Women's Track and Field Starts Strong at Ithaca

ITHACA, N.Y. - Paige Allen (Butler, PA/Butler) led the Penn State Behrend women's track and field team on Saturday notching victories in the 60 meter dash and the 200 meter dash.

Allen tied her own school record in the 60 meter dash posting a time of 7.94. She followed up the stellar performance with a victory in the 200 meter dash posting a time of 26.40. Both times were ECAC qualifiers.

Katie Manno (Erie, PA/McDowell) got the Lions off to a good start on the day taking seventh place in the 5,000 meter run. Manno tallied a time of 19:42.32.

The 4x200 meter relay team of Allen, Rachel Pell, (Elizabeth, PA/Elizabeth Forward) Maura Costa (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) and Kati Piger (Williamsport, PA/Loyalsock) won their section by over six seconds finishing with a time of 1:56.00. In the overall standing the team placed 11th.

Later in the meet, Pell went on to take 10th place in the 500 meter dash clocking in at 1:26.85. Costa placed 17th in the pole vault competition posting 2.75m.

Piger and Abbi Papale (

Erie, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) finished 25th and 38th respectively in the long jump. Piger propelled for 4.64m while Paple hopped to 4.38m.

Sunday will feature the pentathlon competion. The five events include the 60 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and the 800 meter run.

Following the conlcusion of the Ithaca Invitational tomorrow, the Lions will travel to Ohio next Saturday for the Mount Union Invitational. The start time is TBA.