Feb. 20, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - As Championships season begins and the time for team success is upon us with the Big Ten indoor championships this week, a group of women got the team mentality kick started as they combined to set a school record this past weekend at the Penn State Tune-Up.
The quartet of Julie Kocjancic, Tichina Rhodes, Rachel Banks and Danae Rivers combined to run 11:01.16 in the women's Distance Medley Relay this past weekend, shattering the old mark of 11:05.16 set in 2012.
Julie Kocjancic, who is currently holds the fourth-fastest mile time ever in Penn State indoor history, opened the relay with a 3:22 1,200-meter leg.
Tichina Rhodes, who is also a member of the indoor 4x400-meter relay record from 2014 (3:33.13), running the second leg of the race carried the baton around the track running 54.8 for the 400-meter leg.
Rhodes handed off to Rachel Banks, currently just outside the top-five in program history, who clocked a 2:08.6 for the 800-meter portion of the event.
Banks handed off to Danae Rivers who gutted out a 4:35.1 mile anchor leg to cap the relay and claim hold to the new school record.
This is the fourth school record that Rivers has been a part of in just her freshman year in the blue & white.
Also turning in a great day for the Nittany Lions was Timothy McGowan who set a meet record in the 3,000-meters running 8:05.57.
As mentioned, the Big Ten season is upon us and there is no better time to run fast than now; several athletes turned in personal best marks.
Dannielle Gibson recorded a personal best time in the 60-meters running 7.69 for senior from Nassau, Bahamas.
Frances Bull ran a personal best 25.54 in the 200-meters during her first collegiate run in the event. Sticking with the 200-meters, Freshman Tristan Daman recorded a time of 22.38 finishing fourth.
The women's 400-meters saw Bull once again turn in a personal best as she ran 56.74 for the two lap race.
Rachel Banks ran a personal best 1:33.87 in the 600-meters following her performance in the DMR earlier in the meet.
The men's 600-meters featured five Nittany Lions that achieved a personal best mark in the event including Domenic Perretta, Joseph Phifer, David Marrington, William Ashenfelter and Billy McDevitt.
The men's and women's miles saw seven athletes turn in personal best performances including Grace Trucilla, Marissa Sheva, Victoria Crawford, Hannah Catalano, Noemie Noullet, Isaiah Harris and Brandon Tubby.
Other athletes recording PR's at the Tune-Up meet were Greta Lindsley (3K), Rachel DeCecco (60mH, long jump), Nicole O'Donnell (800-meters), Jaxson Hoey (800-meters), Devin Bradham (high jump), Austin Campbell (high jump), Spence Hay (high jump), and David Lucas (weight throw).
Penn State returns to the track Feb. 24-25 as they travel to Geneva, Ohio for the Big Ten Indoor Championships at the Spire Institute.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.