UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Track & Field’s Tyler Merkley was lauded by the Big Ten Conference as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for his efforts in the hammer throw at the Penn Springtime Invitational on Saturday, March 18.
Merkley, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology, posted a 228-0 (69.50m) throw to win the hammer competition in the Nittany Lions’ first meet of the outdoor season. His throw traveled over 20 feet farther than the second-place finisher’s.
The reigning NCAA Runner-Up in the hammer throw earned the third-best mark in the nation this past weekend, slotting in fourth overall in the 2023 outdoor campaign. Merkley’s throw is second in the Big Ten this season.
This is the second Big Ten athlete of the week award in Merkley’s career, with the first coming in April of 2022. In the 2022 outdoor season, Merkley earned First Team All-America honors for his second-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He was also named the Big Ten Men’s Field Athlete of the Year following his standout 2022 campaign.
It is the fourth Big Ten Track & Field athlete of the week award for the Nittany Lions this season. Eventual Big Ten Indoor 800m Champion Olivier Desmeules earned the honor twice this year, while Mallory Kauffman collected one award of her own.
PENN STATE’S 2022-23 BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
March 22 – Tyler Merkley – Throws – Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week
Feb. 1 – Olivier Desmeules – Middle-Distance – Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Dec. 14 – Olivier Desmeules – Middle-Distance – Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Dec. 7 – Mallory Kauffman – Throws – Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
LOOKING AHEAD
The Nittany Lions are set for a split-squad weekend coming up, with select members of the team heading to North Carolina for the Raleigh Relays on Friday, March 23, while the rest of the squad will travel to Florida for the Miami Invitational on Sunday, March 25.
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