UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Select Penn State track & field athletes will compete over the next three days in the United States Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Six members of the Nittany Lions' 22-23 roster, along with several prominent Penn State track & field alumni will be competing amongst the nation's best track & field athletes in Oregon.
From the 2022-23 roster, Tyler Merkley, Rachel Gearing, Evan Dorenkamp and Mallory Kauffman will don the Blue & White in competition against the best in the nation in the senior division, while Austin Gallant and Audrey Friedman will compete in the U20 group.
Penn State alumni in competition at the championships include Olympians Joe Kovacs, Darrell Hill, and Michael Shuey, along with former Nittany Lion All-Americans Isaiah Harris, Danae Rivers, Morgan Shigo, and Rachel Fatherly.
TUNE IN LIVE
Viewers will be able to stream the event on USATV.TV via a RunnerSpace +PLUS subscription with select events being broadcast on CNBC. Live results can be viewed HERE.
2022-23 NITTANY LIONS
Six athletes from Penn State's 2022-23 roster will be competing in Eugene at the USATF Championships this week.
- Rachel Gearing – Women's 800 meters
- Tyler Merkley – Men's Hammer Throw
- Evan Dorenkamp – Men's 1500 meters
- Mallory Kauffman – Women's Shot Put
- Austin Gallant – U20 Men's 400
- Audrey Friedman – U20 Women's Javelin Throw
Gearing and Merkley each graduated from Penn State this past June, capping off the final year of their Penn State careers with All-America finishes at the NCAA Championships. Kauffman and Dorenkamp are set to return to Penn State next season looking to build on First Team All-American finishes in their respective events at the National Championships.
Merkley, Kauffman, and Gearing all set Penn State school records in their respective events during their 2023 outdoor seasons. Each member of the trio will be competing against the No. 2 athlete on their respective Penn State all-time lists this week in Eugene.
In the U20 Championships, Gallant will run the 400-meters, looking to capitalize on his success during his freshman campaign in the Blue & White where he and his teammates qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 4x400-meter relay. Additionally, Friedman will compete in the javelin throw after a year that saw her qualify for the NCAA East Regional Preliminaries in the event during her first collegiate season.
ALUMNI CONTENDERS
- Joe Kovacs, Men's Shot Put
- Current No. 2 World Athletics ranking
- 2x Olympic Silver Medalist (2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo)
- 2x World Champion (2015, 2019)
- 2x World Championships Silver Medalist (2017, 2022)
- 2x U.S. Champion (2014-15)
- Penn State shot put record holder (21.08 meters)
- Darrell Hill, Men's Shot Put
- Current No. 17 World Athletics ranking
- 1x Olympian (2016 Rio)
- 1x U.S. Champion (2018)
- No. 2 on Penn State outdoor shot put list (20.86 meters)
- Isaiah Harris, Men's 800 meters
- Current No. 17 World Athletics ranking
- 1x Top-Eight finish at World Indoor Championships
- 1x NCAA Champion (2018)
- Penn State 800 meter record holder (1:44.42)
- Rachel Fatherly, Women's Shot Put
- Current No. 51 World Athletics ranking
- No. 2 on Penn State outdoor shot put list (17.15 meters)
- Morgan Shigo, Men's Hammer Throw
- Current No. 53 World Athletics ranking
- No. 2 on Penn State hammer throw list (72.47m)
- Michael Shuey, Men's Javelin
- Current No. 106 World Athletics ranking
- 1x Olympian (2020 Tokyo)
- 1x U.S. Champion (2019)
- Penn State javelin throw record holder (79.91 meters)
- Danae Rivers, Women's 800 meters
- Current No. 160 World Athletics ranking
- 1x NCAA Indoor Champion
- No. 2 on Penn State 800-meter run list (2:02.53)
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc).