May 4, 2015
USTFCCCA Release
NEW ORLEANS - Behind a pair of top-two performances in the NCAA this past weekend at the Payton Jordan Invitational, the Penn State men's track & field team has moved up three spots to No. 12 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Computer Rankings.
This past weekend in Palo Alto, Calif., Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio) and Robby Creese (Mount Airy, Md.) not only climbed the Penn State all-time lists, but they also moved their way up the 2015 NCAA leaderboards.
In the 800-meter run, Kidder finished second with his NCAA-leading time of 1:45.58. Heading into the weekend, Kidder ranked eighth all-time at Penn State (1:46.87), but he now ranks second all-time, only to Casimir Loxsom's school record 1:45.28 (2011).
Also at the Payton Jordan Invitational, Creese took to the track for the 1,500-meter run. He went onto finish second in the 1,500-meter run with the No. 2 time in the NCAA this season (3:39.02). Creese also ranks 38th in the rankings in the 800-meter run (1:48.54). At Penn State, he ranks third all-time in the 1,500-meter run.
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 (68-2.5) and the javelin duo of Michael Shuey (Johnsonburg, Pa.) and Ryan Kerr (Brookville, Pa.) rank seventh (242-8) and 31st (227-1), respectively. Also in the field, Steve Waithe (Parkville, Md.) ranks 25th in the triple jump with his leap of 51-7.25.
Robert Cardina (Lancaster, Pa.), a sophomore, is eighth in the decathlon with his score of 7,666 points.
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 finished fifth (52-11.50) 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 is set to host the Jim Thorpe Invite on Friday, May 8. The Jim Thorpe Invite will be the final meet before the 2015 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships in East Lansing, Mich., May 15-17.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.