UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State track & field delivered a productive penultimate day at the NCAA First Round in Lexington, Kentucky Friday. The day featured five athletes qualifying for the national championships and two program Top-3 marks rewritten.
Nick Sloff was the first athlete to qualify for nationals when he ran a 3:43.33 in the men’s 1500-meter run. Sloff qualified directly after placing fifth in his heat and will make his first trip to the outdoor national championships.
Ajani Dwyer continued his stellar sophomore campaign when he ran a 9.99 in the men’s 100-meter dash. The Sewell, New Jersey native qualified for his first outdoor championships as well and broke 10 seconds for the second straight race.
The men’s 800-meter run sent a trio of Nittany Lions onto the national championships. Allon Clay qualified after recording the fastest time in the regional finals at 1:44.63, also improving his own third-fastest time in program history.
Niko Schultz and Yukichi Ishii also qualified for the national championships in the 800-meter run. Schultz qualified directly after running a 1:46.01, third in his heat. Ishii secured the final ticket to nationals with a 1:46.48.
The other competitors Friday included Jake Palermo, who set a program record in the men’s 400-meter dash when he ran a 45.19. Palermo broke Mike Sands’ previous record, set in 1975, by 0.01 seconds.
Ryan Watson and Andrew Rengier also concluded their 2026 seasons Friday. Watson ran 9:13.48 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, while Regnier turned in a 1:47.92 in the men’s 800-meter run.
The men’s high jump was the only field event Friday featuring Penn State student-athletes. Trip Campbell jumped a 6-11.00 (2.11m), while Robert Allen recorded a 6-9.00 (2.06m).
UP NEXT
Penn State returns for one more day in Lexington when the NCAA First Round resumes Saturday, with the women’s high jump starting the slate at 2 p.m.
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Follow along with the team on our social media pages: Facebook (PennStateTFXC), X and Instagram (both @pennstatetfxc). Live updates on meet day regarding weather, start times and other important notes will be posted on X.