The Penn State track and field team concluded its participation in the NCAA First Round on May 30 in Lexington, Kentucky. Hayley Kitching was the only Nittany Lion to qualify for the national championships, securing her third trip to outdoor nationals with a 1:59.15 finish in the 800-meter run that topped her heat.
Kitching, from Coffs Harbour, Australia, returns to the national stage after previous appearances in 2023 and 2024, including a third-place finish last year. Allison Johnson and Boh Ritchie also competed in the women’s 800-meter run and ended their seasons with personal records. Johnson clocked a time of 2:02.65, moving her to fourth on Penn State’s all-time list for the event, while Ritchie finished at 2:03.30 for sixth-fastest.
Other competitors included Allison Dougherty with a time of 10:24.36 in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase; Hannah Riolo clearing a height of 5-9.25 (1.76m) in the women’s high jump; and Marie-Eloise LeClair running a time of 23.06 seconds in the women’s 200-meter dash.
Penn State will send ten athletes to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The four-day meet is scheduled from Wednesday, June 10 through Saturday, June 13.
The team will provide live updates on social media platforms Facebook (PennStateTFXC), X and Instagram (@pennstatetfxc), including information about weather conditions and start times.
