turned in a solid sixth place finish in the college division 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:29.68.
Penn Relays will continue throughout Friday, and conclude on Saturday evening. For more on Nittany Lion track and field, log on to www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team for live updates on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.