May 11, 2015
NEW ORLEANS -- Following a personal-best performance in the 110-meter hurdles from Sancho Barrett (Amityville, N.Y.) this past Friday at the Jim Thorpe Invite, the Penn State men's track & field team has moved up one spot to No. 11 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Computer Rankings.
The Nittany Lions' No. 11 ranking Monday ties the highest ranking in school history (April 23, 2013 & May 7, 2013). The Nittany Lion men have been ranked in the top-16 throughout the 2015 outdoor season.
At the Jim Thorpe Invite, Barrett tied the No. 3 performance all-time at Penn State in the 110-meter hurdles with his time of 13.80 (Timpson -- 1988); he is currently tied for 23rd nationally in the event.
Also on the track, Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio) leads the NCAA in the 800-meter run (1:45.58), while Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.) is second in the 1,500-meter run (3:39.02). Creese also ranks 39th in the 800-meter run (1:48.54).
All-time at Penn State, Kidder ranks second in the 800-meter run and Creese has the third-best 1,500-meter run performance.
The Nittany Lions also have four marks in the field events ranked in the USTFCCCA National Computer Rankings.
Senior Darrell Hill (Philadelphia, Pa.) currently has the second-best mark in the shot put (68-5.25) and the javelin duo of Michael Shuey (Johnsonburg, Pa.) and Ryan Kerr (Brookville, Pa.) rank seventh (242-8) and 32nd (227-1), respectively. Also in the field, Steve Waithe (Parkville, Md.) ranks 26th in the triple jump with his leap of 51-7.25.
Last year at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Kidder finished 12th in the 1,500-meter run (3:44.30), Hill placed 15th in the shot put (62-9.50) and Waithe finished fifth (52-11.50) in the triple jump.
Next up for Penn State is the 2015 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Michigan State. The Nittany Lions will travel to East Lansing, Mich., for the three-day meet (May 15-17).
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.