UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State cross country/track & field head coach John Gondak has announced the addition of 37 student-athletes to the program's cross country and track & field roster ahead of the 2022-23 season.
"The coaching staff is thrilled with the incoming freshman class and grad transfers that are joining us this fall," Gondak said. "Combined with the four athletes that joined us at mid-year last year, this is one of the most complete and talented classes we have had join us. It is going to be exciting to watch these athletes continue to grow and develop while wearing the Blue and White".
In addition to the 37 newcomers, the four athletes who joined mid-season in 2021-22, Olivier Desmeules, Yukichi Ishii, Khalid Mahamat and Jonah Powell now look forward to a full year of training and competition with the Nittany Lions.
Desmeules made a big splash with Penn State as he qualified for 2022 indoor and outdoor Big Ten Finals in the 800m. He also anchored Penn State's 4x400 relay that advanced to the NCAA Finals. The Quebec City native placed third at Canadian Outdoor Championships in late June with an 800m time of 1:47.11.
Ishii also raced at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the 800m and posted a season-best time of 1:49.48 at the Jim Thorpe Invitational. Mahamat raced in the 100m and 200m throughout his freshmen season and set season-best times in both events at the Virginia Challenge. Powell ran at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships at 1500m.
The full list of 37 newcomers is below:
2022-23 Penn State Cross Country/Track & Field Newcomers
Cole Adams
Distance
York, Pa.
Personal Bests: 3200m – 9:20.37| Pennsylvania State XC Championships 14th
Jake Adams
Jumps
Altoona, Pa.
Personal Bests: Long Jump – 23-9 | Pennsylvania State Long Jump Runner Up
Meredith Baham
Pole Vault
Glen Allen, Va.
Personal Bests: Pole Vault - 13-0 | Virginia State Champion Pole Vault
Libby Benzer
Distance
Orchard Park, N.Y.
Personal Bests: 3000m - 9:55.62 | 17:13.98
Andrew Beten
High Jump
Strongsville, Ohio
Personal Bests: High Jump – 6-8 | 3rd Nike Indoor Nationals
Gwendolyn Cudmore
High Jump
Port Calbourne, Ontario
Personal Bests: High Jump – 5-7
Katie Dallas
Middle Distance
Sinking Spring, Pa.
Personal Bests: 800m - 2:12.85 | 1600m - 5:05.50 | 3200m - 10:53.71 | 5K XC - 18:14 | 8th at the 2021 PIAA State XC Championships
Claire Daniels
Distance
New Milford, Conn.
Personal Bests: 1600m - 4:52.92 | 3200m - 10:36.18 | Connecticut State Runner Up 3200m
Allison Dougherty
Tomball, Texas
Distance
Annika Ermold
Throws
Reading, Pa.
Personal Bests: Shot Put – 43-6 | Discus – 137-4
Carter Fitzgerald
Middle Distance
Doylestown, Pa.
Personal Bests: 400m – 48.46 | 800m – 1:50.50 | Pennsylvania State Runner-Up 800m
Brendan Flynn
Distance
Downingtown, Pa.
Personal Bests: 3200m – 9:12.11
Audrey Friedman
Javelin
Union City, Pa.
Personal Bests: Javelin – 151-7| Pennsylvania State Champion Javelin
Austin Gallant
Long Sprints
Haymarket, Va.
Personal Bests: 400m – 47.05 | 500m – 1:02.64 | Virginia State Champion 400m, 500m, Discus
Lea Hatcher
Middle Distance
Morgantown, W.V.
Personal Bests: 800m - 2:08.45 | Mile - 4:50.40 | 3200m - 10:13.81 | West Virginia State XC Champion
Camden Kirker
Multi-Event
Glen Allen, Va.
Personal Bests: 100m – 11.51 | 400m – 51.81 | High Jump – 5-10 | Long Jump– 21-2 | Pole Vault – 14-1 | Virginia State Runner Up Pole Vault
James Kisker
Middle Distance
Basking Ridge, N.J.
Personal Bests: 800m – 1:51.51 | New Jersey State 800m Champion
Caiden Leen
Distance
Downingtown, Pa.
Personal Bests: Mile: 4:16.99 | Pennsylvania XC Championships 6th
Jack Martin
Middle Distance
Avon, Conn.
Personal Bests: 800m – 1:53.71 | Mile – 4:09.12 | Connecticut State Champion 800m, 1600m, 3200m
Kayla McCullough
High Jump
Suffield, Conn.
Personal Bests: High Jump – 5-5
Hope McKenney
Distance
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Personal Bests: 3200m – 10:52.85
Shannon Mullin
Jumps
State College, Pa.
Personal Bests: Long Jump – 19-0 | Triple Jump – 40-8 | Pennsylvania State Champion Triple Jump
Alex Pancoast
Throws
Kennett Square, Pa.
Personal Bests: Shot Put – 42-1.75 | Discus – 131-1
Kris Phennicie
Sprints
Dallastown, Pa.
Personal Bests: 100m – 10.47 | 200m – 21.45 | Pennsylvania State Champion 200m
Sage Phillips
Sprints
Upper Marlboro, Md.
Personal Bests: 300h – 37.81 | 400m – 48.20 | 400h – 53.86
Sarah Pickering
Middle Distance
Newcastle, Australia
Personal Bests: 800m - 2:08.10 | 1500m: 4:28.22 | Mile – 4:50.77 | 3000m – 9:50.02
Maddie Pitts
Multi-Event
Victor, N.Y.
Personal Bests: Hept – 4670 | New Balance Nationals Indoor Champion Pentathlon
Joey Raudabaugh
Distance
Howard, Md.
Personal Bests: 800m – 1:53.51 | Mile 4:15.41 | Maryland State XC Championships 4th
Anna Ridge
Distance
Clarence, N.Y.
Handal Roban
Middle Distance
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Personal Bests: 400m – 47.50 | 800m - 1:48.31 | St. Vincent and Grenadines National Record Holder | NACAC U20 Champion
Aitana Rodrigo
Sprints
Galdakao, Spain
Personal Bests: 60m – 7.34 | 100m – 11.49 | 200m – 23.62
Luke Seymour
Middle Distance
Mohrsville, Pa.
Personal Bests: 800m - 1:51.85 | 1600m - 4:14.81 | Pennsylvania State Runner-Up 800m, 1600m
Jacob Smith
Middle Distance
Lititz, Pa.
Personal Bests: 800m – 1:53.78 | 1600m – 4:14.51
Joey Walker
High Jump
Plain City, Ohio
Personal Bests: High Jump – 6-8 | Ohio State Champion High Jump
Ryan Watson
Distance
Falls Church, Va.
Personal Bests: 1600m: 4:16.95 | 3200m – 9:07.04 | Virginia XC State Championship 5th
Timothy Watson
High Jump
Simsbury, Conn.
Personal Bests: High Jump – 7-0.75 | Connecticut State Champion High Jump
Cyrus Ways
Sprints
Ponte Vedra, Fla.
Personal Bests: 110h - 13.53 | 400m - 48.18 | 300h – 36.26 | Florida State Champion 110h, 300h
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