UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field program wrapped up its regular season with the final indoor home meet of 2020. The Nittany Lions travel to the Big Ten Indoor Championships in Geneva, Ohio at the SPIRE Institute next week beginning on Friday, February 28.
Sophomore Tyler Merkley kicked off competition for the Nittany Lions in the men's weight throw. Merkley unleashed her personal-best throw on his first toss of the competition. Merkley's throw traveled 69-1.25 (21.06m) and gave Merkley the win in the event.
Junior Victoria Tachinski continued her strong month of February as she set her collegiate personal-best mark in the women's 800m invite. Tachinski ran 2:06.73 to win the women's 800m invite and set her new best 800m mark.
Danae Rivers claimed victory in the women's 600m race, running 1:29.96 in her first 600m race of the season. Chibugo Obichere also won the women's 60m hurdles, running 8.70 in the finals.
Another pair of field wins for the Nittany Lions came in the women's high jump and pole vault. Allyson Lewis jumped a collegiate-best 5-7.25 (1.71m) to win the high jump event and Hailey Zurich won the pole vault by clearing 12-4.5 (3.77m).
Breana Gambrell won her third long jump event of the indoor season by jumping 20-0.5 (6.11m). Along with Gambrell, Taylor Givens set a personal-best with a jump of 19-2.75 (5.86m) and Audra Koopman jumped a season-best 19-0.5 (5.80m).
The men's 800m final saw Evan Dorenkamp run a personal-best time of 1:51.95, finishing second in the race. Dorenkamp was followed closely by Ben Bulkeley and William Ashenfelter.
Alex Tomasko and Isaac Davis both turned in personal-best performances while running in the men's 5000m final. Tomasko placed second with his personal-best time of 14:31.78 and Isaac Davis placed third with his personal-best of 14:33.25. Friday's competition in the 5000m was the first of the season for Tomasko.
Tom Bojalad and teammate Jack Zimmerman finished first and second in the men's shot put event. Bojalad claimed victory with a top throw of 54-10.75 (16.73m).
Along with competition at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track, four Nittany Lions traveled to the JDL Fast Track in North Carolina for competition. The distance medley relay team of Billy McDevitt, Gary Ross, Drew Maher and Owen Wing ran a season-best time of 9:43.86. All four Nittany Lions will be back in action tomorrow in their respective events.
For more information on Penn State track & field, visit gopsusports.com/tf.