BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Junior Matt Fischer (Kennett Square, Pa.) qualified for the NCAA championships with a fourth-place finish, as both the Penn State men's and women's cross country teams posted top-five outings at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, hosted by Lehigh University, Friday afternoon. The women's squad finished third, while the men's team placed fifth.
Spearheading the Nittany Lion men, Fischer quailed for the NCAA championships as he placed fourth in the 10,000-meter race. The Kennett Square, Pa., native crossed the finish line in 29:46 to punch his ticket to next week's championships.
Freshman Connor Quinn (Horsham, Pa.) placed next for the Nittany Lions, securing a 31st-place finish with a time of 31:02. Senior Nick Scarpello (Jamison, Pa.) finished three seconds later in 35th place, while freshman Austin Pondel (Columbus, Pa.) placed 43rd with a time of 31:16. Classmate Brannon Kidder (Lancaster, Ohio) rounded out the scoring five with a time of 31:42 and a 62nd-place finish.
The Nittany Lions finished with 175 points, while Villanova (34) and Princeton (60) secured automatic championship berths.
On the women's side, junior Leigha Anderson (Carlisle, Pa./20:22) anchored the Nittany Lion women with a 12th-place outing. Senior Marta Klebe (Chesterbrook, Pa.) followed seven seconds later in 14th place, while classmate Emily Giannotti (Coudersport, Pa.) secured an 18th-place finish with a time of 20:41. Junior Katie Rodden (Ardmore, Pa./19th place) and sophomore Tori Gerlach (Perkasie, Pa./29th place) rounded out the Nittany Lions' top five.
Penn State accumulated 92 points in the 6,000-meter race, while Villanova (31) and Georgetown (35) finished first and second, respectively, advancing to the NCAA championships.
The 2013 NCAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship fields, including at-large selections, will be announced Saturday, Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. The championships will be held in Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 23.
Men's Results:4. Matt Fischer (29:46)31. Connor Quinn (31:02)35. Nick Scarpello (31:05)43. Austin Pondel (31:16)62. Brannon Kidder (31:42)77. Chris Campbell (32:04)80. Wade Endress (32:09)
Women's Results:12. Leigha Anderson (20:22)14. Marta Klebe (20:29)18. Emily Giannotti (20:41)19. Katie Rodden (20:43)29. Tori Gerlach (21:02)32. Sarah Jane Underwood (21:08)80. Stephanie Aldrich (21:54)