Nittany Lions host final indoor meet of the season
On the National Scene...|| 2012 Outdoor || Finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships ... Also competed in the 3,000 meters. || 2011 Cross Country || Was the lone Penn State freshman to compete on the Nittany Lions' 13th-place squad at the NCAA Cross Country Championships ... Placed 203rd overall at NCAAs, finishing at Penn State's sixth runner ... Finished 45th at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships.
At the Big Ten Championships...|| 2012 Cross Country || Finished 55th overall in 21:02 for 6,000-meters. || 2012 Outdoor|| Competed in the steeplechase, placing 25th overall. || 2012 Indoor || Finished 12th in her preliminary heat of the mile, running a PR 4:54.41. || 2011 Cross Country || Placed 50th overall in her first-career appearance at the Big Ten Championships.
On the Course...|| 2012 Cross Country || Turned in a solid sophomore season, with her highest individual finish coming with a fourth-place effort at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals ... Also finished in the Nittany Lion top seven at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, placing 16th overall ... Finished 11th in the "B" race at the Adidas Wisconsin Invitational. || 2011 Cross Country || Highest individual finish was fifth at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals ... Also recorded appearances at the Roy Griak and Notre Dame Invitationals, as well as the Penn State National.
Around the Track...|| 2012 Outdoor || Clocked a PR 10:35.53 in the steeplechase at Penn Relays ... Finished third in the 1500 at the Jim Click Shootout, running 4:30.94 ... Took second overall in the 1500 at the Bucknell Team Challenge ... Placed fourth in the steeplechase at the Bison Outdoor Classic. || 2012 Indoor || Was a member of the second-place DMR at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup ... Took fifth in the mile at the Nittany Lion Challenge ... Ran a 3K PR of 9:46.63 at the Flotrack Husky Classic at Washington.
Before Penn State...|| High School || Benson took top honors in the 1500-meters at the N.Y. Section 6 State Qualifier as a senior, and would run a PR 4:34.44 at the N.Y. State Championships in the event. The Iroquis High School product was a two-time Section 6 Champion during her senior indoor season, winning both the 1000-meters and 1500. An athlete with an impressive range, Benson owns PRs of 2:15.69 for the 800-meters, 2:54.10 in the 1000, and 10:29.60 in the 3,000-meters. She is also a N.Y. state qualifier in cross country.
