PHILADELPHIA – The Penn State track & field team concluded its outing at the 127th Penn Relays with three top-three finishes in Championship of America events on the final day of competition.
“I’m very happy for the program overall,” said Head Coach John Gondak. “We survived the rain yesterday and came away today with some hardware. On to the Big Ten Championship.”
Saturday’s events for the Nittany Lions were highlighted by the women’s group earning their second straight 4×800 Championship of America with a school record time of 8:23.81. Additionally, the men’s 4×800 squad posted a second-place finish with the third-fastest time in Penn State history, a 7:12.96. In Penn State’s final Championship of America event, the men’s 4×400 squad clocked the fastest Nittany Lion 4×400 time since 2018, crossing the line in third place at 3:06.17.
TRACK EVENT SUMMARY
The group of Maddie Ullom, Allison Johnson, Hayley Kitching, and Rachel Gearing took home the women’s 4×800 Championship of America wheel at the Penn Relays for the second consecutive year and third time ever. The Nittany Lions beat the school record in the event for the second-straight year as well. The Nittany Lions won the event over second place Washington by nearly five seconds, with nobody close to Gearing as she crossed the finish line.
The men’s 4×800 squad of Evan Dorenkamp, Darius Smallwood, Olivier Desmeules, and Handal Roban battled the top groups the whole way to the line, coming across just a half-second behind Ole Miss.
Penn State’s third and final Championship of America relay group of Austin Gallant, Savion Hebron, Callum Dodds, and James Onwuka took third place in the men’s 4×400. The Nittany Lions’ time of 3:06.17 improves their top-five Big Ten mark.
FIELD EVENT SUMMARY
Penn State started the day with a sixth place standing for Tyler Merkley in the discus throw championship. Merkley threw a 175-6 (53.50m) for the sixth-place mark. Mallory Kauffman came in fifth overall in the women’s shot put championship with a 53-5 (16.28m) throw. For the men in the event, Lucciano Pizarro posted a 59-1.5 (18.02m).
Hailey Zurich finished in second place in the women’s pole vault championship, posting a 13-2.5 (4.03m) clearance.
Collin Burkhart and
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