UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State track & field team set two new school records on Saturday afternoon at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge at the Multi-Sport Facility and Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
The day began with the weight throw, where Sam Engebretson’s 66-6.50 (20.28) saw him take second in the field and moved him into seventh in Penn State’s all-time history.
The track events paced a solid showing for Penn State, including in the 60-meter dash, where Ajani Dwyer’s 6.52 finish rewrote his own personal and Penn State men’s records, claiming the fastest in program history. Scotty Coffi recorded a new personal best in the event, placing fourth in the competition with a 6.77 and him tenth on the all-time Penn State record book.
Later in the day, Handal Roban broke his second school record in as many weeks, posting 1:14.89 in the men’s 600-meter. It stands as the third fastest men’s 600-meter mark in NCAA history.
Staying in the mid-distance, Niko Schultz moved into seventh on the program’s top 10 list in the 800-meters with a personal best of 1:46.67. Kaleb Nastari finished just behind him, moving into 10th place on the all-time list in the 800-meters.
In the men’s pole vault, Tristan McGarrah also had a career day, posting a 17-0.75 (5.20m) to move into a tie for second place in Penn State’s record book.
EVENT SUMMARY
Gabi Deglau started the day on the women’s side taking third in the women’s weigh throw, finishing with a 58-7.25 (17.86), good for a new personal best.
Pole vault saw three Nittany Lions finish within the top five. Tristan McGarrah placed first in men’s pole vault with a 17-0.75 (5.20), setting a new personal best. Mason Bucks took fifth with a 15-7.00 (4.75) as well. In the women’s competition, Amelia McBain set a new personal best with a 12-9.50 (3.90) in women’s pole vault, also a new personal best.
Other event highlights came in the mile, where Jake Borgesi claimed a personal best of his own at 4:09.76, finishing second in the event. In the women’s 60-meter dash, Addyson White finished with a second-place 7.52, also a personal best. In addition, Joe White took third for the Nittany Lions with a 22-11.25 (6.99) in men’s long jump.
The 400-meter dash led to three more highlights for the Nittany Lions. Jake Palermo won first place with a 46.39 in the men’s event, with his teammate Peyton Summers placing sixth with a personal-best 47.95.
In men’s high jump, Tripp Campbell took first place with a 6-9.00 (2.11), while Tim Watson tied his personal best at 6-5.00 (1.96), placing sixth. On the women’s side of the high jump, Gwen Cudmore took third with a 5-8.75 (1.75m) jump.
In the 800-meter, Lea Hatcher’s 2:09.13 was fast enough to capture the women’s event for Penn State. In the men’s 3000-meter, Tyler Rader took third with an 8:21.03.
To end the day in the 4x400 relay, the team of Addyson White, Maddie Pitts, Boh Ritchie, and Hayley Kitching won the event with a 3:37.67.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will be in action coast-to-coast next week, sending athletes to three competitions, all on Friday and Saturday: the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, the Husky Challenge in Seattle and the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.