BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State track & field team is set for competition at the 2023 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Indiana at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex, from Friday, May 12 to Sunday, May 14.
Penn State enters the postseason following multiple successful weeks of competition. During the last week in April, the Nittany Lions traveled to the Penn Relays and battled the elements, setting two school records throughout the weekend. Tyler Merkley cleared 73 meters in the hammer throw for the first time, increasing his claim to the Penn State record in the event. Additionally, even though it is not a sanctioned Big Ten event, the women’s 4×800 relay squad broke the school record, taking home the Championship of America wheel for the second consecutive year.
This past weekend, Jean Starr capped off the regular season for the Nittany Lions with the fifth-best hammer throw effort in school history. Her 192-9 (58.75m) throw earned her the first Big Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honor of her career as the team prepares for competition in Bloomington.
THE COMPETITION
The Nittany Lions are set to compete in the following events on Friday:
- Heptathlon
- M/W Hammer Throw
- M Pole Vault
- M/W Javelin Throw
- M/W 200m
- M/W 1,500m Trials (Finals on Sunday)
- W 10,000m Finals
Saturday Events:
- Heptathlon (continued)
- M/W Shot Put
- W 100m Trials (Finals on Sunday)
- M/W Long Jump
- M High Jump
- M/W 400m Trials (Finals on Sunday)
- M/W 800m Trials (Finals on Sunday)
- M/W 3,000m Steeplechase
Sunday Events (plus finals for qualifying athletes):
- M/W Discus
- W Pole Vault
- W High Jump
- W 4x100m Relay
- M/W 5,000m
- M/W 4x400m
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
At the 2023 Big Ten Indoor Championships, the Nittany Lions claimed three individual titles. Rachel Gearing and Olivier Desmeules each took home their respective 800-meter run title while Faith DeMars won the 5,000-meter run.
The Nittany Lions enter this season’s conference meet with five medalists from last year’s outdoor Big Ten Championships vying for top spots once again in 2023. Merkley (2nd, hammer), Sophia Toti (2nd, 10K), Kevin Bartosh (2nd, javelin), Gearing (3rd, 800m), and Maddie Ullom (3rd, 1500m) all medaled last season for Penn State. The women’s team finished fourth (82.5 points) in…
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