April 28, 2018
PHILADELPHIA - The Penn State track & field team closed out the 124th Penn Relays with the men's 4x400-meter relay running the No. 4 time in program history on Saturday at Franklin Field. On the day, Penn State ran in seven relays, six of which were in Championship of America sections.
"Another Penn Relays in the books for Penn State track & field," head coach John Gondak said. "We carried the momentum from day two into day three and we had some outstanding results.
"The throwers really had a great day with Michael Biddle in the javelin, David Lucas in the discus and the hammer, and Morgan Shigo in the hammer all having outstanding competitions. It was also great to see Megan McCloskey have a great high jump competition today. Our relays on the track ran really well, the women's 4x2 was outstanding, as well as both 4x4s to finish the meet. I am thrilled as we wrap things up in Philadelphia and we look to prepare for championship time," Gondak added.
The men's 4x400-meter relay of Kier Miner (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), Xavier Smith (Douglassville, Pa.), Samuel Reiser (Melbourne, Australia), and Isaiah Harris (Lewiston, Maine) clocked in at the No. 4 time in school history (3:05.13) to finish fifth in the Championship of America section. Having run multiple races this weekend, Smith split 45.8 on the second leg and Harris anchored the Nittany Lions with a 46.02.
The Nittany Lions opened the day on the track with the men's 4xMile placing seventh in the Championship of America race. The relay of Owen Wing (State College, Pa.), Timothy McGowan (Northport, N.Y.), Brandon Hontz (West Chester, Pa.), and Colin Abert (Easton, Pa.) combined for a time of 16:39.31.
The men's 4x100-meter relay Championship of America race saw the quartet of Will Henderson (Baltimore, Md.), Anton Porter (Bronx, N.Y.), Smith, and Malik Moffett (Erie, Pa.) finish seventh with their time of 40.93.
The women's 4x200-meter relay of Deja Davis (Shelby Charter Township, Mich.), Keianna Albury (Eleuthera, Bahamas), Kiara Lester (Wenonah, N.J.), and Maddie Holmberg (Greensburg, Pa.) ran 1:33.86 to place third in the Championship of America race.
The women's 4x800-meter relay of Greta Lindsley (Lancaster, Pa.), Grace Trucilla (Erie, Pa.), Marissa Sheva (Sellersville, Pa.), and Frances Bull (Mentor, Ohio) placed seventh in the Championship of America race with their time of 8:46.84.
In the men's Championship of America 4x800-meter relay race, Billy McDevitt (Newtown Square, Pa.), Jordan Makins (Perth, Australia), Gary Ross III (Fort Washington, Md.), and Harris took fourth with their time of 7:19.60.
Davis, Victoria Tachinski (Winnipeg, Manitoba), Rachael DeCecco (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), and Lester placed sixth in the college section of the women's 4x400-meter relay with their time of 3:40.12.
In the field, David Lucas (Lititz, Pa.) won the college section of the men's hammer throw (201-0) and he finished second in the championship section of the men's discus throw with his season-best toss of 200-0.
Morgan Shigo (Blandon, Pa.) also tallied a runner-up finish on the day with a mark of 225-2 in the championship section of the men's hammer throw.
The championship section of the men's javelin throw saw Michael Biddle (Williamsburg, Pa.) finish fourth with his toss of 218-9.
Along with Lucas in the college section of the men's hammer throw, freshman Luke Grodeska (Neptune, N.J.) placed fifth with a mark of 193-9.
In the jumps, senior Megan McCloskey (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) placed third in the championship section of the women's high jump as she tied a season-best height of 5-10.
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.