UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field team performed well at the Penn State Tune Up on Friday evening at the Multisport Facility & Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
The Nittany Lions received multiple personal-best marks and yet again, put two marks inside the top-five in school history. Penn State sets itself up nicely for a strong effort at the Big Ten Indoor Championships next weekend.
NITTANY LIONS IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Senior Callum Dodds posted a 1:16.46 in the men's 600m to claim the third-best time in Penn State history in the event. Dodds' time ranks first in the Big Ten and sixth in the NCAA.
Penn State's women's DMR squad, consisting of Hayley Kitching, Zoey Goldstein, Rachel Gearing, and Kileigh Kane, ran an 11:03.23 to finish with the no. 2 time in school history. The mark is also 19th in the NCAA.
TRACK EVENT SUMMARY
In the 60m hurdles, Penn State's Chibugo Obichere finished second place in the finals with an 8.83 after qualifying earlier in the afternoon with an 8.99.
In the men's mile, Luke Seymour set a personal best with a 4:09.48 to finish second place. Christopher DeSousa ran a 4:11.65 to finish third. Samantha Hayes posted a 5:05.07 to finish fifth in the women's mile.
Austin Gallant won the men's 400m with a 48.88 in his first time competing the event in his collegiate career.
History was written in the men's 600m, with Dodds running the third-fastest time in Penn State history at 1:16.46. On the women's side, Victoria Vanriele posted a 1:30.61.
Penn State finished 1-2-3 in the men's 800m, with Handal Roban (1:47.63), Olivier Desmeules (1:47.97), and Carter Fitzgerald (1:49.78) taking the top three spots.
The women's distance medley crew of Hayley Kitching, Zoey Goldstein, Rachel Gearing, and Kileigh Kane claimed the second-fastest time in school history with an 11:03.23.
Penn State saw another 1-2 finish, this time in the men's 3,000m with Behailu Bekele-Arcuri's 8:14.97 and Hayden Healey's 8:16.62 coming in first and second. Josh Lewis posted an 8:33.31 to finish fourth. Libby Benzer finished first place in the women's 3,000m with a 9:56.75.
FIELD EVENT SUMMARY
In the first event of the day, Tyler Merkley put up a 71-8.75 (21.86m) throw to win the weight throw. Collin Burkhard finished third with a 62-10 (19.15m). In the women's weight throw, Jean Starr posted a personal-best 59-7.5 (18.17m) throw to finish fourth overall, but first among collegiate competitors.
Duane Knisely came just over two inches short of a personal record in the men's shot put. Knisely finished second overall, followed by Nittany Lion teammates Lucciano Pizarro (56-11.25 (17.35m)) in third and Dylan Lambrecht (54-7.5 (16.65m)) in fourth. Mallory Kauffman won the women's shot put once again, with a throw of 55-8.14 (16.97m).
Hailey Zurich won the women's pole vault with a 12-6.25 (3.82m) clearance. On the men's side, Luke Knipe took first with a 16-8.75 (5.10m) and teammate Tristan McGarrah finished second, clearing the bar at 15-7 (4.75m).
Joe Cardina tied his personal best and finished second with a 46-11.75 (14.32m) in the men's triple jump. Over in the high jump, Joey Walker set a new personal record with a 6-7 (2.01m) clearance to finish second while teammate Andrew Beten finished third with a 6-4.75 (1.95m) effort.
The Nittany Lions earned a 1-2 finish in the women's high jump with Cecelia Bacon (5-9.25 (1.76m)) and Carlie Wilson (5-8 (1.73m)) earning the top spots.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will compete in the men's distance medley relay tomorrow at the Alex Wilson Invite at Notre Dame to wrap up the regular season before heading to the Big Ten Championships next week in Geneva, Ohio.
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