UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Big Ten Conference has announced that Evan Dorenkamp has been named the Big Ten Men's Track Athlete of the Week following his performance at the Nittany Lion Opener last Saturday.
Dorenkamp hit the ground running for his 2021 season, running a blazing 4:01.91 mile in his first race of year.
Dorenkamp's mile time ranks No. 1 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the Big Ten and is nearly two seconds faster than the No. 2 time in the country. His performance ranks fifth all-time in the indoor mile event in Penn State history.
Dorenkamp becomes the latest Nittany Lion since David Lucas to earn an Athlete of the Week honor from the Big Ten Conference. Lucas was named the Field Athlete of the Week on February 5, 2020 last season for his performance in the weight throw.
Former Nittany Lion and national champion Isaiah Harris was the last Penn Stater to earn Track Athlete of the Week honors on February 14, 2018.
Dorenkamp's run at the Nittany Lion Opener was his personal best in the event and was over seven seconds faster than his top time he recorded in the mile as a freshman last season.
Dorenkamp and the Nittany Lions are back in action at the Horace Ashenfelter Indoor Track facility on Saturday, January 23 with the Penn State Invite.
Follow all the action with Penn State Track & Field on social media, @PennStateTFXC.
-Nittany Lions-