UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field team continued its strong start to 2022 when the team hosted the Sykes & Sabock Challenge on Saturday.
"This was one of the best indoor track meets we've had in years," Head Coach John Gondak said. "We had phenomenal performances across the board with our sprints, jumps, throws, middle distance and distance groups. We're performing at a high level right now."
The success started early, with senior Katie Jones breaking her own program record with a pole vault of 4.27 meters. The vault is tied for first in the Big Ten this season and broke Jones' previous Penn State record of 4.25 meters set at the 2020 Big Ten Championships.
Another highlight of the day came in the women's 800m, when two-time defending Big Ten Women's Track Athlete of the Week Allison Johnson posted the fastest 800m run in the NCAA this season with a time of 2:04.03. Teammate Victoria Tachinski placed right behind her at 2:04.68, ranking sixth in the nation this season. The times are the two best in the Big Ten this season and rank second and third in Penn State history. Rachel Gearing placed fourth in the race with a time of 2:06.25 and Victoria Vanriele placed fifth with a time of 2:06.39, ranking 21st and 23rd in the NCAA respectively. In total, the Nittany Lions have four of the five fastest 800m times in the Big Ten.
Cecelia Bacon also joined the ranks of the Penn State all-time list, winning the women's high jump with a top mark of 1.80m, the fourth best in Penn State history.
Four other Penn State women finished atop the leaderboards on Saturday with Yasmin Brooks winning the 60h (8.25), Antoinette Bradley winning the 600 (1:31.74), Gianna Rao winning the weight throw (20.43m) and Breana Gambrell winning the triple jump (12.30m).
On the men's side, Evan Dorenkamp opened the day with the second fastest mile of the year in the Big Ten, posting a time of 3:57.15. The time ranks third in program history, marking the third different event this season in which Dorenkamp has entered the top five list. Senior Drew Maher finished with a time of 4:04.40, ranking eighth in the Big Ten this season.
Freshman captain Korbin Martino also made his debut on the list, winning the 400m run in 46.57, the fourth fastest in program history and ranks 11th in the NCAA this season.
Freshmen Olivier Desmeules (1:49.53) and Darius Smallwood (1:49.89) broke the 1:50 mark in the 800m for the first time in their Penn State careers, good enough for second and fourth in the Big Ten this season. Sophomore Ka'Mere Day posted a PR of his own in the 60m with a time of 6.78.
The Penn State men's jumpers also had a strong day Saturday, with Wesley Matsuka-Williams matching his career high of 15.25m to win the triple jump and Luke Knipe winning the pole vault with a 5.05m mark.
In the day's final event, Tyler Merkley matched his PR from a week ago in the weight throw with a toss of 21.17m.
"Event after event, it was a lot of fun to watch the Penn State track & field program compete today." Gondak said. "It feels like the magic is back in the building after the COVID season last year."
FULL RESULTS: https://live.pttiming.com/?mid=4745
