UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Head coach John Gondak and the Penn State track & field/cross country coaching staff announced their team awards for the 2023 calendar year on Dec. 7 at the team's annual banquet.
The 2023 Nittany Lions celebrated many achievements on Thursday night, beginning with All-America recognition. Handal Roban was honored for the pair of NCAA bronze medal finishes he recorded in the indoor and outdoor 800-meter run. Mallory Kauffman was recognized for her sixth-place finish in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Tyler Merkley collected his second-straight First Team honor in the hammer throw, and Evan Dorenkamp earned laurels for his eighth-place finish in the 1500-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
All-Big Ten First Team award winners included Faith DeMars (i/o 5K), Olivier Desmeules (indoor 800), Rachel Gearing (indoor 800), and Maddie Ullom (XC). Second Team All-Big Ten honorees included Handal Roban (indoor 800), Hayley Kitching (indoor 800), DeMars (3K), Tyler Merkley (hammer throw), Gearing (outdoor 800), Dorenkamp (1500), Florence Caron (XC), and Kileigh Kane (XC).
Roban and Kitching will also be recognized for their Big Ten Freshman of the Year sweep. The newcomers became the first pair of freshmen on the same team to sweep the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year honors after both indoor and outdoor seasons in the same year.
Mid-Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year winners Roban (Indoor/Outdoor Men's Track), DeMars (Outdoor Women's Track), and Kauffman (Outdoor Women's Field) also received plaudits.
The coaching staff also handed out the program's 2023 team awards on Thursday night. Each honoree and their accomplishments are listed below:
MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE:
Maddie Ullom – Women's Cross Country
Evan Dorenkamp – Men's Cross Country
Faith DeMars – Women's Track
Handal Roban – Men's Track
Tyler Merkley – Men's Field
Mallory Kauffman – Women's Field
KEVIN DARE MOST INSPIRATIONAL:
Rachel Gearing – Women's Track & Field Honoree
Luke Knipe – Men's Track & Field Honoree
Claire Zubey – Women's Cross Country Honoree
Ryan Watson – Men's Cross Country Honoree
HEART OF A LION:
Maddie Pitts – Women's Honoree
Darius Smallwood – Men's Honoree
MOST IMPROVED:
Kileigh Kane – Women's Cross Country
Hayden Healey – Men's Cross Country
Jean Starr – Women's Track & Field
Lucciano Pizarro – Men's Track & Field
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:
Florence Caron – Women's Cross Country
Brian DiCola – Men's Cross Country
Callum Dodds – Ed Moran Memorial Men's Track & Field
Hayley Kitching – Women's Track & Field
TEAMMATE OF THE YEAR:
Lauren Shedleski – Track & Field
PROGRAM RECORDS BROKEN:
Cecelia Bacon – Indoor High Jump (6-0, 1.83m)
Faith DeMars – Indoor 3K (9:00.94)
Rachel Gearing – Outdoor 800 (2:01.24)
Mallory Kauffman – Outdoor Shot Put – (59-0.75, 18.00m)
Maddie Ullom, Allison Johnson, Hayley Kitching, Rachel Gearing – 4x800 Relay (8:23.81)
Tyler Merkley – Hammer Throw (241-8, 73.67m)
