BOSTON – Penn State Harrisburg's Rae Rae Taylor and Jalil Clayton capped off their incredible 2018-19 indoor track & field campaigns at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston on Friday afternoon, March 8.
As she has all season long, Taylor displayed her versatility alongside the top student-athletes in the nation, finishing one spot shy of all-America recognition with a ninth-place effort in the women's pentathlon. The sophomore broke her own program record in the 800m portion of the event, crossing the line in 2:30.82, after winning the long jump portion with a top leap of 5.42 meters; a mark good enough to match the school record set by teammate Sarah Lehman earlier this month.
Clayton was in action in the preliminary race of the men's 60m hurdles. The senior competed in the opening heat of the event and crossed the line in 8.33 seconds; a time good enough to earn him a 13th-place finish.
The NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship appearances were fitting conclusions for Taylor and Clayton after the pair turned in two of the strongest indoor seasons in the track & field program's young history. The duo earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors earlier this week after securing their respective Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Athlete of the Year Awards last month.
Taylor, Clayton and their Penn State Harrisburg teammates will now have three weeks to prepare for the 2019 outdoor season. The Lions open their outdoor campaign at Susquehanna's Jim Taylor Invitational on Saturday morning, March 30.
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