LEXINGTON, Ky. – Florence Caron punched her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a seventh-place finish in the 10K semifinal on Thursday night, an effort that highlighted the Penn State track & field team's second day of competition at the NCAA East Region Preliminaries.
The Nittany Lions also qualified three entries from its women's team to the NCAA quarterfinals during competition on Thursday at the UK Track & Field Complex. Kileigh Kane and Maddie Ullom advanced in the 1500-meters, while Hayley Kitching moved on in the 800-meters.
TICKETS PUNCHED
Florence Caron advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the first time in her career Thursday evening.
After finally beginning the 10K at 10:45 p.m. following multiple reschedules and delays, Caron took control and stuck with the lead pack the entire race, finishing seventh with a personal-best 33:03.96, which ranks third on Penn State's all-time list. She will travel to Eugene, Oregon to compete in the 10K against the best of the best in the first week of June at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
QUARTERFINAL QUALIFIERS
Ullom and Kane began Penn State's day on the track each recording qualifying marks in the 1500-meters. Kane snagged the last time qualifying mark with a 4:17.46, while Ullom placed fifth in her heat, collecting an automatic quarterfinal bid with a 4:23.80. The Nittany Lion 1500-meter duo will toe the line in the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
Hayley Kitching breezed to a win in her 800-meter first round heat with a 2:04.12, advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals in the 800-meters for the second consecutive season. Kitching will run in the quarterfinals at 7:05 p.m.
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES
Audrey Friedman placed 37th in the region with a 136-11 (41.73m) effort in the javelin throw. Friedman, a sophomore, has qualified for and competed in each of the first two NCAA East Region First Round meets of her college career.
Following a regular season where she cracked Penn State's top ten list in both the 200 and 400-meter dash events, Zoey Goldstein concluded her first NCAA Preliminary meet with a 54.54 in the first round of the 400-meters.
Allison Johnson wrapped up her strong season with a 2:05.18 in the 800-meter first round, finishing just outside of a time qualifying spot in the quarterfinals.
Sophia Toti finished off the night with a 34:10.01 in the 10K, placing 36th in the region.
UP NEXT
Penn State's men's team will conclude its portion of the competition Friday, with event quarterfinals and the high jump slated for the Nittany Lions. Additionally, Hailey Zurich and Victoria Atkinson will compete in the women's pole vault at 10 a.m. Friday morning following the postponement of the event from Thursday's schedule.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc).