Jan. 16, 2016
Nittany Lion Challenge Results | Post-Meet Video: Coach Gondak
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State would capture 13 event wins, set four meet records, break three school records, along with an all-time collegiate record as the Nittany Lions wrapped up the 2016 Nittany Lion Challenge at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor track.
"(I'm) ecstatic," said head coach John Gondak. "We were focused today, we were passionate, we set four meet records, broke three school records, set a national NCAA collegiate record, won thirteen events and our theme of becoming competitors continues to be on display with the performances that our program is having."
Rachel Fatherly would start the day for Penn State taking second in the women's weight throw with a season best, and personal best, mark of 19.84m (65'-1.25") while teammate Alyssa Robinson would claim third-place with a best throw of 18.49m (60'-8"). Fatherly's throw broke her previous meet record of 15.72m (51'-7") she set at last year's Nittany Lion Challenge.
"Coming into today, throwing over 17-meters was a goal of mine," said senior thrower Rachel Fatherly.
"On the second throw I threw 55' but I released it too early, I knew I had more. The next throw I was a little aggressive and ended up all over the toe board. In the transition in-between prelims and finals I was able to calm down and the first throw of finals I threw 56'. There are still a lot of technical things that I need to fix, but based on where I was at this point last year I'm way ahead so far this season."
Fatherly is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation in the women's shot put.
The men's and women's 1,000m would see a pair of school records fall as seniors Tori Gerlach and Brannon Kidder etched their names among the best to ever wear the blue & white on the track. Gerlach's performance would come in an event she doesn't normally run. The consummate 3-5K athlete, Gerlach dropped down to run the 1,000m and erased a four-year old record, previously held by Nittany Lion great Caitlin Lane, recording a time of 2:43.15 setting not only a school record but a new personal best in the event as well. Gerlach is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation in the women's 1000m.
For the men's 1,000m, fans in attendance would see the first sub-2:19 in NCAA history. Kidder, who had never run the 1,000m before today's meet, set the collegiate record running 2:18.26 as he ran away from the field over the final 75-meters for the win with the next closest competitor over a full three seconds behind. Kidder in one race set a meet record, school record, facility record, and an all-time collegiate record.
"We had planned on taking it out fast and just seeing what we had early," said senior Brannon Kidder. "(Jordan) Makins brought me through 600-meters perfect, we got there and I felt pretty good so I just kept going. I knew it was possible but I was focused on running a good 800m and seeing where it went from there."
Kidder returns the prestigious honor as the fastest collegiate athlete to ever run the 1,000m to Happy Valley, as teammate Robby Creese previously held the record from 2012-2014. Former Nittany Lion Ryan Foster held the school record, before Creese, when he became the first to break 2:20 in the event. Penn State is home to two of the three fastest times in the 1,000m in NCAA history.
Elizabeth Chikotas would continue the trend of the day adding her name in the record books with her run of 4:45.59, breaking the meet record of 4:46.70 set by Florida's Cory McGee in 2011. Chikotas' run would also give the sophomore from Hellertown, Pa. a new PR, besting her old personal best time of 4:46.54 set in last year's Nittany Lion Challenge. Chikotas is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation in the women's mile.
Xavier Smith, who set a school record in the 60m last week in a time of 6.70 seconds, would once again re-write the record book by shaving another one one-hundredth of a second from the school record clocking 6.69 seconds for the 60-meters.
"I feel great," said sophomore sprinter Xavier Smith. "It's always good when you run a PR, but I'm still headed in the right direction. I'm looking forward to two weeks of good training before hitting the track again at the Penn State National."
Sophomore Timothy McGowan would run the No. 1 time in the nation heading into this weekend with his performance in the men's 3,000m run recording a time of 8:08.24, a full eight seconds ahead of the next closest competitor. The sophomore transfer from Roger Williams University would set a new personal best time in the win.
Sophomore Quenee Dale put together a solid day for the Nittany Lions, qualifying for finals in two events - running the top time in the prelims of the 60-meter hurdles. Dale would finish the day sixth in the 60m open (7.71) and cap the day with the fourth fastest time in the 60-meter hurdles in Penn State indoor history running 8.26 seconds - currently tied with TCU's Brianna McGhee for the ninth fastest in the NCAA this season.
Penn State does not compete next week, but returns to the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track on Jan. 29-30 for the Penn State National. The Penn State National will be streamed live on Flotrack.org. Several Penn State athletes set personal best in their respective events including; Patrick Anderson (pole vault), Malik Moffett (long jump), Jordan Makins (mile), Morgan Shigo (weight throw), Elizabeth Chikotas (mile), Xavier Smith (60m), Dannielle Gibson (triple jump), Tori Gerlach (1000m), Rachel Fatherly (shot put), Quenee Dale (60mH), and Brannon Kidder (1000m).
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.