April 25, 2018
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State track & field program heads east this week for the 124th running of the Penn Relays. The Penn Relays are held at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 26-28.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow along with a stream of the 124th Penn Relays via USATF.TV. Live results can be found on GoPSUsports.com.
Action will get underway for the Nittany Lions at 10 a.m. on Thursday and 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
PENN RELAYS HISTORY
Since 1910, the Nittany Lions have won 118 Penn Relays Championship of America titles, which includes 33 Penn Relays Championship of America relay titles.
Lee Talbot captured Penn State's first title at the Penn Relays with his toss of 160 feet, 6 inches in the hammer throw in 1910 and he went on to win three more Penn Relays titles as a Nittany Lion.
2017 PENN RELAYS RECAP
Last year at the 123rd Penn Relays, four school records were broken over the weekend, which included Michael Shuey besting his own school record in the men's javelin throw (250-1).
Along with Shuey's school record toss, the men's 4x100-meter relay set a school record performance of 39.48, the women's 4x800-meter relay tallied a school record outing of 8:25.49, and the women's distance medley relay recorded a school record time of 10:56.07.
In addition to the four school records, seven Nittany Lions recorded top-10 performances in school history.
Dannielle Gibson brought home Penn State's first Championship of America women's triple jump title with her distance of 43-6 last year.
STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
The 2018 Penn Relays marks the 33rd anniversary of the Penn State men's 4x800-meter relay that clocked in at 7:11.17.
At the 1985 Penn Relays, the quartet of Vance Watson, Steve Shisler, Chris Mills, Randy Moore finished first in the men's 4x800-meter relay with their time of 7:11.17. Their time still stands to this day and is the oldest standing Penn Relays record.
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions are coming off a split weekend at Bucknell and Virginia. For Penn State on the weekend, five Nittany Lions tallied top-10 performances all-time in school history at Virginia.
On the men's side, Morgan Shigo topped his own school record in the hammer throw (233-0) and Luke Grodeska tallied the No. 10 distance in the hammer throw with his mark of 195-5.
For the Nittany Lion women, Greta Lindsley moved up to No. 5 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:11.29) and improved her No. 10 spot in the 1,500-meter run (4:20.84).
Along with Lindsley, freshman Katie Jones posted the No. 2 height in the pole vault (13-5.75), and Maddie Holmberg recorded the No. 2 score in the heptathlon (5,736).
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Heading into the weekend, Penn State track & field has set 16 top-10 performances in school history, which includes three school records.
On the men's side, Morgan Shigo bested his own school record (222-11) in the hammer throw from last year with a toss of 233-0. Along with Shigo, freshmen Luke Grodeska and Terrance Laird have cracked the Penn State all-time top-10. For Grodeska, he has the No. 10 distance in the hammer throw (195-5) and Laird has posted the No. 2 time in the 200-meter dash (20.41) and he has tied the No. 4 time in the men's 100-meter dash (10.42).
In the men's relays, the quartet of Xavier Smith, Anton Porter, Terrance Laird, and Malik Moffett have run the No. 3 time in the men's 4x100-meter relay twice (39.77 & 39.69). Along with the previous relay, the quartet of Will Henderson, Laird, Smith and Moffett ran the No. 5 performance in school history in the men's 4x100-meter relay (39.91).
On the women's side, school record performances have been recorded by Hannah Mulhern and Danae Rivers. For Mulhern, she topped her own school record from last year in the pole vault (13-5.25) with a mark of 13-6.25 and Rivers ran 4:10.82 to set the school record in the 1,500-meter run.
Along with the duo of Mulhern and Rivers, seven Nittany Lion women have recorded top-10 performances at PSU this season.
On the track, Greta Lindsley ran the No. 5 time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:11.29), and the No. 10 time in the 1,500-meter run (4:20.84), while Jillian Hunsberger moved from No. 6 to No. 4 in the 5,000-meter run (15:55.27).
In the pole vault, Katie Jones is No. 2 all-time (13-5.75) and Greer Gumbrecht is tied for ninth all-time (12-7.50).
In the javelin throw, Madison Smith is No. 8 (164-1) followed by Steph Sievers at No. 9 (162-10).
Maddie Holmberg moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the heptathlon with her score of 5,736.
No. 25 IN THE LAND
The Penn State men's track & field program ranks 25th in the nation, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
In the national rankings, Penn State is the No. 3 Big Ten team as Illinois checks in at No. 17 and Ohio State is No. 24.
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
Heading into the weekend, the Nittany Lions have 13 performances that rank in the top-25 between the men's and women's programs.
No. 4 | Danae Rivers | 1,500-meter run | 4:10.82
No. 6 | Terrance Laird | 200-meter dash | 20.41
No. 6 | Danae Rivers | 800-meter run | 2:03.78
No. 7 | Isaiah Harris | 800-meter run | 1:47.66
No. 8 | Michael Biddle | javelin throw | 233-7
No. 9 | Morgan Shigo | hammer throw | 233-0
No. 9 | Maddie Holmberg | heptathlon | 5,736
No. 16 | David Lucas | discus throw | 190-0
No. 20 | Jillian Hunsberger | 5,000-meter run | 15:55.27
No. 20 | Greta Lindsley | 3,000-meter steeplechase | 10:11.29
No. 22 | Madison Smith | javelin throw | 164-1
No. 25 | Megan McCloskey | high jump | 5-10
No. 25 | Steph Sievers | javelin throw | 162-10
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions host their lone home meet of the outdoor season in the annual Jim Thorpe Invite on May 4 starting at 2 p.m. at the recently renovated Penn State Nittany Lion Outdoor Track.