UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State track and field senior Tyler Merkley has been named the Big Ten Men's Field Athlete of the Week after posting the second-farthest hammer throw in the NCAA this past weekend at the Hurricane Alumni Invite, as announced by the conference office Wednesday afternoon.
The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. threw a mark of 71.33m (234-0), which now ranks as the second-best throw in Nittany Lion history, placing him behind only Morgan Shigo's 72.47m (237-9) in 2018. Merkley's mark currently leads the Big Ten this outdoor season.
Merkley's weekly conference honor is the second in as many weeks for the Nittany Lions this outdoor season, following Victoria Tachinski's selection last weekend. The honor also marks the first in his Penn State career.
