Track & Field Caps 2020 with Blue-White IntrasquadTrack & Field Caps 2020 with Blue-White Intrasquad

Track & Field Caps 2020 with Blue-White Intrasquad

Opens in a new window Blue/White Results

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field program completed its 2020 year with the annual Blue-White intrasquad meet on Friday, December 11. The Blue team won both the men's and women's team competitions on Friday. On the men's side, Blue finished with a 50-44 advantage over the white squad and in the women's team competition, the Blue team defeated the White team 63-43.

With an unseasonably warm December day, the throws group took advantage and kicked off competition with the hammer throw event at the Nittany Lion Outdoor Track. Junior Tyler Merkley placed first in the men's hammer throw with a toss of 221-5 (67.50m) for the White team and Piper Klinger finished first in the women's hammer throw for the Blue team.

This was the first of two wins on the day for Klinger, as she also finished first in the discus event with a top throw of 163-5 (49.80m). It was a sweep in the discus event for the Blue team as David Lucas threw 186-7 (56.87m) and was the top finisher in the men's event.

In the shot put event, senior Ben Peterson and sophomore Mallory Kauffman (52-1.25, 15.88m) finished first for the White team to round out the throwing events for the meet.

Heading to the track, Sincere Rhea captured the 55mH title (7.55) for the Blue team and Yasmin Brooks (8.03) finished first in the women's 55mH event for the White team. Rhea is coming off his freshman season which he earned a bronze medal in the 60mH at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Championships.

Evan Dorenkamp continued his strong fall by winning the men's 1200m race, clocking 2:57.76 for the White team. Dorenkamp was joined by his teammate Victoria Tachinski, who also finished first in the women's 1200m event with a time of 3:29.43.

The Blue team swept their second event as Ka'Mere Day and Breana Gambrell each placed first in the 55m race.  Gambrell also claimed the women's long jump crown with a personal-best 20-8 (6.30m) mark. Rounding out the long jump event, Joe Kearney grabbed first place in the men's event for the Blue team.

2020 Big Ten Indoor champion and school record holder Katie Jones finished first in the women's pole vault and sophomore Luke Knipe won the men's pole vault event on Friday event. Both Jones and Knipe were members of the Blue team.

Chris Hughes and Faith DeMars (9:43.67) kept the winning going for the Blue squad. Both Nittany Lions placed first in the men's and women's 3000m race.

Rounding out the track events, the relay races were split between the Blue and the White team. On the women's side, the White team won their relay event and the Blue team was victorious on the men's side.

The final event of the day saw Cecelia Bacon and Alexis Parks battle it out for the women's high jump crown, with Bacon clearing a personal-best height of 5-8.75 (1.75m) to place first. Parks earned All-American status last season in the women's high jump. She also set the Penn State record in the event, becoming the first Nittany Lion to clear 6-0 (1.83m) in program history.

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