Jan. 27, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The final day of the Penn State National Open saw the Nittany Lions bring home eight more titles, adding to the six captured Friday night, for a weekend total of 14.
Keianna Albury turned in a season-best time in the 200-meters, winning the invitational section in a time of 23.92 just ahead of Kiara Lester who took second-place in 24.14.
The men's 200-meter invitational was named in honor of Nittany Lion great and Olympic Champion Barney Ewell who would've celebrated his 100th birthday this year. The event champion was Penn State's Terrance Laird who finished the one-lap race three one-hundredths of a second off the school record that was set last year by Malik Moffett at 20.76. Laird sprinted to a time of 20.79 - the No. 6 mark in the NCAA - from lane six taking the title while besting teammates Malik Moffett (20.96) - No. 9 in the NCAA - and Xavier Smith (21.31) who finished second and fifth, respectively.
Dan Chisena opened his season in the open 400-meters finishing a mere five one-hundredths (.05) of a second off the school record pace of 46.22 set by Brady Gehret in 2011. Chisena won the invitational section of the quarter-mile with his time of 46.27 - No. 7 in the NCAA - with teammate Kier Miner finishing fifth in 48.04.
Rachael DeCecco took the 600-meters with her time of 1:31.80 while Elyse Skerpon finished third in 1:35.60.
Isaiah Harris took the title in the men's 800-meter invitational, crossing the tape in 1:47.79 - No. 2 in the NCAA - followed closely by teammate Domenic Perretta in third at 1:49.81 - No. 13 in the NCAA.
Moving up to the 1,000-meter invitational, Nittany Lion Owen Wing was the champion of the event with his winning time of 2:27.42.
Greta Lindsley was the top finisher in the women's 3K with her time of 9:30.96 while Colin Abert posted a personal-best time of 8:05.03 - No. 9 in the NCAA.
Ending the meet with the 4x400-meter relay, it was the women's team who stole the show with their winning time of 3:46.92 to cap the final day of the Penn State National Open on the track.
In the men's high jump, Devin Bradham and Chisom Ifedi finished third and sixth, respectively, both clearing 2.06m (6'-9"). Megan McCloskey led the way in the women's high jump clearing a season-best 1.79m (5'-10.5") and taking three good looks at 1.82m (5'-11.50") before bowing out of the competition.
In the invite section of the women's pole vault, Hannah Mulhern registered the highest finish by a Nittany Lion clearing 4.08m (13'-4.50"), a season-best mark, to finish third. Katie Jones 3.98m (13'-0.75") and Greer Gumbrecht 3.83m (12'-6.75") finished sixth and seventh, respectively in the vault.
Kelsey Vieira 12.02m (39'-5.25") and Olivia Giambra 11.68m (38'-4") brought home top-eight finishes in the triple jump on the women's side, while Darian Williams finished third in the men's competition jumping 14.43m (47'-4.25").
Penn State finished fifth-seventh in the men's shot put behind the effort of Jon Yohman (17.70m/58'-1"), Ben Peterson (17.27m/56-8"), Luke Grodeska (16.70m/54'-9.50") and David Lucas (16.01m/52'-6.50"). The winner of the men's shot put was Penn State alum Darrell Hill of Nike who finished the meet with a best of 20.54m (67'-4.75").
Penn State will return to the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track for the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup Feb. 2-3 - the first scored meet of the season for the Nittany Lions.
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