June 6, 2018
EUGENE, Ore. - Junior Morgan Shigo (Blandon, Pa.) walked into his first NCAA Championships on Wednesday, June 6, and left Historic Hayward Field with First Team All-America honors with his sixth-place finish in the men's hammer throw at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
"I had four throws over 70 meters, I couldn't ask for a better day," Shigo said. "The last time the men's hammer throw will be at Historic Hayward Field, it is cool to go out as an All-American."
Competing in the first flight, Shigo opened up with a toss of 232-10 (70.97), which was four centimeters shy of his personal-best toss of 233-0 (71.01) set earlier this year. With his three attempts in the books, Shigo had to wait to see where he would stand after the second flight of throwers. After the second flight, Shigo's mark of 232-10 held up as the sixth-best mark, which qualified him for the finals.
On his fourth attempt, Shigo bested his own school record with a toss of 237-8, which moved him to fourth after four rounds of throws. He then fouled his fifth attempt and then on his sixth, and final, throw he recorded a personal-best toss of 237-9 to finish sixth overall.
With his finish on Wednesday, Shigo recorded the highest finish for Penn State in the men's hammer throw since Al Jackson finished fifth in 1976.
Junior Isaiah Harris (Lewiston, Maine) moved on to the final of the men's 800-meter run on Friday at 6:44 p.m. (PDT). Harris won the third semifinal heat in 1:46.99 to automatically qualify for the final.
Sophomore Michael Biddle (Williamsburg, Pa.) finished 15th in the men's javelin throw with his toss of 218-3.
The men's 4x100-meter relay of Will Henderson (Baltimore, Md.), Anton Porter (Bronx, N.Y.), Xavier Smith (Douglassville, Pa.), and Malik Moffett (Erie, Pa.) ran to a time of 39.53 to place 14th. Moffett and Smith closed out their decorated Nittany Lion careers on Wednesday.
Day two of the 2018 NCAA Championships features Danae Rivers (Derby, Conn.) running in the semifinals of the women's 1,500-meter run at 4:16 p.m. (PDT) and Steph Sievers (Douglassville, Pa.) competing in the women's javelin throw at 5:15 p.m. (PDT).