UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State cross country program is set to host its first of three home meets in 2018 with the annual Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational on Friday, Sept. 7. The meet gets underway at the Blue-White Golf Course with the women's 6,000-meter run at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men's 5.2-mile run at 6:15 p.m.
TEAMS COMPETING
American, Cornell (W), Georgetown, Grove City, Navy, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton (M), Saint Joseph's, Syracuse, and West Virginia (W).
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions are coming off a pair of team victories and individual titles at the Dolan Duals. On Aug. 31, both Nittany Lion squads recorded perfect scores of 15 points.
Individually, senior Colin Abert completed the 6-kilometer course in 17:41.13 to win the men's race, while freshman Julia Paternain captured the title in the women's race as she finished the 4-kilometer race in 13:54.42.
LAST YEAR AT THE SPIKED SHOE
The 2017 Spiked Shoe Invitational saw the Nittany Lion women win their sixth straight team title, while a Penn Stater won the individual title in both races.
Individually for Penn State, Jillian Hunsberger completed the 6,000-meter course in 21:07 for the title in the women's race, while Colin Abert finished the 5.2-mile course in 25:46 as the top finisher in the men's race.
PARKING INFORMATION
All spectators need to park in the Nittany Deck near the Nittany Lion Inn for $1/hr rate, parking is limited in this area. In addition to the Nittany Deck, the commuter lots are also available for spectators.
SPIKED SHOE HISTORY
Heading into the 2018 Spiked Shoe Invitational, the Penn State women have won the team title in each of the past six seasons, while the men last won the meet in 2014. Individually, a Nittany Lion on the women's side has won the meet in four of the last five seasons, while a Nittany Lion on the men's side has won the meet in three of the last five seasons.
MEET COACH GROVES
The event is named after long-time Nittany Lion men's track and field and cross country coach Harry Groves. Groves spent nearly forty years at the helm of the men's program, beginning in 1968 until retiring at the conclusion of the 2006 track and field season. Groves is a 2001 USTCA Hall of Fame inductee, was named national Coach of the Year on five occasions and is a 26-time Regional Coach of the Year honoree.
Throughout his Nittany Lion career, Groves coached 11 American record holders and 21 national champions. On the international level, 14 Groves-coached athletes made Olympic teams. Groves has also made countless international appearances of his own, including a trip to Barcelona, Spain, where he served as an assistant coach of the 1992 Olympic staff.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS
Following his win at the Dolan Duals, senior Colin Abert was named the Big Ten Cross Country Men's Athlete of the Week for the fourth time in his career. Abert defended his Dolan Duals title from 2017 with a time of 17:41.13.
IN THE RANKINGS
Nationally, the Penn State women check in at No. 12 in the land, while the men's program is receiving votes. Regionally, the three-time defending Mid-Atlantic Champion Penn State women sit atop the poll, while the men's team is No. 5.
HOME SWEET HOME
Penn State will host three meets this fall at the Blue-White Golf Course. In addition to the annual Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational (Sept. 7) and the National Open (Oct. 12), the Nittany Lions will host the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship (Nov. 9).
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will take a few weeks off from competition before heading to Madison, Wisconsin, for the Nuttycombe Invitational on Friday, Sept. 28. The meet is slated for a noon (EDT) start at the Zimmer Championship Course.