LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Penn State men's and women's cross country teams competed in their first meet of the 2023 campaign as they took on the Lock Haven Bald Eagles in the annual Dolan Duals at West Branch Cross Country Course.
Penn State won both the men's 6K and the women's 4K races as the Nittany Lions got off to a solid start to the season.
"It was a nice start to the season for both sides of the program," said head coach John Gondak. "Most everyone improved on their times from last year and up front, we ran the fastest we have in years. Great efforts from both teams."
WOMEN'S 4K RACE
In the women's 4K, Penn State's top three finishers set the fourth, fifth, and sixth-fastest times ever recorded between Penn State and Lock Haven at the Dolan Duals. Faith DeMars took the top spot with a 13:39.6, setting her 4K personal best and the fastest time ran at the Dolan Duals since 2016. Junior transfer Florence Caron started her Penn State career with a bang, finishing in second place behind DeMars with a 13:40.7. Sophia Toti rounded out the top three with a 13:50.2, setting her own PR.
In total, six of Penn State's seven runners who had run a cross country 4K before set new personal-best marks, and eleven Nittany Lion women finished their first collegiate cross country race, including five unattached runners.
Penn State Women's Top Seven Results (4K):
Place Runner Time
1 Faith DeMars 13:39.6 PR
2 Florence Caron 13:40.7 PR
3 Sophia Toti 13:50.2 PR
4 Makenna Krebs 14:08.2 PR
6 Lea Hatcher 14:10.8
7 Hayley Kitching 14:12.8
8 Kaylee McCullough 14:14.2 PR
MEN'S 6K RACE
In the men's 6K, Ryan Watson finished first overall, setting a 17:48 PR. Watson's time is the seventh-fastest ever at the Dolan Duals and is the fastest time in the meet since 2018. Caiden Leen ran a 17:52.3 for the Nittany Lions, coming in second place. Hayden Healey finished third with an 18:03.2 PR.
Including seven unattached runners, 11 Nittany Lion men made their collegiate cross country debuts. In addition to Healey, Yukichi Ishii, Christopher DeSousa, and Behailu Bekele-Arcuri also set 6K PRs for the Penn State men.
Penn State Men's Top Seven Results (6K):
Points Runner Time
1 Ryan Watson 17:48.5
2 Caiden Leen 17:52.3
3 Hayden Healey 18:03.2 PR
4 Brendan Colwell 18:07.8
5 Yukichi Ishii 18:09.9 PR
7 Christopher DeSousa 18:13.7 PR
8 Kevin Haas 18:14.4
WHAT'S NEXT
Penn State returns to Happy Valley for its first and only home meet of the 2023 campaign next Friday, September 8. The Nittany Lions will host the Spiked Shoe invitational beginning at 10 a.m.
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