DES MOINES, Iowa - Nine Nittany Lion track and field alums competed this past weekend (July 25-28) at the USATF Outdoor Championships held at Drake University. The nine Nittany Lions included: Isaiah Harris, Brannon Kidder, Morgan Shigo, Malik Moffett, Michael Shuey, Joe Kovacs, Darrell Hill, Tori Gerlach and Rachel Fatherly.
Michael Shuey brought home his first USATF championship with a personal-best performance of 82.85m (271-10). Shuey won the event in dramatic fashion, winning the javelin by one centimeter over the second-place finisher on his final throw of the competition.
The success in the field events continued as alums Joe Kovacs and Darrell Hill finished second and third respectively in the men's shot put. Kovacs, the silver medalist at the Rio Olympics, finished second with a season best throw of 22.31m (73-2.5) to finish second. Darrell Hill's season best throw of 22.11m (72-6.5) gave him a third-place finish.
The Nittany Lions also had two representatives in the 800m final. Isaiah Harris, the 2018 800m national champion, placed fourth in the 800m final. Harris ran the fastest qualifying time in the opening round of the 800m and ran 1:46.45 in the finals. Brannon Kidder placed sixth in the 800m final, running 1:46.98 in the finals. Kidder was the outdoor 800m national runner-up in 2016 for the Nittany Lions.
Morgan Shigo delivered another personal-best performance from the Nittany Lion alums in the men's hammer throw. Twice earning first team All-American distinction in the hammer throw, Shigo launched a throw of 72.64m (238-4) to finish seventh in the event on his final throw.
Rachel Fatherly (shot put) Malik Moffett (long jump) and Tori Gerlach (3000m steeplechase) also represented the Nittany Lions. Fatherly finished ninth in the shot put, Moffet placed 14th in the long jump and Gerlach finished 18th in the steeplechase.
For full USATF Outdoor Championship results, click here.
