PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's and women's track & field programs experienced one of the brightest two days in their history, combining for 23 top-10 records, including 12 inside the top three and an astounding FIVE program records at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational and the BU Valentines Invitational.
FULL RESULTS:
Clemson | BU
The highlight of the weekend came on Friday when senior Nia Akins, already a two-time NCAA national runner-up in the 800m, blew away the rest of the competition with a time of 2:00.71, the second-best indoor time in collegiate history while destroying the Ivy League record and easily setting the best time in the country this year.
Melissa Tanaka finished just over five seconds behind Akins, crossing the line in 2:05.91, now the second-best time in program history and 10th-best in Ivy League history.
The program records came in a variety of disciplines this weekend as Uchechi Nwogwugwu shattered the record she already held by more than a second when she ran a 53.21 in the 400m, now the fourth-best time in Ivy history. Skyla Wilson crossed the line in 54.38, moving into second all-time. The 4x400m relay team of Wilson, Cecil Ene, Elena Brown-Soler and Nwogwugwu set a record with their time of 3:35.19, the second-best time in Ivy League history, finishing fifth in an unbelievably stacked field. The top 10 read like this: Kentucky, USC, Texas A&M, Florida, Penn, Houston, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Clemson.
Rounding out the women's program records is Victoria Agyin, who just moved into second last week in the triple jump before leaping to first with a mark of 12.67m (41.7) at Clemson on Saturday.
Ryan Renken joined in the party in Boston with a 14:09.30 in the 5,000m run, finishing 12th overall and setting the new best mark in program history in the process. The distance races turned into quite a successful bunch for the men's team as Colin Daly became just the third Quaker to ever run a sub four-minute mile, finishing in 3:59.74 and Ray Sellaro wasn't far behind in 4:01.40, the fourth-best time in program history. Meanwhile, in the 3,000m, William Hare turned up the wick once again with a time of 8:03.56, moving into third all-time.
Complete List of Top-10 All-Time Marks and Times:
Men:
1. Ryan Renken, 5,000m – 14:09.30
3. Colin Daly, Mile – 3:59.74
3. William Hare, 3,000m – 8:03.56
4. Ray Sellaro, Mile – 4:01.40
4. Emerson Douds, 200m – 21.67
6. Alex Ruhl, 200m – 21.86
7. Anthony Russo, 5,000m – 14:21.87
7. Jared Elters, 60m Hurdles – 8.18
8. Alex Roth, 5,000m – 14:22.79
Women:
1. Nia Akins, 800m – 2:00.71
1. Uchechi Nwogwugwu, 400m – 53.21
1. Victoria Agyin, Triple Jump – 12.67m (41-7)
1. Skyla Wilson, Cecil Ene, Elena Brown-Soler, Uchechi Nwogwugwu, 4x400m relay – 3:35.19
2. Melissa Tanaka, 800m – 2:05.91
2. Skyla Wilson, 400m – 54.38
2. Elena Brown-Soler, Long Jump – 5.93m/19-5.5
3. Katie DeVore, 1,000m – 2:48.50
3. Ariana Gardizy, 5,000m – 16:29.53
4. Elena Brown-Soler, 400m – 24.21
6. Camille Dickson, Long Jump – 5.81m/19-0.75
9. Lizzy Bader, 3,000m – 9:40.52
9. Elena Brown-Soler, 60m – 7.63
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