Caron Sets 5K School Record as Penn State Wraps Up Split-Squad WeekendCaron Sets 5K School Record as Penn State Wraps Up Split-Squad Weekend
Jenna Gearing

Caron Sets 5K School Record as Penn State Wraps Up Split-Squad Weekend

Nittany Lions collect six top-five program marks on Saturday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field team recorded six top-five program marks on Saturday in meets in Clemson and Boston, including the women’s 5K school record, which was set by Florence Caron.

IN THE RECORD BOOKS

Caron dropped a 15:25.83 in the 5K in Boston, breaking the previous school record of 15:28.99, set by Tessa Barrett in 2017, by over three seconds.

The track was hot in Boston as three Penn State women achieved top-five program marks in the mile. Kileigh Kane improved her own No. 2 mark in school history with a 4:32.30, Maddie Ullom also upped her own No. 4 mark in PSU history, going 4:34.31, and true freshman Ada Rand clocked the fifth-fastest mile in school history with a 4:36.55.

At Clemson, Penn State set two additional top-five program marks, the first by Lizzie Schreiber in the women’s triple jump. The sophomore recorded a 42-9.5 (13.04m) jump to become just the third woman in Penn State indoor history to go over 13 meters in the indoor triple jump.

In the last event of the meet, the men’s 4x400 group of Jake Palermo, James Onwuka, Austin Gallant, and Max DeAngelo clocked the fourth-fastest indoor 4x400 in school history with a 3:05.24. The true freshmen, Palermo on the leadoff and DeAngelo on the anchor, both recorded sub-46 splits as the group ran Penn State’s fastest indoor 4x400 since 2018.

Event Summaries

CLEMSON TIGER PAW INVITE EVENT SUMMARY

Women’s 200m (Purple)

  • Zoey Goldstein ran a season-best 23.91 to win her heat.
  • Meghan Quinn placed second in heat nine with a 24.49.

Men’s 200m (Orange)

  • Damoy Allen clocked his second-fastest time of the season with a 21.07.

Men’s 4x400 Relay

  • Palermo, Onwuka, Gallant, and DeAngelo ran the fourth-fastest indoor 4x400 relay in school history with a 3:05.24. Palermo led off with a 45.77 split and DeAngelo anchored with a 45.79 split.

Women’s High Jump (open)

  • Hannah Riolo finished second overall with a 5-7.25 (1.71m) clearance.
  • Katie Becker took eighth with a 5-5.25 (1.66m) jump.

Women’s High Jump Invite

  • Gwen Cudmore tied for fifth place with a 5-8.5 (1.74m) jump, the second-best clearance of her collegiate career.

Men’s High Jump (open)

  • Robert Allen jumped 6-7 (2.01m).

Men’s Pole Vault (open)

  • Mason Bucks tied for seventh with a 15-6.25 (4.73m) jump.
  • Jonathan Petersen recorded a season-best clearance with a 15-6.25 (4.73m) jump. He finished 11th because of missed attempts.
  • Breckin Swope took 13th with a 15-0.25 (4.58m) jump.

Men’s Shot Put Invite

  • Ryan Henry placed sixth overall with a 60-10 (18.54m) toss.

Women’s Triple Jump Invite

  • Schreiber claimed sixth place with her lifetime-best 42-9.5 (13.04m) jump.

DAVID HEMERY VALENTINE INVITE EVENT SUMMARY 

Women’s 800m

  • Hayley Kitching ran a 2:05.62 while Tayissa Buchanan posted a 2:07.60.

Women’s Mile

  • It was a historic outing in the mile for the Nittany Lion women, all of whom recorded personal-best times that rank among the best ever recorded in a Penn State uniform.
  • Kane posted a 4:32.30, Ullom ran a 4:34.31, and Rand secured a 4:36.55 to claim the second, fourth, and fifth-fastest mile times in Penn State history.

Women’s 3K

  • Katie Dallas ran a personal-best 9:23.55.

Women’s 5K

  • Caron’s 15:25.83 school record was the fourth-fastest time among collegians at the Valentine invite as she finished 12th overall among 100-plus 5K finishers.
  • Sophia Toti clocked a 16:09.99 and Claire Zubey ran a 16:46.08.

UP NEXT

A majority of Penn State athletes will compete at home next Friday, Feb. 21 in the Penn State Tune-Up while additional runners will travel back to Boston for the Terrier DMR Challenge. Additionally, sprinter Ajani Dwyer is set to compete in the 60-meter dash at the USATF Indoor Championships from Feb. 22-23.

FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS 

Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc).