April 13, 2015
USTFCCCA Release
NEW ORLEANS -- The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its updated National Computer Rankings and the Penn State men's track & field team is ranked No. 16. The Nittany Lion men are the top Big Ten team in the USTFCCCA National Rankings.
At the season-opening Florida Relays, Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.) and Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio) tallied scored performances in the men's 800-meter run. In the 800-meter run, Kidder is 11th (1:47.14) and Creese is 43rd (1:48.54). They also have scored performances in the 1,500-meter run.
In the 1,500-meter run, Kidder is second (3:38.82) and Creese is 14th (3:41.03).
In the field events, the Nittany Lions have six marks ranked in the USTFCCCA National Computer Rankings. The triple jump duo of Steve Waithe (Parkville, Md.) and Brian Leap (Bellwood, Pa.) rank 11th (52-11.50) and 34th (51-6.50), respectively.
Senior Darrell Hill (Philadelphia, Pa.) currently has the fourth-best scored mark in the shot put (67-6) and javelin throwers, Michael Shuey (Johnsonburg, Pa.) and Cole Proffitt (Manheim, Pa.) rank 13th (238-6) and 44th (224-4), respectively.
Robert Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.), a sophomore, is eighth in the decathlon with his score of 7,666 points. Cardina also ranks 40th in the high jump with his height of 7-0.25.
Last year at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Cardina placed eighth in the decathlon (7,666 points), Kidder finished 12th in the 1,500-meter run (3:44.30), Hill placed 15th in the shot put (62-9.50) and Waithe and Leap finished fifth (52-11.50) and 16th (51-6.50), respectively, in the triple jump.
The Nittany Lion men opened up the 2015 outdoor season ranked 15th; their highest ranking is 11th, a feat they achieved twice in 2013.
Penn State will compete Saturday at the LSU Alumni Gold meet in Baton Rouge, La., and they will also head to Lewisburg, Pa., for the Bucknell Team Challenge.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.