UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State track & field put together a very strong season-opening weekend over the three meets they competed in on Dec. 5-6.
Four Nittany Lions notched top five marks in school history, all competing in Boston. Ada Rand started it off, running a 9:06.18 3K, which is the second-fastest in school history. She finished fourth in the competition after running a PR.
Tayissa Buchanan followed that up with a huge win in the 800-meter at BU’s Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, running a 2:02.67, good for second in school history. The junior shaved nearly four seconds off her previous personal best.
In the women’s 5K in Boston, Charlotte Costich posted the third-fastest 5K in school history. The senior ran a 15:49.68 on Saturday afternoon, passing her previous personal best by 65 seconds. She finished 22nd overall in the event, leading the way for PSU.
Lastly, on the men’s side of the 5K, Nick Sloff ran the second-fastest 5K in program history with a 13:45.36 to finish 38th. Sloff shaved four seconds off his personal best to move into the top five.
Overall, Penn State athletes won 12 events and achieved four top-five and one top-10 program marks across the three meets.
PENN OPENER SUMMARY
On Friday evening, Maddie Pitts won the meet’s pentathlon for the second year in a row, beating her own mark of 3,944 from a year ago. Pitts won four out of five events while coming in third in the high jump.
To start off Saturday, Hannah Riolo finished second in the high jump with a mark 5-8.75 (1.75m). She was followed by Katie Becker who finished fifth in the event with a 5-7.75 (1.72m).
She was followed by Lizzie Schreiber posting a PR and meet record to win the women’s long jump at a mark of 19-7.50 (5.98m). Schreiber also finished second in the meet’s triple jump competition, posting a 41-9.75 (13.05m).
BUCKNELL OPENER SUMMARY
A Nittany Lion sweep of the men’s high jump started off the morning at Bucknell with Robert Allen, Trip Campbell, and Timothy Watson taking the top three spots. Allen posted a 6-8.75 (2.05m), Campbell a 6-8.75 (2.05m) and Watson rounded them out with a 6-4.75 (1.95m).
Alex Pancoast broke into the women’s top 10 program list in the women’s weight throw with a 62-3.00 (18.97m), winning the event. Gabby Cope finished third with a 56-4.50 (17.18m) mark while Gabi Deglau rounded out the top four with a 56-0.00 (17.07m).
In the women’s pole vault, Meredith Baham and Amelia McBain went first and second. Baham posted a 13-1.50 (4.00m) vault while McBain notched a 12-1.50 (3.70m) mark. Lucas Band followed them in the 60-meter hurdles, winning the event in 8.17 seconds in his first collegiate competition.
On the women’s side of the 60-meter hurdles, Addyson White finished second with a PR, running an 8.91. White also put together a strong performance in the 60-meter, winning the event with a 7.59 for a new PR. Alexandria North finished third in the event, running a 7.69.
In the men’s 60-meter, Scotty Coffi qualified for the final and finished second in his first collegiate 60-meter race with a 6.78. In the men’s weight throw, two Nittany Lions finished at the top. Collin Burkhart threw 66-10.50 (20.38m) to win while Sam Engebretson posted a 63-4.00 (19.30m) for second.
In the men’s pole vault, PSU had two in the top three with Tristan McGarrah tying for first while Mason Bucks came in third. McGarrah posted a 16-4.75 (5.00m) while Bucks had a 15-5.00 (4.70m).
Three Nittany Lions finished in the top four of the women’s 200-meter led by Alexandria North with a 24.99 PR, followed by Mimi Duffy in third with a 25.51 PR, and then Kylie Jacoutot rounded out the top three Penn State sprinters.
In the women’s shot put, Gabby Cope threw for a personal best 49-0.75 (14.95m) to win the event. On the men’s side of the event, newcomer Sam Engebretson won the event in his first as a Nittany Lion, throwing for a 57-1.50 (17.41m).
SHARON COLYEAR-DANVILLE SEASON OPENER SUMMARY
To begin the Colyear-Danville Season Opener, Ada Rand ran the second-fastest 3K in school history, finishing fourth with a 9:06.18. Rand improved upon her prior best by nine seconds. Sarah Pickering also improved upon her PR, running a 9:29.65.
On the men’s side of the 3K in Boston, Justin Healey was the lone Penn State runner, finishing 36th while running a PR at 8:05.23. Healey improved upon his prior 3K best by five seconds.
In arguably the biggest win of the day, Tayissa Buchanan took first in the women’s 800-meter at the Colyear-Danville Season Opener. Her time of 2:02.67 was a personal best and good for second in Penn State school history.
The last women’s event in Boston was also historic, with Charlotte Costich posting Penn State’s third-fastest time in the women’s 5K ever at 15:49.68. Costich improved upon her prior personal best by 65 seconds to finish 22nd. Claire Daniels also posted a PR in the event, finishing 65th with a 16:13.69.
To end the evening, Nick Sloff ran the second-fastest 5K in school history, beating his personal best by four seconds with a 13:45.36 to finish 38th. Brendan Flynn also ran a PR at 14:06.73, improving upon his prior personal best by 31 seconds. Logan Strawser came third for PSU in his first collegiate 5K, running a 14:22.21 to finish 149th overall.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will take over a month-long break before returning to host their first indoor meet of the season. It will take place on January 17 at the Mulit-Sport Facility & Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
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Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc). Live updates on race day regarding start times and other important notes will be posted on X.