April 1, 2015
Florida Relays Schedule | Heat Sheets | Watch Live ($) | Live Results
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With the indoor track & field season in the books, the Nittany Lions are ready to open up the outdoor season this weekend. Penn State is slated to head south to Gainesville, Fla., for the Florida Relays April 3-4.
FLORIDA RELAYS INFO
When: April 3-4
Where: James G. Pressly Stadium, Percy Beard Track
Start Time for Penn State: Friday: 12:15 p.m., Saturday: 11 a.m.
Live Results: http://www.deltatiming.com/
Live Video: Sec Network + ($)
WRAPPING UP INDOOR
With the indoor season in the books, the Nittany Lions recorded 14 top-five school record performances, including a pair of school records.
At the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships, Penn State captured six Big Ten titles en route to a third-place finish by the women and a fourth-place finish by the men.
Nationally, nine Penn State student-athletes recorded first team All-America finishes and the Penn State men tallied a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. The NCAA meet was highlighted for Penn State by a runner-up finish in the men's distance medley relay by Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio), Alex Shisler (State College, Pa.), Za'Von Watkins (Liverpool, N.Y.) and Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.).
NO. 15 IN THE LAND
The Penn State men's track & field team enters the outdoor season No. 15 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Computer Rankings.
On the track, Penn State has three top-50 performances in the 800-meter run and two of the top-15 times in the 1,500-meter run. Juniors Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.) and Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio) both have scored times in the 800- and 1,500-meters. In the 800-meter run, Kidder is 28th (1:48.53) while Creese ranks 44th with his time of 1:48.98. Also in the 800-meter run, Za'Von Watkins (Liverpool, N.Y.) ranks 25th with a time of 1:48.33.
In the 1,500-meter run, Kidder's time of 3:38.82 ranks second and Creese is 11th with his time of 3:41.03.
In the field events, the Nittany Lions have six marks ranked by the National Computer Rankings. The triple jump duo of Steve Waithe (Parkville, Md.) and Brian Leap (Bellwood, Pa.) rank seventh (52-11.50) and 27th (51-6.50), respectively. Senior Darrell Hill (Philadelphia, Pa.) enters the outdoor season with the third-best scored mark in the shot put (67-6) and javelin throwers, Michael Shuey (Johnsonburg, Pa.) and Cole Proffitt (Manheim, Pa.) rank 12th (238-6) and 36th (224-4), respectively.
Robert Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.), a sophomore, is tenth in the decathlon with his score of 7,508 points. Cardina also ranks 38th in the high jump with his height of 7-0.25.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Nittany Lions are scheduled to compete in seven meets in five states before they return to Happy Valley for the Jim Thorpe Invite (May 8). Following the Jim Thorpe Invite, Penn state will travel to East Lansing, Mich. (Big Ten Outdoors), Jacksonville, Fla. (NCAA First Round) and Eugene, Ore. (NCAA Outdoor Championships)
TWELVE SIGN EARLY
Twelve new student-athletes signed their National Letter of Intent during the week-long early signing period in November.
Colin Abert (Easton, Pa.), Devin Bradham (Williamstown, N.J.), Frances Bull (Mentor, Ohio), Isaiah Harris (Lewiston, Maine), Maddie Holmberg (Greensburg, Pa.), Peter Hughey (Chambersburg, Pa.), David Lucas (Lititz, Pa.), David Marrington (Langhorne, Pa.), Sam Reiser (St Kilda, Aus.), Sarah Stanley (South Park, Pa.), Abby Stultz (Frederick, Md.) and Grace Trucilla (Erie, Pa.) have signed a National Letter of Intent and will attend Penn State next fall.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions compete close to home next weekend as they head to Lewisburg, Pa., for the Bucknell Classic April 11-12.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.