2017 Nittany Lion ChallengeJan 12, 2017 by Dennis Young
The Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge Will Be A Mid-Distance Fest
The Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge Will Be A Mid-Distance Fest
Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge Preview
Almost exactly one year ago at the Nittany Lion Challenge, Brannon Kidder ran 2:18.26 for the still-standing collegiate record in the men's 1000 meters. That's how fast Penn State's facility can be this early with good competition. Below, we break down the five biggest events at Saturday's Nittany Lion Challenge, which begins Saturday at 11:00 AM Eastern, live on FloTrack.
​Cornell, Bucknell, Penn State, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Maryland, and Villanova are the competing teams.​ All races are Saturday, January 14 in Eastern time.
WATCH LIVE | ENTRIES | SCHEDULE | RESULTS
When: 12:00 PM ET
Who: Robby Creese (unattached), Michael Clevenger (Georgetown)
Why: Clevenger, a Notre Dame transfer, was a 3:43 man for the Irish in 2015. He was 60th at NCAA XC, so he's clearly fit. He just hasn't raced anything shorter than 3K since 2015, so we'll see what he can do. Creese, a Penn State alum and first-year professional, is a 3:39/3:57 guy who had a tough end to 2016 when he was unexpectedly eliminated in the NCAA East Prelims. This is his first race of 2017 and a chance to bounce back.
Among collegians, only Houston's Brian Barraza has broken 4:00 this season. If the pace is hot enough, Clevenger could join him.
When: 12:20 PM ET
Who: Tessa Barrett (Penn State), Audrey Belf (Georgetown), Tori Gerlach (Penn State), Paige Hofstad (Georgetown)
Why: Belf and Hofstad's teammates Kennedy Weisner and Piper Donaghu are Nos. 3 and 4 in the NCAA in the mile right now, and all four training partners have similar mile PRs. It's easy to see Belf and Hofstad going in the mid-4:40s here.
From Penn State, Gerlach (who is listed as PSU/unattached in the entries) has the fastest mile PR in the field at 4:37. But she could get a challenge from her teammate Tessa Barrett. Barrett is one of the most talented runners in the NCAA--we had her ranked No. 9 headed into XC nationals--but she struggled a little bit in big races in 2016. She dropped out of the 5K at outdoor nationals and dropped out at cross country nationals. If she can run the way at nationals that she does all season, 2017 could be a big year for Barrett.
When: ​2:50 PM ET
Who: Isaiah Harris (Penn State), Joe White (Georgetown), Robby Creese (unattached)
Why: This is the race of the meet. According to ​Track & Field News​, three of the top five collegians ever in the 1000m are Penn State men--Kidder, Creese, and Ryan Foster​. Harris's 1:45.76 800m PR is faster than Creese or Foster ever ran outdoors, and right there with Kidder's 1:45.58. White has run 1:46 for the 800m and 2:23 in the 1000m, so he's a contender, though maybe not for the collegiate record.
Harris finishing fourth in the NCAA and sixth at the Olympic Trials in the 800m was one of the most underrated stories of 2016. In 2017, with Clayton Murphy, Donavan Brazier, Brandon McBride, and Shaq Walker all having turned pro, Harris can be one of the biggest mid-d stars in the collegiate system. A collegiate record would be a great way to remind everyone. Kidder's 2:18.26 is the standard to beat.
Men's and Women's Distance Medley Relays
When: 4:55 PM ET and 5:10 PM ET
Who: Penn State, Georgetown, Villanova
Why: These are three of the very best mid-distance programs in the country, and perennial contenders in the DMR. PSU, Georgetown, and Villanova were a quarter of the men's NCAA championship field in the event last year, while Georgetown's women won a DMR national title last March. In fact, the PSU/Georgetown/Nova trio have made the last three NCAA DMRs on the men's side.
Villanova's women won the Penn Relays 4x1500m last year and has those four women back, but Georgetown might be favored with any three of Belf, Hofstad, Weisner, Donaghu, Sabrina Southerland, or Autumn Eastman plus a 400m runner.
On the men's side, the Penn State-Georgetown battle could be excellent. Michael Slagowski isn't racing Saturday, so a potential DMR for PSU would be Harris plus Penn State's young milers. And Georgetown's stable of White, Clevenger, and freshman stud Jack Salisbury gives them the potential to run a very strong squad. The only question is what those teams decide to do with their talent on Saturday.
WATCH LIVE | ENTRIES | SCHEDULE | RESULTS
​Cornell, Bucknell, Penn State, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Maryland, and Villanova are the competing teams.​ All races are Saturday, January 14 in Eastern time.
WATCH LIVE | ENTRIES | SCHEDULE | RESULTS
Men's Mile
When: 12:00 PM ET
Who: Robby Creese (unattached), Michael Clevenger (Georgetown)
Why: Clevenger, a Notre Dame transfer, was a 3:43 man for the Irish in 2015. He was 60th at NCAA XC, so he's clearly fit. He just hasn't raced anything shorter than 3K since 2015, so we'll see what he can do. Creese, a Penn State alum and first-year professional, is a 3:39/3:57 guy who had a tough end to 2016 when he was unexpectedly eliminated in the NCAA East Prelims. This is his first race of 2017 and a chance to bounce back.
Among collegians, only Houston's Brian Barraza has broken 4:00 this season. If the pace is hot enough, Clevenger could join him.
Women's Mile
When: 12:20 PM ET
Who: Tessa Barrett (Penn State), Audrey Belf (Georgetown), Tori Gerlach (Penn State), Paige Hofstad (Georgetown)
Why: Belf and Hofstad's teammates Kennedy Weisner and Piper Donaghu are Nos. 3 and 4 in the NCAA in the mile right now, and all four training partners have similar mile PRs. It's easy to see Belf and Hofstad going in the mid-4:40s here.
From Penn State, Gerlach (who is listed as PSU/unattached in the entries) has the fastest mile PR in the field at 4:37. But she could get a challenge from her teammate Tessa Barrett. Barrett is one of the most talented runners in the NCAA--we had her ranked No. 9 headed into XC nationals--but she struggled a little bit in big races in 2016. She dropped out of the 5K at outdoor nationals and dropped out at cross country nationals. If she can run the way at nationals that she does all season, 2017 could be a big year for Barrett.
Men's 1000m
When: ​2:50 PM ET
Who: Isaiah Harris (Penn State), Joe White (Georgetown), Robby Creese (unattached)
Why: This is the race of the meet. According to ​Track & Field News​, three of the top five collegians ever in the 1000m are Penn State men--Kidder, Creese, and Ryan Foster​. Harris's 1:45.76 800m PR is faster than Creese or Foster ever ran outdoors, and right there with Kidder's 1:45.58. White has run 1:46 for the 800m and 2:23 in the 1000m, so he's a contender, though maybe not for the collegiate record.
Harris finishing fourth in the NCAA and sixth at the Olympic Trials in the 800m was one of the most underrated stories of 2016. In 2017, with Clayton Murphy, Donavan Brazier, Brandon McBride, and Shaq Walker all having turned pro, Harris can be one of the biggest mid-d stars in the collegiate system. A collegiate record would be a great way to remind everyone. Kidder's 2:18.26 is the standard to beat.
Men's and Women's Distance Medley Relays
When: 4:55 PM ET and 5:10 PM ET
Who: Penn State, Georgetown, Villanova
Why: These are three of the very best mid-distance programs in the country, and perennial contenders in the DMR. PSU, Georgetown, and Villanova were a quarter of the men's NCAA championship field in the event last year, while Georgetown's women won a DMR national title last March. In fact, the PSU/Georgetown/Nova trio have made the last three NCAA DMRs on the men's side.
Villanova's women won the Penn Relays 4x1500m last year and has those four women back, but Georgetown might be favored with any three of Belf, Hofstad, Weisner, Donaghu, Sabrina Southerland, or Autumn Eastman plus a 400m runner.
On the men's side, the Penn State-Georgetown battle could be excellent. Michael Slagowski isn't racing Saturday, so a potential DMR for PSU would be Harris plus Penn State's young milers. And Georgetown's stable of White, Clevenger, and freshman stud Jack Salisbury gives them the potential to run a very strong squad. The only question is what those teams decide to do with their talent on Saturday.
WATCH LIVE | ENTRIES | SCHEDULE | RESULTS