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.