June 10, 2017
RESULTS
EUGEGE, Ore. - The Nittany Lion men's track team wrapped up competition at the NCAA Championships Friday night at Hayward Field finishing the meet in the top-20 for a third-consecutive season following a 10th-place finish in 2015 followed by a 17th-place finish in 2016.
"This was another great weekend for Penn State track & field," said head coach John Gondak.
"I think the kids came and competed well, we had a lot of people come and finish with personal best. This meet left us a little hungry, we've been on fire since out meet at UVA in the middle of April and we carried it through the Big Ten Championships and a phenomenal regional meet advancing 15 men to the championships this weekend. Three-straight years in the top-20, you couldn't ask for more excitement for Penn State track & field," Gondak continued.
The night was highlighted by Isaiah Harris' NCAA Runner-up finish in the 800-meters in a time of 1:45.40 nearly completing the come from behind victory over UTEP's Emmanuel Korir who took the title in 1:45.03.
"I really wanted that 'W' today but I'm happy with second, there are a lot of good guys out there, Korir is one heck of a guy but it was a fun race," said Harris.
The sophomore from Lewiston, Maine earned his second outdoor All-American honor to go along with his indoor All-American honors in the 800-meters while tying for the highest finish in the event in the modern era matching second-place finishes by Casimir Loxsom ('13), and Brannon Kidder ('15).
Harris is the seventh All-American honor for Penn State in the 800-meters since 2009 and will continue his season in a few weeks at the USA Track & Field Championships.
Competing in his second NCAA Championship meet in as many seasons, David Lucas finished the meet earning Second-Team All-American honors.
Lucas, a sophomore from Lititz, Pa., finished the competition with a best throw of 190'-3" (58.00m) achieved on his second throw of the event.
Lucas earns All-American honors to wrap up a season that saw him record the No. 3 mark in program history at 208'-2" (63.44m).
Bryce Williams, a State College, Pa. native, made his NCAA Championships debut in his signature event, the triple jump, finishing 51'-1.75" (15.59m).
Williams recorded his aforementioned jump on his second attempt of the competition and concludes a season that saw him record the No. 7 mark in program history with a personal best of 52'-2" (15.90m) earlier this season.
Madeline Holmberg, who entered the meet in the heptathlon after finishing as one of the top-24 multi-event athletes in the NCAA, was unable to finish competition in the event after an injury early in the competition.
Penn State will return to Hayward Field for one more day of competition as Tori Gerlach (3,000-meter steeplechase), Dannielle Gibson (triple jump) and Tessa Barrett (5,000-meters) wrap up competition at the NCAA Championships for the Nittany Lions.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.