UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State track & field returns to a familiar spot this week when it competes in the Virginia Challenge. The three-day meet, held at Lannigan Field in Charlottesville, Virginia, begins Thursday, April 16 with the men's and women's javelin and runs until Saturday, April 18.
The blue and white return several faces from its 2025 trip to the University of Virginia-hosted event. Ajani Dwyer recorded the fastest qualifying time in the men’s 100-meter dash but will be competing in the 200-meter dash in 2026.
On the women’s side, Allison Johnson returns to defend her title in the 800-meter run, Audrey Friedman looks to improve her fifth-place finish in the javelin and Addyson White returns to the field in the 400-meter hurdles.
In addition, several athletes will make their outdoor season debuts in Charlottesville, including Allon Clay, Hayley Kitching and Handal Roban.
NITTANY LIONS LAST WEEK
Penn State is coming off a busy weekend, one where four student-athletes revised the program record book and eight more claimed first in their events.
The biggest revisions came in the men’s 1500-meter run, where Nick Sloff and Ryan Watson claimed the fifth and eighth-fastest times in program history at the Bison Outdoor Classic. Sloff ran a 3:39.56 to edge Ryan Foster’s 2011 time by 0.01 seconds.
Hannah Riolo provided the third revision with her meet-winning 5-10.75 (1.80m) in the women’s high jump. The Ashburn, Virginia native returns to her home state this weekend after tying the seventh-best mark in program history, first set in 2013 by Erika Morgan.
Tristan McGarrah also revised the program record book with his 17-0.75 (5.20m) in the men’s pole vault, moving into fourth place in program history.
The eight Nittany Lions who won last week are (events in parentheses): Riolo (women’s high jump), Kyle Moore (men’s long jump), Sasha Garnett (women’s shot put), Katie Dallas (women’s 1500m), Eva Kynaston (women’s 5000m), Alex Pancoast (women’s hammer), Alexandria North (women’s 400m) and Peyton Sommers (men’s 200m).
WHICH EVENTS THIS WEEK FEATURE A NITTANY LION?
- Women’s 100m: Marie-Eloise LeClair, Addyson White
- Women’s 200m: Mimi Duffy, Ryleigh Hearn, Riolo
- Women’s 400m: Duffy, Hearn, North
- Women’s 800m: Tayissa Buchanan, Johnson, Kitching, Maddie Miller, Boh Ritchie
- Women’s 1500m: Claire Daniels, Lea Hatcher, Kitching, Sarah Pickering, Ada Rand, Ritchie, Caroline Tribett
- Women’s 100m hurdles: Addyson White
- Women’s 400m hurdles: Abasiono Akpan, Kylie Jacoutot, Addyson White
- Women’s 3000m steeplechase: Allison Dougherty
- Women’s 4x100m relay
- Women’s 4x400m relay
- Women’s High Jump: Katie Becker, Gwen Cudmore, Riolo, Jenna Young
- Women’s Pole Vault: Meredith Baham, Amelia McBain
- Women’s Shot Put: Garnett, Skye Petrie-Cameron
- Women’s Hammer: Gabby Cope, Gabi Deglau, Pancoast
- Women’s Javelin: Friedman
- Men’s 200m: Dwyer
- Men’s 400m: Sommers
- Men’s 800m: Clay, Carter Fitzgerald, Yukichi Ishii, Kaleb Nastari, Andrew Regnier, Roban, Niko Schultz
- Men’s 1500m: Jake Borgesi, Brian DiCola, Caiden Leen, Nick Sloff, Jacob Smith
- Men’s 5000m: Sloff
- Men’s 400m hurdles: Matt DeMatteo
- Men’s 3000m steeplechase: Justin Healey, Ryan Watson
- Men’s 4x400m relay
- Men’s High Jump: Robert Allen, Trip Campbell
- Men’s Pole Vault: Mason Bucks, Tristan McGarrah, Breckin Swope
- Men’s Long Jump: Moore, Joe White
- Men’s Shot Put: Sam Engebretson, Ryan Henry, Dylan Lambrecht, Brady Mider, Bryce Thompson
- Men’s Discus: Engebretson, Matthew Sarnowski
- Men’s Hammer Throw: Collin Burkhart, Engebretson, Sarnowski
- Men’s Javelin: Nolan Carey
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages: Facebook (PennStateTFXC), X and Instagram (both @pennstatetfxc). Live updates on race day regarding weather, start times and other important notes will be posted on X.