Princeton to Open Indoor Season with Rutgers Holiday Classic and Penn Opener

Friday, December 6

New York, N.Y.

10:00 AM

Princeton University

Rutgers Holiday Classic

Princeton to Open Indoor Season with Rutgers Holiday Classic and Penn Opener

December 05, 2024 | Men's Track and Field

Rutgers Holiday Classic
New York, N.Y. | 10:00 A.M. | Dec. 6
Live Results | Full Meet Schedule

Penn Opener
Philadelphia, P.A. | 4:00 P.M. | Dec. 6-7
Live Results | Full Meet Schedule | ESPN+

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Princeton men's track and field program will begin the indoor season with the Rutgers Holiday Classic on Friday, December 6 at The Armory in New York City. The Tigers will also compete in select events at the Penn Opener on Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia, Pa. After capturing the Triple Crown last year and picking up their fourth consecutive cross country Ivy Championship this fall, the Tigers will look to build on past momentum heading into the winter season.

Last season, Princeton captured its ninth-consecutive and 25th all-time indoor Ivy Heps title with a score of 168, 53 points ahead of second-place Cornell.

Nicholas Bendtsen set an Ivy League Record in the 3000m with a time of 7:54.81, also taking first in the 5000m. Sam Rodman won the 800m, while Collin Boler claimed the title in the 1000m.

In the field events, Greg Foster seized first place in the long jump. Philip Kastner earned the championship title in the Heptathlon with an impressive total of 5591 points, achieving first place in both the long jump and shot put events.

Princeton won both the 4x400, with a squad of Kavon Miller, Jackson Clarke, Joey Gant, and Anderson Dimon, and the 4x800 with a group composed of Jordan Kaplan, Connor McCormick, Collin Boler, and Sam Rodman.

The Tigers also achieved a remarkable 1-2-3 sweep in the men's 200m finals, with Jackson Clarke leading the pack with a time of 21.15, a new meet record, followed by Zach Della Rocca in second with 21.21, and Joey Gant claiming third with a time of 21.36.

With all but one of these champion Tigers returning this season, the squad is full of experience heading into 2024.

Joining them will be 15 new Tigers in the Class of 2028, including Jadon Spain, Jacob Emerson, Jon York, Karl Dietz, Caden Simmons, Steven Hergenrother, Franco Parra, Marco Parra, Yuki Hojo, Avery Keith, Jacob Nenow, Charlie Sexton, Reed McFadden, Alex Niemiec and Paul Kuhner.

Head Coach Jason Vigilante is in his second season at the helm of the program and 13th season overall at Princeton. The 2023-24 Ivy Coach of the Year, who also picked up Coaching Staff of the Year honors during the cross country season this fall, will look to coach the Tigers to their sixth Triple Crown during his tenure.

Rutgers Holiday Classic
Track Events
10:30am - 5000m
10:50am - 3000m
11:35am - 60m Hurdles
11:55am - 60m Prelims
12:15am - 600m
12:35pm - Mile
12:55pm - 60m Finals
1:05pm - 400m
1:25pm - 1000m
1:35pm - 200m
1:55pm - 300m
2:20pm - 800m
2:40pm - DMR
3:10pm - 4x400m

Field Events
10:00am - Weight Throw & Shot Put
10:30am - Long Jump & Triple Jump
10:30am - Pole Vault
1:30pm - High Jump (M/W)

Penn Opener
Friday, Dec. 6:
Men's Heptathlon
5:00 PM 60m
5:30 PM Long Jump (inside pit)
6:30 PM Shot Put
7:30 PM High Jump

Saturday, Dec. 7:
Men's Heptathlon
2:15 PM 60m Hurdles
3:15 PM Pole Vault
5:05 PM 1000m (after the men's 3000m)

Field Events
11:30 AM High Jump
2:30 PM Pole Vault