UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Track & Field's Cheickna Traore was recognized as the men's recipient of the Big Ten's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honor, as announced by the conference on Jan. 17.
Traore, a grad student pursuing a certificate in Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Penn State, clocked a 46.50 in the 400m on Saturday at the Nittany Lion Challenge, setting a personal-best mark with the No. 1 time in the event in all of Division I track & field this season.
The Linden, N.J. native got off to a hot start in his first competition as a Nittany Lion. His time slots in as the third-fastest 400-meter dash in school history, and with just one competition under his belt this year, the strong start suggests there's more to come from the star sprinter.
Traore came to Penn State following one of the greatest sprinting careers in NCAA Division III history. Traore holds the all-time NCAA Division III record in the indoor 200m and was a three-time Division III national champion at Ramapo across indoor and outdoor track.
This marks the first Big Ten Athlete of the Week honor for Traore and is the first conference award for the Nittany Lions in the 2023-24 track & field campaign. Traore's honor is the first Big Ten Men's Track Athlete of the Week award given to a Penn State sprinter since Sancho Barrett collected the recognition in May of 2015 and the first during indoor season since Barrett in January of 2013.
PENN STATE'S 2023-24 BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Jan. 17 – Cheickna Traore – Sprints – Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
LOOKING AHEAD
Traore and the Nittany Lions are set for a trip to Ann Arbor this weekend where they will compete in the Simmons-Harvey Invitational, hosted by Michigan, on Saturday, Jan. 20.
