UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Friday, Sept. 6, the Penn State Nittany Lions’ cross country season is set to get underway at the annual Dolan Duals meet in Lock Haven, Pa.
The Dolan Duals, set to take place at the West Branch Cross Country Course, is slated to begin at 6 p.m. with the women’s 4k competition followed by the men’s 6k competition at 6:30 p.m. The results of the meet can be found after its conclusion on GoPSUSports.com.
2024 OUTLOOK
In the 2024 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Regional preseason rankings, both of Penn State’s cross-country teams were ranked within the top five. The women’s team is ranked second to Georgetown and the men’s team starts off its 2024 season ranked fifth. Florence Caron and Brian DiCola were recently named Penn State’s representatives on the inaugural Big Ten Cross Country Preseason Runners to Watch list.
The women’s group returns six of its seven runners from its NCAA Championship-qualifying squad, including a strong group of veterans, Caron, Maddie Ullom, Sophia Toti, and Faith DeMars. New to the women’s roster this season are freshmen Eva Kynaston, the 2024 PIAA cross country runner-up, as well as Maddie Miller.
The 2024 men’s team features veteran runners including the aforementioned DiCola, Penn State’s returning All-Region honoree, along with Ryan Watson, Hayden Healey, Christopher DeSousa, and Brendan Flynn. Incoming graduate transfer Jake Allen will provide an immediate spark to the group as evidenced by his success in distance events at Kentucky. Also new to the roster are freshmen James Cicero, Julian Kletz, Caleb Prettyman and Tyler Rader.
2023 DOLAN DUALS RESULTS
Last year in the women’s 4K, Penn State’s top three finishers set the fourth, fifth and sixth-fastest times ever recorded at the Dolan Duals. DeMars set her 4K personal best with a 13:39.6, Caron finished behind DeMars with a 13:40.7 and Toti rounded out the top three with a 13:50.2. Additional top returners on the women’s team’s veteran roster include Lea Hatcher and Hayley Kitching, both of whom set new personal-best 4K marks in last season’s Dolan Duals.
In the men’s 6K at the Dolan Duals, Watson finished first overall, setting the seventh-fastest time in the history of the meet, and the fastest time since 2018. Watson won Big Ten Cross Country Runner of the Week honors following his performance at Lock Haven in 2023.
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