JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Penn State track & field team punched two more tickets to the NCAA Championships on Friday as David Lucas and Evan Dorenkamp qualified to compete at the national event in Oregon.
Former indoor weight throw national champion David Lucas recorded his best discus throw of the season, placing third in the event with a mark of 60.77m (199-4). It will mark Lucas' fourth outdoor national championship appearance, as he qualified in the discus throw in 2016-18.
Competing at his first NCAA Outdoor Regional competition, Evan Doremkamp qualified for the NCAA Championships in the men's 800-meter run after recording a personal best 1:49.11. The Nittany Lions continue a long run of national success in the event, as Dorenkamp will look to become Penn State's ninth men's 800m All-American since 2009.
The pair joins throwers Mark Porter (javelin) and Tyler Merkley (hammer), as well as decathlon participant Noah Swaby as Penn State's male qualifiers for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 9-12.
"Excited to advance two more athletes to Eugene on the Men's side today," Head Coach John Gondak said. "After a shaky first throw, David showed calm and poise on his second one to get his mark in and then unleashed his seasonal best on the last one. Evan ran a personal best in the 800 to advance – anytime you can come to this meet and perform at personal best level you are going to give yourself a chance to advance."
The Nittany Lions are scheduled to compete in seven events on Saturday in the final day of the NCAA East Preliminaries. Carlie Wilson will be the first athlete in action when she competes in the women's' high jump at 1 p.m. Following their performances in first round competition on Thursday, Yasmin Brooks and Danae Rivers will return to the track for quarterfinals action on Saturday with the chance to advance to Eugene. Brooks is slated to compete in both the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles. Penn State will close out regional competition with the women's 4x400-meter hurdles tomorrow at 9:15 p.m.