UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field program returns to the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track/Multi-Sport Facility for the National Open beginning Friday, Jan. 31 and concluding Saturday, Feb. 1. The Nittany Lions will also host the Sykes & Sabock Challenge on Feb. 8.
FOLLOW ALONG
FloTrack ($)
Live Results
Meet Schedule
Heat Sheets
TEAMS COMPETING
Akron, Army West Point, Ashland
, Binghamton
, Bucknell
, Buffalo
, Duquesne
, Findlay
, Georgetown
, Guelph
, Hampton
, Indiana (Pa.)
, Indiana Tech
, James Madison
, La Salle
, Maryland
, Mount St. Mary's
, Norfolk State
, Otterbein
, Penn State
, PSU-Harrisburg
, Pittsburgh
, Pitt Johnstown
, Richmond
, Rider
, Saint Francis
, Shippensburg
, Towson
, UMBC
, Penn
, West Virginia
, William & Mary
, Youngstown State
LITTLE LION LAP
Run a lap with the Nittany Lion in the annual "Little Lion Lap" on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2:05 p.m. at the Multi-Sport Facility. All children in grades K-5 may participate and will receive a participation ribbon.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RECOGNITION
Penn State track & field is proud to recognize the 2019 National Champions, Danae Rivers during the National Open. Fans are encouraged to stick around for this special moment at roughly 2 p.m. on Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions were split last weekend at the Dr. Sander Invitational and the Rod McCravy Memorial meets.
Highlights of the meet included senior captain Maddie Holmberg improving on her NCAA-leading score in the pentathlon. Holmberg won three of the five event and finished the event with 4171 points.
Danae Rivers ran the third-fastest time in the NCAA in her first meet in the 800m race of 2020. Rivers ran 2:05.20 in the 800m women's invitational that featured five professional runners. Rivers 800m time is tops in the Big Ten.
Tyler Merkley captured the men's weight throw title on the final day of competition. Merkley's toss of 68-1.5 (20.76m) propelled the sophomore to his first win of the season. Merkley's throw occurred in the first round of the finals and bested the competition by almost six feet.
Freshman Luke Knipe set a new personal-best mark in the event by clearing 16-2.75 (4.95m). Knipe cleared the height in just his third collegiate-meet on his third and final attempt.
Sincere Rhea etched his name into the Nittany Lion record book by running 7.86 in the 60m hurdles final. Rhea's time of 7.86 is tied for fifth all-time in Penn State history.
Captain Noah Swaby turned in the No. 5 performance in the heptathlon event over the weekend as Swaby finished with 5,292 points over two days of competition.
Ben Peterson also turned in a personal-best mark in the shot put event. Peterson won the event with a best toss of 60-9.25 (18.52m).
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Senior track & field captains Danae Rivers and Maddie Holmberg have both earned Athlete of the Week honors announced by the Big Ten on Wednesday. Rivers earns her sixth Track Athlete of the Week honor of her storied Penn State career. Holmberg earns her first Field Athlete of the Week honor.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Penn State women's track & field program remained at No. 14 in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track & Field National Rating Index released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Nittany Lions opened the season at No. 14 in the preseason Rating Index.
The Nittany Lions have several student-athletes that rank in the top-15 in the NCAA in their respective events.
Maddie Holmberg | Pentathlon| 1st NCAA | 1st B1G | 4,171 points
Danae Rivers | 800m | 3rd NCAA | 1st B1G | 2:05.20
David Lucas | Weight Throw | 7th NCAA | 3rd B1G | 70-6.5 (21.50m)
Noah Swaby | Heptathlon | 7th NCAA | 1st B1G | 5,292 points
Katie Munks | 5000m | 10th NCAA | 2nd B1G | 9:20.84
Men's DMR | 10th NCAA | 2nd B1G | 9:54.18
Breana Gambrell | Long Jump | 12th NCAA | 1st B1G | 20-3.75 (6.19m)
Isaiah Dillard | Heptathlon | 15th NCAA | 2nd B1G | 5.119 points
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions remain home for the Sykes-Sabock Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 8.