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Track & Field Turns in Roaring Performances at Nittany Lion Challenge

Jan. 14, 2017

Photo Gallery

RESULTS

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State track & field wrapped up the season opening meet of the year Saturday night at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.

In the opening meet of the season, Penn State posted 15 event wins, a new school record and multiple PR's from a team that had a great day!

"It was another great Nittany Lion Challenge," said head coach John Gondak.

"We had a really great opener, I told the team last night at dinner `go out today and test the waters, test yourself and see where you are' and we had a lot of people do fantastic things."

"It's a really good starting point," Gondak continued. "I know we can continue to get better, we have two very talented teams on both the men's and women's sides, I think today showed a good piece of that and I'm really looking to see what the rest of the season holds."

True freshman Danae Rivers made a statement in her first meet as a Nittany Lion setting the school record in the 600-meters. Rivers finished with a time of 1:29.06 erasing the old mark of 1:29.81 set by Briene Simmons back in 2007.

"Danae is a very talented athlete," said Gondak. "She's a great leader in our program and a great student. I've seen a lot of things from her this fall and the early part of winter that made me think she was ready to go out and do something like that. I asked her to predict her time she thought she was going to run and she said 1:29, so she was ready and went out and got it done."

In the women's mile it was the duo of Tori Gerlach (unattached) and Tessa Barrett leading the way. Gerlach, who has outdoor eligibility only, competed unattached and set a new meet record in the mile clocking a time of 4:41.17 breaking the record of 4:45.59 set just last year by Elizabeth Chikotas. Barrett, who finished second in the race, would've broken the old record as well with her time of 4:42.56 - a new personal best.

"It was great, those two (Gerlach, Barrett) work together to go run fast. They were looking to come out and do some great things today and they sure did. Anytime you can PR in the mile by six or seven seconds like Tessa did it's a great start to the season," said Gondak.

Also having a great opening meet was Bryce Williams who recorded a huge personal best as he captured the triple jump event title with his mark of 51'-8.25" (15.75m).

"Bryce missed all of last year with ACL surgery, to come back in his opening meet and have some really good jumps in the long jump and then to pop what he did in triple was outstanding. Coach Kelly does a wonderful job with our jumpers and it showed with Bryce's performance today stepping right in where Brian Leap left off last year," said Gondak.

In total, Penn State set 44 new personal best marks.

Penn State will return to action Jan. 20-21 as they travel to Lexington, Ky. for the Rod McCravy Memorial meet hosted by the University of Kentucky.

For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.

ATHLETES WITH COLLEGIATE INDOOR PERSONAL BEST MARKS

60-Meters

60-Meter Hurdles

200-Meters

600-Meters

800-Meters

  • Rachel Banks - 2:11.72
  • Nicole O'Donnell - 2:19.73

1,000-Meters

1 Mile

  • Billy McDevitt - 4:12.53
  • Brandon Tubby - 4:14.92
  • Tori Gerlach (Unattached) - 4:41.17 9NEW MEET RECORD)
  • Tessa Barrett - 4:42.56
  • Lisa Bennatan - 4:58.79
  • Kathryn Munks - 4:58.82
  • Victoria Crawford - 5:00.08
  • Hannah Catalano - 5:05.45

High Jump

Pole Vault

  • Griffin Thompson - 14'-3.5" (4.36m)

Long Jump

Triple Jump

Shot Put