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Mark Selders

Nittany Lions set for three-day Competition at the Bucknell Outdoor Challenge

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track and field teams will travel to Bucknell this weekend as the Nittany Lions are set to take for a three-day meet at the Bison Outdoor Challenge from Thursday to Saturday.

Nittany Lion action will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday when the men's discuss group competes in the team's lone event on the day. Competition is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Friday for the remainder of the team and continue 10 a.m. on Saturday.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW/LIVE RESULTS
WATCH: https://bit.ly/36an2Ai
LIVE RESULTS: https://www.leonetiming.com/results/events.php?id=5006
 
A LOOK BACK
Penn State had strong split-squad showing last weekend, as the team compiled seven total event victories, two event sweeps and numerous top-10 program finishes over the two-day action at Duke and Miami (Fla.).
 
Duke Invite
In Durham, Yasmin Brooks led the way in the women's 100m hurdles, as she clocked the third-fastest time in program history with a 13.04 to win the event. That time places her atop the Big Ten and ranks #13 in the NCAA. 

Faith DeMars finished in second in the women's 3000m steeplechase after running the fifth-fastest time in Penn State history with a mark of 10:11.22.

Victoria Vanriele ran an outdoor personal-best time of 2:05.95 in the women's 800m to finish in second. That time now stands as the 10th-fastest time in program history.

Domenic Perretta led the way on the men's side with a season-best time of 1:48.55 in the 800m race to place second. His time was his fastest in the event since the 2019 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Indoor NCAA Championship qualifier Evan Dorenkamp made his first appearance of the outdoor season, finishing with a time of 1:49.74.

Ka'mere Day sprinted to the sixth-fastest 100m dash time in program history, finishing third with a time of 10.41 seconds.
 
Miami Alumni Invite
In Coral Gables, junior Luke Knipe highlighted a sweep in men's pole vault when he broke the Penn State program record for the event with a mark of 5.33m (17-5.75), which currently ranks third in the Big Ten.

Tyler Merkley led the Nittany Lions' dominance in the throwing events, as he won the men's hammer throw with a mark of 71.33m (234-0). His throw is the second-farthest in Nittany Lions history, ranks second in the NCAA this season and atop the Big Ten.

Mallory Kauffman had an outstanding two days as she had a personal-best throw of 48.61m (159-5) in women's discus and a mark of 16.42m (53-10.5) in shot put.

Competing in her first heptathlon of the outdoor season, Chloe Royce had the eighth-best performance in program history as she scored 5,062 points to place fourth.

Led by freshman Collin Burkhart, the men's javelin squad swept the event as the trio of Burkhart, Tristan Schmidt and Kevin Bartosh launched throws of 65.85m (216-0), 63.96m (209-10) and 63.66m (208-10), respectively.
 
HIGH-RANKING NITTANY LIONS
Following last weekend, here are the Penn State athletes currently ranked among the top ten in the nation for their respective events, via TFRRS and the USTFCCCA:

  • Tyler Merkley- ranked second in men's Hammer Throw.
  • Victoria Tachinski- ranked fifth in the women's 800m.