Sept. 16, 2014
NEW ORLEANS - The Penn State women's cross country team moved up two spots to No. 27 in the latest NCAA Division I Cross Country National Coaches Poll, as announced Tuesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). On the men's side of the poll, Penn State received 13 votes, three shy of No. 30 Columbia.
Last weekend, Penn State defended their home course as both teams claimed titles at the 2014 Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. The women, led by a third-place finish by freshman Elizabeth Chikotas (Hellertown, Pa.), tallied a score of 27 points to beat then-No. 13 Syracuse (38 points) and then-No. 20 West Virginia (133 points).
In the men's race, Matt Fischer (Kennett Square, Pa.) claimed the individual title to lead the Nittany Lions (41 points) over then-No.8 Syracuse (47 points) and then-No. 29 Georgetown (48 points).
At the regional level, both Penn State cross country teams moved up to No. 3 in the Mid-Atlantic region. Previously, the women were fourth and the men were fifth.
This is the third-straight year that the women have won the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe team title and the second-straight year that a Penn State runner has won the men's race (Robby Creese, 2013). This is also the first time since 2003 that Penn State won both the men's and women's team titles.
The Penn State cross country teams don't compete again until Oct. 3, when they travel to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame Invitational.
For more on Nittany Lion cross country, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.