UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – 29 individual entries and one relay team from the Penn State track & field squad have qualified and declared for the 2024 NCAA Track & Field Championships, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday. The group will begin competition at the East Region Preliminaries in Lexington, Ky. on Wednesday, May 22, with events running through Saturday, May 25.
Penn State’s women’s squad declared 15 individual entries that will take part in eight events through the week in Kentucky. Hayley Kitching enters the competition as the highest-ranked individual qualifier for the Nittany Lions, coming in at No. 5 in the 800-meter run in the East region. Samaria McDonald leads Penn State’s women’s field qualifiers as the No. 6 hammer thrower in the region, fresh off her Big Ten silver medal. It is an outstanding veteran-laden group for the Nittany Lion women, as Kitching is the only underclassman to declare for NCAA competition.
On the men’s side, the group will send 14 individual entries (13 athletes) and one relay squad (four additional declared athletes) to compete at Kentucky this year. Penn State’s 15 entries will take part in nine events thorugh the course of the week. Cheickna Traore, a two-time First Team All-American during the 2024 indoor season, qualified in the 100 and 200-meter dash events, as well as the 4×400-meter relay. Traore’s No. 5 ranking in the 200-meters is Penn State’s highest regional ranking this season. True freshman Kaleb Nastari will compete in the 800-meters, getting a taste of NCAA competition in his first collegiate season.
NCAA East Preliminary participants will compete for a shot to move on to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The top 12 in each event and relay at the prelims will earn their chance to compete for a championship in June at Hayward Field.
NCAA QUALIFIERS
Below are the Penn State athletes who have qualified and declared for the 2024 NCAA East Region Preliminaries, along with their regional seed and qualifying mark from this season.
Women’s Team – 15 Individual Entries
400 Meters
800 Meters
1500 Meters
5,000 Meters
10,000 Meters
Steeplechase
Pole Vault
Hammer Throw
Men’s Team – 14 Individual Entries, 1 Relay
100 Meters
200 Meters
800 Meters
1500 Meters
4x400m Relay
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