Maryland at Penn State National Open
January 31-February 1, 2025
University Park, PA
11 AM (Friday) / 10 AM (Saturday)
COLLEGE PARK, MD -
Maryland Track & Field will travel to the Penn State National Open this Friday and Saturday, January 31-February 1. The meet will start at 11 AM on Friday and at 10 AM on Saturday at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track. Live results will be available on both days and the meet will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
A peek at the scheduLe
- This will be the fourth meet of a three-month Indoor season leading up to Big Ten Championships in Indianapolis, IN on February 28 and the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, VA on March 14-15.
- The Terps will compete in some of the toughest meets on the collegiate indoor track and field schedule, including the Penn State National Open, the Clemson Tiger Paw Invite, and the Valentine Invitational in Boston, MA.
The Terps are set to compete in eight meets this year to prep for the Big Ten and NCAA Championships.
Dr. Sander Scorcher Recap
- Rose Coats set a new school record in the 5,000 meters to highlight day two of the Dr. Sander Scorcher at The Armory.
- In the final event of the day, Coats crushed the previous school record in the 5,000 meters by over 38 seconds. She took first place in 15 minutes, 54.62 seconds which also stands as a new Dr. Sander Scorcher meet record. That time also stands as the 29th fastest mark nationally.
- In the Open Mile, Lucy Scothern picked up Maryland's other first place finish clocking a time of 4-minutes, 58.42 seconds.
- Tolu Akinduro took second in the Invitational Long Jump at 19-feet, 2.50 inches, while Ka'nai Bey won her heat and took second overall in the Seeded 200 meters (24.61 seconds).
- A trio of Terps climbed the top 10 records on Friday as the Maryland indoor track and field team closed out day one of the Dr. Sander Scorcher hosted by Columbia University at The Armory.
- In the 400 meters, Maya Valmon and Sam Payne each turned in all-time top 10 performances, while Katie Turk did so in the 3,000 meters.
- Turk moved up to fifth all-time in program history after clocking a time of 9:36.97 in the 3,000 meters to finish sixth overall.
- Valmon had the program's eighth fastest time ever in the 400 meters (55.13 seconds) followed by Payne who moved into 10th all-time (55.22 seconds). The duo finished fifth and sixth in the race on Friday.
- Chioma Njoku and Morgan Graham each competed at the Virginia Tech Hokie Invitational in the weight throw. Njoku took first in the event with a mark of 20.43 meters, while Graham placed 13th with a toss of 16.15 meters.
Last Time at the Penn State National Open
Current terps in the Indoor record books
- 17 Terps are among the program's all-time top 10 on the women's indoor team.
- Armani Coleman holds the program record for the 60-meter dash (7.43 seconds) and the 200 meters (23.69).
- Victoria Teasley ranks second in the 60 meters (7.45 seconds).
- Maya Valmon ranks fifth in the 300 meters (38.86) and eighth in the 400 meters (55.13).
- Sam Payne ranks sixth in the 300 meters (39.09), 10th in the 400 meters (55.22), and fourth in the 500 meters (1:13.57).
- Lydia Robling ranks eighth in the 300 meters (39.77).
- Madison Depry ranks 10th in the 300 meters (39.96).
- Emma Pegg ranks fourth in the 600 meters (1:32.54).
- Kami Joi Hickson ranks third in the 600 meters (1:32.27), fourth in the 800 meters (2:09.51), and eighth in the 1,000 meters (2:52.56).
- Katie Turk ranks ninth in the 1,000 meters (2:52.60) and fifth in the 3,000 meters (9:36.67).
- Katie Altieri ranks sixth in the 1,000 meters (2:52.60), fifth in the 3,000 meters (9:38.42), and fourth in the 5,000 meters (16:45.03)
- The quartet of Turk, Maya Mosley, Emma Pegg, and Emmi Simon are tied for 10th all-time in the distance medley relay (11:45.76).
- The foursome of Ka'nai Bey, Valmon, Hickson, and Payne hold the seventh fastest time in the 4x400 relay (3:40.05).
- Jennessa Wolfe ranks 10th in the high jump (5' 8.75").
- Tolu Akinduro ranks fourth in the triple jump (41' 11.75").
- Chioma Njoku ranks second in the weight throw (69' 9.00").
Olympians In Paris
- A trio of Terps competed this past summer in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Maryland celebrated as Thea LaFond won Gold in the triple jump becoming the first Track Terp to medal in the Olympic games. LaFond posted a mark of 15.02 meters (49-feet, 3.5 inches) - a new Dominica national record in the event. She was the 10th Gold medalist in Maryland history and the first Terp student-athlete to win Gold since Vicky Bullett in 1988.
- With a throw of 77.92 meters, Maryland track and field assistant throws coach Rudy Winkler placed sixth in the hammer throw finals. The mark was his best effort at the Olympic games after he posted marks of 71.89 meters in 2016 (Rio) and 77.08 meters in 2021 (Tokyo). The sixth-place finish was also his best showing at the Olympics improving upon his previous high of seventh in Tokyo.
- Chioma Onyekwere represented Nigeria in the discus after making her second Olympic games.
- Additionally, assistant coach Danielle Siebert served as Women's Head Manager for Team USA – her second straight Olympic Games on the staff.
Maryland Track & Field was represted by four Terps at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
