Jan. 30, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State track & field teams wrapped up action on day two of the Penn State National meet with a new school record and several strong performances that rank in the top-10 in the nation.
Robert Cardina would get the day started for the Nittany Lions as he wrapped up the second day of the men's heptathlon finishing in third-place with a two-day total of 5,255 points, currently ranked No. 26 in the nation.
In one of the most anticipated events of the day Brannon Kidder, who set the NCAA collegiate record two weeks ago at the Nittany Lion Challenge meet, would lay down the No. 2 time in the NCAA this season over 800-meters finishing the event with a season best time of 1:47.01. Kidder's time broke the meet record of 1:47.36 set by former Nittany Lion Casimir Loxsom in 2011 but missed the facility and school record by four one-hundredths of a second (0.04).
Running with Kidder in the men's invitational 800-meters were teammates Isaiah Harris, Jordan Makins and Robert Rhodes would finish sixth, eighth and ninth running 1:48.12, 1:49.81 and 1:50.30, respectively, all season best times. Harris' time of 1:48.12 is currently No. 10 in the nation and third amongst freshmen.
Frances Bull, who would contribute on the 4x400-meter relay later in the meet, would take third-place in a season best performance clocking 2:11.16 over 800-meters, while Sarah Jane Underwood finished 11th in the women's invitational 800-meters in a personal best time of 2:09.64.
In the field, Megan McCloskey and Ahmenah Richardson would combine for a couple of top-10 finishes as McCloskey would finish in fifth with a personal best clearance of 1.76m (5'-9.25") followed by Richardson's mark of 1.73m (5'-8") good for sixth-place.
Freshman Chisom Ifedi, who is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation, would finish the day in fourth-place with a best mark of 2.11m (6'-11"). Devin Bradham, a freshman from Williamstown, N.J., would finish 15th with a best mark of 1.96m (6'-5").
The women's pole vault, a strong event for the Nittany Lions this season, would place three athletes in the top-four as Lexi Masterson would capture the event title with a clearance of 4.09m (13'0.5")followed by Kasey Kemp and Hannah Mulhern who both cleared 3.99m (13'-1") to tie for third-place.
Tori Gerlach, a senior member of the women's cross country team that was honored at today's meet for capturing Penn State's second Big Ten cross country championship in school history, would erase the school record in the mile shaving off another 12 one-hundredths of a second from Bridget Franek's 2010 time of 4:37.95 to set the school record at 4:37.83 in a first-place finish of the women's invitational mile that saw Gerlach walk away from the field finishing with a six second lead. Also in the race for Penn State was Julie Kocjancic, who would finish sixth in a time of 4:48.76 - a new personal best.
In the women's mile Lisa Bennatan would capture the event in a season best time of 5:02.72 falling .96 seconds off her personal best time of 5:01.78 set on Feb. 22, 2015.
In the men's invitational mile, an event that has seen an athlete break the four-minute barrier in each of the last eight Penn State National meets, Ole Miss' Robert Domanic would fall short of keeping the streak alive as he finished with a time of 4:00.19.
Dannielle Gibson would continue her drive to earn a spot in the NCAA indoor meet in early march with her third-place finish in the women's triple jump. Gibson would finish the day with a best jump of 12.56m (41'-2.5"). The junior from Nassau, Bahamas is currently ranked No. 6 in the nation in the triple jump with a season best mark of 13.14m (43'-1.5") set a few weeks ago at the Nittany Lion Challenge.
The men and women's shot put would prove to be an exciting event for spectators in attendance as the No. 1 and No. 2 men's shot putters from last year's NCAA outdoor championships were on hand competing against each other once again.
For the men, Penn State's Jon Yohman would set a personal best in the event, finishing competition with a best throw of 17.79m (58'-4.5") good for a sixth-place finish.
Rachel Fatherly, would finish at the top Nittany Lion in the women's shot put with her throw of 16.91m (55'-5.75"), while Obeng Marfo took fourth-place with her personal best throw of 15.81m (51'-10.5").
Elizabeth Chikotas took third in the women's 3000-meter invitational running a personal best time of 9:17.58 followed by teammate Tessa Barrett with her time of 9:21.30, also a personal best.
For the men, Timothy McGowan would represent the Nittany Lions with a sixth-place finish in a time of 8:05.83, a season best.
Tichina Rhodes would finish ninth in the women's 400-meter invitational running a time of 55.69, a season best.
In the men's 400-meter invitational Alex Shisler and Samuel Reiser would take fourth and seventh, respectively, running season best times of 48.06 and 48.26.
Riley Gaibler would run a season best 1:05.09 in a second-place finish of the men's 500-meters.
In the women's invitational 200-meters Penn State's Deja Davis and Keianna Albury would finish fourth and sixth running 24.79 and 24.80, respectively, both are season best times.
The men's invitation 200-meters would see Malik Moffett take the event in a quick 21.02 seconds, missing the school record by four one-hundredths (0.04) of a second. Moffett would finish strong, powering by Under Armor's Manteo Mitchell in the closing meters to cross the line in a personal best time.
Finishing right behind Moffett was Penn State's Xavier Smith who would cross the line in 21.34 for fifth-place. Smith would set a personal best time in the race finishing second in his heat. Anton Porter, a freshman from Bronx, N.Y., would set a season best in the 200-meters with his time of 22.03 seconds.
In the final event of the night the Penn State quartet of Tichina Rhodes, Frances Bull, Deja Davis, and Megan Osborne would combine to run 3:45.98.
For the men, Penn State would continue their string of first-place finishes as Alex Shisler, Samuel Reiser, Xavier Smith and Isaiah Harris would carry the baton the distance in 3:10.29. Penn State's men's 4x400-meter relay is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation with a season best time of 3:09.01.
The Nittany Lions are hosting their first scored meet of the year, the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup, next Friday and Saturday Feb. 5-6 at the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.