Disappointing, But....

It didn't turn out quite like they hoped, but there was a silver lining at the end anyway.

Tessa Barrett ended up a DNF, although I did see her listed among the leaders until the 4K mark, right with her 2 teammates, Jillian Hunsberger and Elizabeth Chikotas.  There hasn't been an explanation forthcoming, but we all hope Tessa is OK. With the loss of their #1 runner, PSU finished a disappointing 18th in the team competition.

Elizabeth Chikotas ended up in 15th place and Jillian Hunsberger 36th.  That makes for 2 All-Americans for PSU!

Coach Gondak and Coach Reck surround PSU's latest All-Americans.

Final Results For PSU At The NCAA Regionals

Women 

  1 Penn State               36    1    3    4   12   16   60   80    20:32    1:06
  2 Villanova                93    7    8   17   22   39   40   43    21:05    1:04
  3 Penn                     99    6   10   20   28   35   56   69    21:06    1:08
  4 West Virginia           112    2   11   21   37   41   47   82    21:07    1:36
  5 Georgetown              141   15   24   26   30   46   74   83    21:25    0:47
  6 Bucknell                174    9   19   33   42   71   73  111    21:30    1:26

1. Penn State
    1  Tessa Barrett, So          20:00    5:22
    3  Elizabeth Chikotas, Jr     20:17    5:26
    4  Jillian Hunsberger, Jr     20:23    5:28
   12  Kathryn Munks, Fr          20:53    5:36
   16  Greta Lindsley, So         21:06    5:39
   60  Victoria Crawford, So      22:03    5:54
   80  Julie Kocjancic, Sr        22:19    5:59
Total Time = 1:42:39     Total Places = 36

 Men

  1 Georgetown               66    2    7   11   16   30   35   46    31:06   0:45
  2 Navy                     74    8   12   14   19   21   23   33    31:10    0:17
  3 Princeton                97    3    9   18   22   45   58   74    31:13    0:55
  4 Penn                    111    6   10   28   29   38   55   68    31:18    0:39
  5 Penn State              190   15   27   32   49   67   79  109    31:37    0:56
  6 Bucknell                193   20   39   42   44   48   50   63    31:36    0:29

5. Penn State
   15  Timothy McGowan, Jr        31:13    5:02
   27  Colin Abert, So            31:24    5:04
   32  John McGowan, So           31:29    5:05
   49  Brandon Tubby, Fr          31:47    5:07
   67  Billy McDevitt, Fr         32:08    5:11
   79  Conrad Lippert, Sr         32:21    5:13
  109  Bobby Hill, Jr             33:15    5:22
Total Time = 2:38:01     Total Places = 190
 

Another Coach Of The Year And More 800 Goodness

Last year, friend and classmate Tom Rapp made the list of Coaches of the Year on the USTFCCCA list for Ohio.  This year, Matt Lincoln made the list for Arizona!  The number of great coaches that have come out of PSU's Program is astounding. It's hard to keep track of all of them.  Congrats Matt.  I really wish I had the time and opportunity to coach too.

USTFCCCA Coaches of the Year

Both of Penn State's 4 x 800 relay teams have the early season World Lead in the event!  

Julie Kocjancic, Victoria Crawford, Elizabeth Chikotas, and Tori Gerlach combined to post a world leading time of 8:45.85 on January 9, 2016 during the Penn State Relays.

Jordan Makins, Bobby Hill, Isaiah Harris, and Brannon Kidder recorded their world leading time at the same meet in a time of 7:25.28. 

XC Season Is Over: Onward To Track!

The Nittany Lion Women ended up 16th in the nation.  A fine season overall.  Big Ten Champions, Mid-Atlantic Region Champions and ranked as high as 9th overall in the USTFCCA voting.

                                      38- Tessa Barrett 20:26.7
                                      98 -Tori Gerlach 20:49.3
                                    102- Elizabeth Chikotas 20:50.4
                                    151- Jillian Hunsberger 21:12.8
                                    157 -Stephanie Aldrich 21:15.1

Billy Francis! Lady Lions!

Tessa Barrett, All-American.

Billy Francis and his Syracuse mates.

Our very own Undersecretary of Fun Billy Francis drove 1,700 miles to watch his graduate school mates from Syracuse win the title in an upset only to those who weren't paying attention. He found the time to charm the Lady Lions also! Including PSU's newest All-American XC runner, Tessa Barrett. (thanks to Coach Reckart for the pic!)

Watches And Wheels! Good Start To Penn Relays Carnival

Elizabeth Chikotas, 5000M Champion. 16:05.46

Darrel Hill, repeat Shot Put Champion, third longest mark ever. 68' 2.5"

Sprint Medley Relay Championship of America, Alex Shisler, Xavier Smith, Sancho Barrett and Brannon Kidder.

2 Generations of Wheel Winners, Stephen Shisler, Alex Shisler and Beth Shisler. (Photo from Larry Mangan and Mark Hawkins.)

 

Michael Gross, Wheel and watch from 1997 Corporate DMR!

Stephen Shisler brings us the video of the Sprint Medley!

Distance Runners Get PSU Off To Good Start At Big Ten Championships

That's a headline I have not been able to use in the 7 or so years of the blog with it all.  I enjoyed writing it today.

The 3000M was a good start for both the Men and Women at the first day of the Big Ten meet at the Spire Institute in Ohio.  With wins in both the Shot Put and the Distance Medley, the Men are in second place entering the penultimate Saturday finish. The Women are tied for fourth.

W 3000 M:      3  Tori Gerlach             9:17.39
                        4  Elizabeth Chikotas   9:21.62

M 3000M:       1  Robby Creese           8:10.75
                        6  Matt Fischer             8:14.13

M Shot Put:     1  Darrell Hill               66'  6"

M Distance Medley: (Jordan Makins, Alex Shisler, Za'Von Watkins, Brannon Kidder) 1  9:40.62

Brannon Kidder, Photo by Jim McClelland.