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Meet Day: Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup

Feb. 2, 2017

Friday, February 3
5:00 p.m. ET

Saturday, February 4
 11:00 a.m. ET

MEET INFO | HEAT SHEETS |

MEET PREVIEW

Teams Competing
BinghamtonCornell
Florida AtlanticJames Madison
LibertyUMBC

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State track & field teams are back in action this weekend as they host the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup at the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Six teams are making their way to Happy Valley for the two-day scored meet.

SYKES & SABOCK CHALLENGE CUP
When: Fri.-Sat., February 3-4
Where: Ashenfelter III Indoor Track
Start time: 5 p.m. Fri; 11:00 a.m. Sat.
Cost: Admission is FREE

SCHOOLS COMPETING
Binghamton, Cornell, Florida Atlantic, James Madison, Liberty, UMBC, Penn State

 LAST TIME OUT

 UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State National Open is one of the biggest indoor meets in the country year in and year out. The finish to the 2017 Penn State National Open left no doubt in anyone's mind that it definitely was the place to be that Saturday afternoon.

2013 Penn State alumnus Casimir Loxsom, of Brook Running, returned to the campus where it all started and the track that he was all too familiar with.

Loxsom led a loaded heat of the 600-meters that included Penn State sophomore Isaiah Harris in what quickly became the race heard round the world.

Loxsom, who led from beginning to end, set the tone early pushing the pace from the gun. Harris stayed within reach and began to close as the race came down to its final meters before crossing the line and instantly turning to look at the board where the results displayed the No. 1 and No. 2 times in the world in the event as Loxsom and Harris ran times of 1:14.91 and 1:14.96, respectively.

Also setting a school record on the final day was Tessa Barrett who raced her way into the record books with her performance in the 3,000-meters.
Barrett's time of 9:07.22 erased the eight year old record of Bridget Franek, a 2012 USA Olympian who was in attendance for the performance, and is currently the No. 1 time in the NCAA this season.

As mentioned also in the race with Barrett was Gerlach, who only has outdoor eligibility, finishing right behind Barrett with her time of 9:10.09 - a new personal best.

Freshman Kathryn Munks also was in the heat recording a time of 9:39.90.

Fellow freshman Danae Rivers, who broke two school records on her previous individual races, made it three-for-three as she claimed yet another Penn State indoor school record this time in the mile run.

Rivers ran away with the event title winning her race by over four full seconds with her time of 4:34.87 erasing Tori Gerlach record of 4:37.82 that was set just last season.

Rivers time is the No. 1 time in the NCAA this season just ahead of New Hampshire's Elinor Purrier who ran 3:34.98 earlier in the day.

Penn State had several athletes take home event titles on the final day including Keianna Albury in the 200-meters running 24.16 - a new PR, Malik Moffett in the 200-meters with his winning time of 21.06, Domenic Perretta in the 800-meters running 1:50.33, Timothy McGowan in the 3,000-meters with his time of 8:11.92, Dannielle Gibson in the women's triple jump recording a mark of 43'-1.50" (13.14m), Bryce Williams in the triple jump at (15.28m), Alyssa Robinson in the women's shot put at 53'-5.75" (16.30m) and Jon Yohman in the men's shot put with his mark of 61'-0" (18.59m).

The 200-meters, won by Moffett, saw Penn State go 1-2-3 with Xavier Smith (21.26) and Dan Chisena (21.48) rounding out the sweep while in the women's shot put it was the tandem of Alyssa Robinson and Obeng Marfocombining for the 1-2 finish with Obeng recording a mark of 50'-4.75" (15.36m).

The meet was closed out by a pair of 4x400-meter relays leading the way for Penn State; the men's relay of Chisena, Mathis, Reiser, Harris combined to run 3:11.22, while the women's relay of Deja Davis, Kiara Lester, Frances Bull, Danae Rivers carried the baton to the tune of 3:41.41 a team best at the meet.

RECORD BREAKING SEASON
 After three meets this season, a total of six school records have been broken, as well as one that surpassed the collegiate record in Harris' 600-meter performance.

  • Women's 600-Meters - Danae Rivers - 1:29.06
  • Men's 600-Meters - Isaiah Harris - 1:14.96 (CR)
  • Women's 800-Meters - Danae Rivers - 2:04.04
  • Women's- Mile- Danae Rivers - 4:34.87
  • Women's 3,000-Meters - Tessa Barrett 9:07.22
  • Heptathlon Shot Put - Robert Cardina - 46'-6.25" (14.18m)



SENIOR DAY
Seniors to be honored during the meet include:


HOME SWEET HOME
 The Nittany Lions are set to welcome teams from across the nation into the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track as they host four meets during the 2017 indoor season.

TRACK & FIELD SIGNS 12 EARLY
 Twelve new student-athletes signed their National Letter of Intent during the week-long early signing period in November.

  • Madison Smith Hometown: New Oxford, Pa
  • Brooke-Lynn Williams Hometown: Norton, Mass.
  • Victoria Tachinski Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Alison Willingmyre Hometown: Wernersville, Pa.
  • Ben Bumgarner Hometown: Waynesburg, Pa.
  • William Henderson Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
  • Jack Zimmerman Hometown: Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
  • Terrance Laird Hometown: Coatesville, Pa.
  • Thomas Bojalad Hometown: St. Mary's, Pa.
  • Alexa Parks Hometown: Kintnersville, Pa
  • Audra Koopman Hometown: Fort Collins, Co.
  • Katie Jones Hometown: South Williamsport, Pa.


These 12 student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent and will attend Penn State next fall.

NEXT TIME OUT
 The Nittany Lions split up next week as a group of select athletes will travel to Seattle, Washington for the Husky Classic, while the majority of the team will hit the road for Geneva, Ohio to compete in the Spire Invitational.

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