The Weekend Recap: UTEP Wows; White Takes Down Harris; PA Alumni Debut

By: Garrett Zatlin

An asterisk (*) indicates that PA alumni ran in the respective meet. I made sure to put a small 'PA ALUMNI' section for each event that didn't already mention in the summaries.

For the alumni that I did not mention, I made a section for them at the bottom.

Nittany Lion Challenge*
800
Georgetown took the top three spots all with times of 1:52. Freshman Eion Nohilly led Charles Cooper and freshman Jack Salisbury for the win.

1000
It was an exciting race as Harris and White battled through 5 laps. White led for a good portion of the race while Harris flanked his right shoulder. In an exciting last 100m, White held off Harris to get the win and shushed the crowd in the process. White would earn a time of 2:21 high while Harris was 2:22 low.

Behind them, we saw a very nice battle for 3rd as PSU frosh Dominic Perreta gutted out a very nice performance to beat Georgetown's Spencer Brown. Both ran 2:23. A freshman running 2:23 in his first 1k ever is something else. Dom Perreta just put the entire NCAA on notice.

Robby Creese (unattached) was 5th while Joe Gioielli (Central Connecticut) placed 6th. Both ran 2:25.

PA ALUMNI
-Kyle Adams, Junior, Bucknell: 2:32.73 (10th)
-Brad Rivera, Senior, Penn State: DNF (rabbit)

Mile
Robby Creese (unattached) got a nice win with a time of 4:06. However, it was Penn State's Tim McGowan who was the top collegiate with a time of 4:10. Michael Clevenger (Georgetown) rounded out the top three with a time of 4:11.

PA ALUMNI
-Nate Sloan, Rs. Sophomore, Pittsburgh: 4:11.49 (4th)
-Billy McDevitt, Rs. Freshman, Penn State: 4:12.53 (6th)
-Dominic DeLuca, Junior, Cornell: 4:16.23 (13th)
-Matt McGoey, Sophomore, Pittsburgh: 4:17.11 (15th)
-Jacob Stupak, Freshman, Bucknell: 4:17.25 (16th)
-Will Loevener, Freshman, Penn State (unattached): 4:19.13 (19th)
-Kent Hall, Freshman, Georgetown: 4:20.13 (21st)
-James Hare, Junior, Pittsburgh: 4:22.93 (23rd)
-Billy Caldwell, Junior, Pittsburgh: 4:24.52 (25th)
-Jaxson Hoey, Freshman, Penn State: 4:25.32 (26th)


3000
We initially saw Georgetown's Kent Hall take out an aggressive pace to lead the field for the first few laps. Unfortunately, Hall would eventually be caught by the chase pack and would drop out a lap later. Hopefully he was just called off by his coach and not injured. It was his 2nd event of the day.

But when James Gowans took over the lead he was relentless. The Cornell senior took first with a time of 8:17. His teammate Mark Tedder was runner-up in a time of 8:26.

Indiana vs Purdue Duals
Mile
Kyle Mau (Indiana) continues to impress after winning this event with a time of 4:01. There are plenty of big things to come from this redshirt freshman.

The next three spots were taken by Indiana. Joseph Murphy (4:03), Matthew Schwartzer (4:05), and Mark Chandler (4:06) took spots 2, 3, 4.

Purdue freshman Jaret Carpenter was 5th in a time of 4:07.

3000
The Hoosiers took the top four spots and were led by redshirt freshman Bryce Millar who added an 8:07 3k to compliment his 13:59 5k from earlier in December.

Potts Invitational
Mile
It was an excellent run from Colorado State's Cole Rockhold who earned a winning time of 4:08. However, the altitude conversion was very generous he was able to get a converted time of 4:02! That's a PR for Rockhold and it currently puts him at number four in the nation for the mile.

But while one CSU Ram thrived, another struggled. After a sub-par cross country season, many were looking for Jefferson Abbey to bounce back this winter. Unfortunately, his start wasn't much better as he placed 25th overall in a time of 4:32.

Kentucky Invite
Mile
Kentucky made a statement in their own house as they put three men under 4:10. Jacob Thomson led the way and got the win with a time of 4:06. However, he was pushed by Ohio State's Luke Landis who settled for a close second in a time of 4:07. Kentucky's Kendall Muhammed (sophomore) and Benjamin Young (freshman) both ran times of 4:07 to place 3rd and 4th respectively.

Vanderbilt Commodore Invite*
800
Is UTEP now the new 800U? It sure seems that way after this past weekend after they earned the top two spots in this event with VERY fast season debuts. Emmanuel Korir and Michael Saruni took the top two spots with blistering times of 1:46.50 and 1:47.94. Oh and did I mention that they are both freshman?! Along with Jonah Koech, UTEP now has three guys capable of running under 1:48. That's a scary team with scary potential in the DMR.

Michigan's Brennan Munley took 3rd overall with a solid season opener of 1:49.53. He'll be a key piece for Michigan should they decide to pursue the DMR.

Mile
UTEP didn't just stop at winning the 800. They also took the win in mile thanks to Jonah Koech's time of 4:02. However, Koech had to earn that win as he was pushed hard by Florida freshman Jack Guyton who also ran 4:02. What is up with all of these freshmen running so fast so soon?

Michigan proceeded to take the next three spots with Will Sheeran, Connor Mora, and Aaron Baumgarten running 4:02, 4:02, and 4:03 respectively. PA alum Ned Willig finished a few spots back in 8th with a time of 4:05. It always helps to have depth when you are trying to put together an All-American DMR...

In total, 11 men went under 4:10 in this race with Florida's Andres Arroyo being the last to do so in a time of 4:07.

3000
In one of the fastest 3k's in the nation so far, Alabama's Robbie Farnham-Rose continued his momentum from cross country to lay down a strong PR of 8:03 to take down a very respectable field.

UTEP may not have won, but Antony Kosgei and Cosmas Boit did take 2nd and 3rd. Middle Tennessee State would go on to take the next three spots.

However, one of the most important results was Michigan's Ben Flanagan returning to competition and placing 7th in 8:12. It's nothing too exciting, but it's exciting to see someone as talented as him racing again after redshirting the past cross country season.

5000
The 3k was the only distant event UTEP did not win. Evans Kiprono grinded away at a steady pace to get a win with a solid time of 14:53. It will be interesting to see how low he can go against a tougher field.

DMR
Michigan barely edged LSU to get the win. Both teams ran times of 9:54. As expected, Michigan is experimenting with their order as both Willig and Munley were entered in the relay.

Hawkeye Invite
1000
It was an excellent display of depth for Iowa State in this event as they took the top three spots all with times of 2:26. Sophomore Dan Curts led the way while freshmen Roshon Roomes and Zach Black.

BYU Cougar Invitational
3000
BYU had a mission to load up this event and push for a fast time. They did just that with Clayton Young and Rory Linkletter leading the way with times of 8:07 and 8:11. However, those times would be given altitude conversions and would eventually end up as 7:56 and 8:00 respectively. Young's time now is now the fastest in the NCAA. He is the first to break 8 minutes this season.

Virginia Tech Invite
800
The Wake Forest guys had a very nice debut as Robert Heppenstall and Simon Holden went 1-2. They both finished with times of 1:50.

Mile
After a very slow opening pace, the Virginia Tech guys dropped a fast second half. The race was won by New Hampshire transfer Drew Piazza (now running for VT) in a time of 4:09. Piazza ran unattached, but a source close to the team says that he will most likely not be redshirting this season.

5000
The men from West Point had a very impressive performance in this race as three of them dipped under 15 minutes. Robert Santoyo won the race with a time of 14:45. He was followed by Jacob Fong (14:48) and William Bailey (14:56).

UW Indoor Preview
800
After redshirting his first year at Oregon, Mick Stanovsek made his collegiate debut for the Ducks and finished as the top student-athlete in the field with a time of 1:50.98 (Kemboi was 1:50.94). Despite Oregon's excellence in the distance events, they'll need to find a strong 800 runner if they want to be competitive in the DMR (but they have Cheserek so they'll be competitive regardless). Stanovsek might be a candidate for that leg.

1000
It was an exciting race which featured Eric Jenkins (NOP) getting the win in a time of 2:24. However, he was almost upset by Stanford freshman and high school star Isaac Cortes who just missed Jenkins at the line. Cortes also finished with a time of 2:24.

Behind them, we saw another freshman star hot on their heels. Oregon's Austin Tomagno was the next finisher to the cross the line. He was followed by Blake Nelson (Washington) and Tai Dinger (Stanford). All three ran 2:25.

In total, 15 individuals broke 2:30.

Mile
Very few collegiates ran in this race, but the one who did put on a show. Washington's Colby Gilbert went head to head with Eric Jenkins in another close race. The two pushed each other to the line with Jenkins just squeaking ahead of Gilbert. They both finished with a time of 3:58.

That 3:58 is a mile PR for Gilbert and it currently puts him at number two in the NCAA for the mile (.30 behind Houston's Brian Barraza). After a sub-par cross country season, this must have been a great confidence builder for him as he attempts to shift his focus to track.

3000
Matt Centrowitz stole the show as he cruised to an easy win in 7:49. However, it was Troy Fraley of Gonzaga who ran an excellent race of his own and finished runner-up in a time of 8 flat. I really like Fraley as a sleeper pick this year and I think he could push his talent all the way to the All-American level.

Craig Lutz and Dan Huling took the next two spots in the race. Lutz ran 8:01 while Huling was at 8:03.

Portland had a very solid showing by putting three guys at 8:13 (Jeff Thies, Noah Schutte, Brady Johnson).

NAU Friday Night Duals
Mile & 3000
Southern Utah's Kasey Knevelbaard and Josh Collins put together a very impressive double. Knevelbaard and Collins went 1-2 in the mile with times of 4:13 and 4:14. However, the altitude conversion gives them a very nice boost to times of 4:04.40 and 4:04.82 respectively.

Later, they switched their finishes in the 3k with Collins and Knevelbaard running 8:35 and 8:36 respectively. Those times also received altitude conversions of 8:14.44 and 8:14.92.


---PA ALUMNI NOT MENTIONED---
Be sure to let me know if missed anyone!

Dartmouth-Maine-Vermont-RPI
800
-Noah Falasco, Freshman, RPI: 2:00.22 (3rd)

3000
Ben Szuhaj, Sophomore, Dartmouth: 8:59.72 (6th)
Jack Carmody, Freshman, Vermont: 9:07.98 (9th)

Beantown Challenge
1000
Carrick (Rock) Fortna, Freshman, Rhode Island: 2:32.86 (9th)

Mile
Joseph Maguire, Freshman, Rhode Island: 4:32.28 (16th)

Coach I Open
800
Tom Fitzgeralid, Junior, Elizabethtown: 200.23 (1st)
Jeff Espinal, Freshman, Elizabethtown: 2:03.50 (5th)

Mile
Colin Wills, Freshman, George Washington: 4:22.96 (5th)
Andrew Lesko, Senior, Elizabethtown: 4:35.83 (12th)

3000
Seamus Roddy, Senior, George Washington: 9:11.12 (9th)

Lehigh Angry Birds Meet
800
Elias Graca, Sophomore, Penn: 1:56.62 (3rd)
Dylan Eddinger, Sophomore, St. Joseph's: 2:00.49 (7th)
James Chappell, Junior, Lehigh: 2:02.68 (13th)

Mile
Ryan Paradise, Freshman, Lehigh: 4:23.86 (9th)
Patrick Reilly, Junior, Lehigh: 4:24.10 (10th)
Henry Sappey, Freshman, Monmouth: 4:28.13 (17th)
Will Sponaugle, Sophomore, St. Joseph's: 4:28.93 (18th)
Ryan Grace, Junior, Lehigh: 4:29.75 (19th)
Ryan Rafferty, Freshman, Monmouth: 4:30.51 (20th)
Keelan O'Reilly, Sophomore, St. Joseph's: 4:33.34 (26th)
Sean Princivalle, Sophomore, St. Joseph's: 4:36.25 (29th)
James Chappell, Junior, Lehigh: 4:41.40 (34th)
Pat Quirk, Junior, St. Joseph's: 4:49.63 (37th)

3000
Ross Wilson, Junior, Penn: 8:29.18 (1st)
Brenden Shearn, Senior, Penn: 8:32.59 (5th)
Lyle Wistar, Senior, Penn: 8:38.12 (8th)
Matt Kravitz, Freshman, Lehigh: 8:40.81 (9th)
Brian Arita, Sophomore, Lehigh: 8:58.48 (14th)
Jeff Kirshenbaum, Freshman, Lehigh: 9:07.26 (19th)

5000
Sean Burke, Senior, Lehigh (unattached): 15:23.70 (1st)

Kutztown College Invitational*
*There's a good chance I missed a lot of guys here.
800
Jared Luckanitz, Sophomore, Kutztown: 2:02.11 (2nd)
Andrew Thompson, Senior, Kutztown: 2:06.83 (8th)

1000
Khai Samuels, Sophomore, East Stroudsburg: 2:34.65 (1st)

Mile
Zack Krieger, Senior, East Stroudsburg: 4:39.13 (1st)
Xavier Gutierrez, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg: 4:40.37 (2nd)

3000
Nick Angelina, Senior, West Chester: 9:53.89 (3rd)
Nate Burkhart, Freshman, Kutztown: 10:14.65 (4th)