July 21, 2016
Penn State Olympics Release
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Track & Field Associate Head Coach Erin Tucker has been added to the list of Nittany Lions that will represent Penn State in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The U.S. Virgin Islands have added Tucker to the roster as an assistant coach tasked with the duty of coaching current Penn State Volunteer Assistant Coach Eddie Lovett who will represent the U.S. Virgin Islands in the 110-meter hurdles.
"I am honored to have been given another opportunity to coach in the Olympics," said Tucker.
"I had my first Olympian in 2004 run the 400-meters for Venezuela. I was not his coach at the time, but he was an incoming athlete for me while I was at the University of Kentucky and went on to help establish the men's program to a very high level. In 2008 I was privileged to go to Beijing as a Venezuelan Coach with two of my then-Kentucky athletes, a 200-meter runner from Venezuela and a 110-meter high hurdler from Trinidad and Tobago. In 2012 I was unable to make the trip to London, but I sent the Venezuelan 4x400-meter relay and had a 200-meter athlete and a 110-meter high hurdler in the field from Trinidad and Tobago. Now in 2016 the U.S. Virgin Islands has bestowed upon me the task of coaching current Penn State volunteer assistant coach Eddie Lovett in the 110-meter high hurdles in Rio. We could not be more excited and WE ARE looking to accomplish big things!"
With the addition of Tucker, the Penn State presence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has increased to 18 competitors and three coaches for a total of 21 representatives from the Blue & White.
Penn State track & field specifically will be represented by Tucker, Lovett, Joe Kovacs and Darrell Hill in the Games of the XXXI Olympiad that are set to be held Aug. 5-21.
Kovacs and Hill punched their tickets to the Olympics with a 2-3 finish at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. back on July 1 and will compete side by side in the shot put for Team USA.
For more on Nittany Lion track & field, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter @PennStateTFXC.