Ishii Brings Home Big Ten Men’s Track Athlete of the Week HonorsIshii Brings Home Big Ten Men’s Track Athlete of the Week Honors
Penn State Athletics | Matt Rudisill

Ishii Brings Home Big Ten Men’s Track Athlete of the Week Honors

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State track & field's Yukichi Ishii earned Big Ten Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week honors following his 800-meter win at the UCF Knights Invite on Saturday afternoon. Ishii ran a 1:47.57 PR, setting the No. 2 800-meter mark in Division I this season in the second week of outdoor competition.

Ishii, a native of Yachiyo, Chiba, Japan, flew past the competition on Saturday at the UCF Knights Invite, taking first overall in the men's 800-meter competition with a personal-best 1:47.57. Ishii's strong start to the outdoor season puts him firmly in the mix for his second-straight NCAA East Preliminaries berth in the 800.

The Penn State middle-distance runner earns his first career Big Ten weekly accolade, bringing in the Nittany Lions' first Big Ten weekly award of the outdoor season, and eighth overall in 2024.

PENN STATE'S 2023-24 BIG TEN TRACK & FIELD WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS 

March 28 – Yukichi Ishii – Mid-Distance – Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week

Feb. 21 – Kileigh Kane – Mid-Distance – Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Feb. 14 – Kileigh Kane – Mid-Distance – Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Feb. 7 – Cheickna Traore – Sprints – Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Jan. 31 – Olivier Desmeules – Mid-Distance – Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Jan. 31 – Hayley Kitching – Mid-Distance – Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

Jan. 24 – Hayley Kitching – Mid-Distance – Women's Indoor Co-Track Athlete of the Week

Jan. 17 – Cheickna Traore – Sprints – Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week

LOOKING AHEAD 

Part of Penn State's squad is currently competing at the Raleigh Relays, hosted by NC State, while additional Nittany Lion athletes are scheduled to begin competition in Gainesville, Fla. at the Florida Relays on Friday.