LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Penn State track & field program opened its 2018-19 season with a handful of Nittany Lions competing at the Bison Opener hosted by Bucknell University. The small contingent of competitors ranged from seasoned veterans to freshmen donning the Blue & White for the first time. In all, six Nittany Lions combined for seven individual event titles.
ON THE TRACK
- Freshman Breana Gambrell finished first in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.71. Along with Grmbrell, Audra Koopman took fifth in 8.03.
- Maddie Holmberg completed the 60-meter hurdles in 8.81 to place first, while Madeline Frew took fifth (9.37).
IN THE THROWS
- Freshman Payden Montana took first in the women's shot put with a distance of 50-5.5/15.38m.
- The men's shot put saw Penn State finish 1-2-3. Jack Zimmerman led the charge with a distance of 54-9.5/16.70m, followed by Tom Bojalad taking second (51-9/15.77m) and Luke Grodeska placing third (51-3/15.62m).
- Gianna Rao, competing in her first meet as a Penn Stater, took home the women's weight throw title with a mark of 58-6.75/17.85m.
- In the men's weight throw, Penn State had three finishers in the top-five as Morgan Shigo took first (69-9/21.26m), Grodeska placed second (55-4.75/16.88m) and Zimmerman rounded out the top-five (53-2.25/16.21m).
IN THE JUMPS/POLE VAULT
- Cecelia Bacon made her Nittany Lion debut and took second in the high jump with a clearance of 5-3/1.60m.
- Rachel Gearing, a freshman, placed runner-up in the triple jump with a distance of 38-1.5/11.62m. Along with Gearing, Bacon finished fifth with a mark of 36-9.75/11.22m.
- Pole vaulters Megan Fry and Carena Nottoli went 2-3, as they cleared 12-9.5/3.90m and 12-5.5/3.80m, respectively. Fry's height of 12-9.5/3.90m is an indoor personal-best mark.
- Holmberg (20-4.5/6.21m) and Gambrell (19-6.25/5.95m) went 1-2 in the long jump. Holmberg's mark of 20-4.5/6.21m is an indoor personal-best performance and ties the No. 5 mark in school history.