Jan. 28, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State track & field teams are back in action this weekend as they are set to host the Penn State National at the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Thirty-eight teams are making their way to Happy Valley for the two-day meet. Flotrack.org will provide a live stream of the meet, but viewers must have a FloPro account to access the video. Live results will be provided by GoPSUsports.com for no charge.
THE PENN STATE NATIONAL
When: Friday, January 29 & Saturday, January 30
Where: Ashenfelter III Indoor Track
Start time: Friday: 12 p.m., Saturday: 11:00 a.m. (track), noon (field)
Cost: Admission is free
Promotions: The first 250 fans Saturday will receive free Penn State Track & Field thunder sticks
Big Ten Banner: The women's track & field team will unveil their 2015 Big Ten Cross Country Championship banner at 2:30 p.m.
Little Lion Lap: The Little Lion Lap is open to children in K-5 and will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. The Nittany Lion will be joining the children for one lap around the track.
SCHOOLS COMPETING
Akron, Albany, Army, Ashland, Bucknell, Buffalo, California University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Coppin State, Cornell, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, High Point, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Johnson C. Smith University, Kutztown University, La Salle, Lock Haven, Monmouth, Mount St. Mary's, Muhlenburg College, Norfolk State, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph (PA), Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, Stanford, Syracuse, Temple, Tiffin, University Connecticut, UMBC, Villanova, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Youngstown State.
NATIONALLY RANKED COMPETITION
The Penn State National will feature a handful of teams ranked in the top-25 of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I National Team Computer Rankings.
Virginia Tech (4), Stanford (14), Penn State (21), and Georgetown (23) are all ranked in the top-25 on the men's side, while Georgetown (10), Stanford (14), and Akron (25) are ranked on the women's side.
PENN STATE NATIONAL HISTORY
The Penn State National has been one of the top collegiate indoor track & field meets in years past. In the men's one mile run, a runner has broken the 4-minute barrier in each of the past eight years at the Penn State National.
FLO TRACK
For the second time this season, a Penn State track meet will be streamed LIVE on FloTrack. FloTrack will provide LIVE coverage of the 2016 Penn State National in State College, PA. Viewers must have a FloPro account ($) to access the video stream
PINK MEET
This weekend's meet will be Penn State's annual Pink Meet. Penn State student-athletes will wear pink and black t-shirts during the meet representing Penn State's original school colors (1887-1890)
LAST TIME OUT - NITTANY LION CHALLENGE
Penn State captured 13 event wins, set four meet records, and broke three school records, along with an all-time collegiate record as the Nittany Lions wrapped up the 2016 Nittany Lion Challenge at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor track. The men's and women's 1,000m would see a pair of school records fall as seniors Tori Gerlach and Brannon Kidder etched their names amongst the best to ever wear the blue & white on the track. Gerlach's performance would come in an event she doesn't normally run. The consummate 3-5K athlete, Gerlach dropped down to run the 1,000m and erased a four-year old record, previously held by Nittany Lion great Caitlin Lane, recording a time of 2:43.15 setting not only a school record but a new personal best in the event as well. Gerlach is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation in the women's 1000m.
For the men's 1,000m Kidder, who had never run the 1,000m before the meet, set the collegiate record running 2:18.26 as he ran away from the field over the final 75-meters for the win with the next closest competitor over a full three seconds behind Kidder in one race set a meet record, school record, facility record, and an all-time collegiate record.
NITTANY LION NEWS & NOTES
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Heading into the final weekend of January, the Nittany Lions currently rank in the top-20 in 10 NCAA Championship events.
Xavier Smith 15th in the 60-meters (6.69), Elizabeth Chikotas 14th in the mile (4:45.59), Quenee Dale 11th in the 60-meter hurdles (8.26), Men's 4x400m Relay 8th (3:09.01), Men's DMR 9th (9:56.58), Women's DMR 14th (11:43.09), Chisom Ifedi 8th in the high jump (7'-1.5"/2.17m), Lexi Masterson 19th in the pole vault (13'-6.25"/4.12m), Danielle Gibson 5th in the triple jump (43'-1.5"/13.14m), and Rachel Fatherly 4th in the shot put (56'-0.5"/17.08m)
Chisom Ifedi mark of 2.17m is the best in the nation amongst freshman at any level (NCAA DI, DII, DIII, NJCAA, NAIA)
NO. 21 IN THE LAND
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released their Week One National Computer Rankings (Jan. 25) and the Nittany Lion men were ranked No. 21.
BREAKIN' RECORDS
Four school records have been broken between the men's and women's track & field teams this season. Xavier Smith (60m), Brannon Kidder (1000m), Tori Gerlach (1000m) and Lexi Masterson (Pole Vault) have all broken a school record through two meets this season.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Nittany Lions are set to welcome teams from across the nation into the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track as they host the third of five meets during the 2016 indoor season. Penn State will not travel until Feb. 12-13 when they split squads to two meets (Husky Classic and Fastrack National).
NEXT TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions are hosting their first scored meet of the year, the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup, next Friday and Saturday Feb. 5-6 at the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.