UNIVERSITY PARK – Brandon Rizzo and Nathan Ott have been named assistant coaches for Penn State track and field, head coach John Gondak announced Monday. Rizzo is promoted after serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2022 season, and Ott comes from Grand Canyon after spending a year as a throws coach.
Gondak on Rizzo: "We are thrilled to have Brandon move over from a volunteer role to a full-time assistant coach. Brandon connects really well with the student-athletes and has an excellent knowledge of our sport. He has done an excellent job working with the group this fall and has earned this opportunity. I look forward to our sprint group accomplishing amazing results this year."
Rizzo on being promoted to assistant head coach: "I'm honored to join as the new sprints, hurdles, and relays coach. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to partner with Coach Gondak and the entire track and field staff. I would be remiss to not mention the many great people that have supported me along the way. Thank you to all, and here's to a great journey ahead."
Rizzo Bio: Rizzo previously served as the volunteer sprints, hurdles, and relays coach for the 2022 season where he aided one individual and one relay to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships, as well as assisted hurdler Yasmin Brooks to a Big Ten championship in the 60-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles.
During the summer of 2022, Rizzo mentored sprinter James Onwuka in representing Nigeria at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Columbia.
Prior to arriving to Happy Valley, Rizzo served as a volunteer track and field coach at Passaic Valley Regional High School from 2018 - 2021. Throughout his tenure with the Fighting Hornets, the team celebrated its first Outdoor Boys County Title Championship in school history. Rizzo also went on to guide a NJ Meet of Champions qualifier, five NJSIAA State qualifiers, and eight Big North League Champions.
Rizzo earned a master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Marist College and a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Montclair State University. A student athlete himself, he was an IC4A qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles and a four-time New Jersey Athletic Conference champion, holding the conference meet and school record in the 500-meters.
Gondak on Ott: "Penn State track and field is excited to have Nathan Ott take over as our throws coach. He has had amazing results at his previous universities as well as in the professional ranks in coaching a world champion this past summer. Our throws group has produced some of the best athletes in the world over the years, and we look forward to having Coach Ott continue that success here in Happy Valley."
Ott on joining Penn State track and field: "I am truly honored to be joining the Penn State staff. I am grateful to Coach Gondak for believing in my abilities to continue the legendary throws program at Penn State. The throws group has produced some of the best throwers in world and consistently been one of the strongest throws programs in the country. It is my desire to continue to add to the legacy of Nittany Lion Throwers."
Ott Bio: At Grand Canyon, Ott led Israel Oloyede to the best collegiate hammer throw of the year (sixth-best of all-time) to take fifth place at the USA Track and Field Championships. Ott also coached Oloyede to a second-team All-American selection and a 10th place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships during the indoor track season. He helped Marten Gasparini record the seventh-best javelin throw in the NCAA at 76.28 meters.
Along with college coaching, Ott has worked with multiple professionals. He helped Brooke Andersen capture the gold medal at both the World and USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in 2022 and fourth-best hammer throw of all-time at 79.05 meters. Andersen previously garnered a 10th place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in hammer throw with a score of 72.5 meters. Ott also assisted thrower Darian Brown to make the 2021 USA top-12 list in discus at 61.72 meters.
From 2018-21, Ott was at Kansas State as an assistant coach. He guided seven NCAA Division-I All-American athletes in women's hammer, men's hammer, women's weight and women's discus. Ott produced four Big 12 Champions and multiple runner-up finishers. In 2019, he was named Midwest Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
Prior to Ott's time at Kansas State, he spent 2014-18 at Northern Arizona as an assistant coach. He had another seven NCAA Division-I All-American athletes and a total of sixteen throwers qualify for National Preliminaries, including NCAA Championship runner-up Andersen and two-time Canadian National Champion Adam Keenan.
Ott graduated from Southern Utah in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a coaching emphasis.
Ott himself was an accomplished student-athlete. At Southern Utah, he held the school record in the hammer throw (now second overall) and is fifth overall in shot put. During the 2006 season, he qualified for regionals in hammer throw and was the leading scorer in the squad's victory at the Outdoor Summit League Championships. He followed up with a ninth-place finish at the 2007 Regional Championships in hammer throw.
