UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Members of the Penn State track & field team received three postseason awards in multiple releases Thursday and Friday. NCAA 200-meter champion Cheickna Traore received men's outdoor track athlete of the year recognition from both the Big Ten conference as well as the USTFCCCA's Mid-Atlantic Region. Additionally, assistant Coach Brandon Rizzo earned Mid-Atlantic Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year honors from the USTFCCCA.
Following his NCAA title in the men's 200-meter dash, Traore earned the first Big Ten Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year honor ever given to a Penn State athlete. The star sprinter is the fourth member of the men's squad to earn conference outdoor athlete of the year honors following throwers Joe Kovacs (2012), Darrell Hill (2014), and Tyler Merkley (2022). Traore also came away with Mid-Atlantic Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year laurels following his spectacular seasons on the track. With the win, Traore swept the Men's Track Athlete of the Year honors for the Mid-Atlantic region and the Big Ten in 2024, earning both crowns after the indoor and outdoor seasons.
THE HONOREES
- Big Ten Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
- USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
Traore cemented his legacy with the Nittany Lions at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The star sprinter claimed the national title in the 200-meter dash as the only runner in the finals field to break 20.00, going 19.95 for the win. His crown was Penn State's first sprint title at the NCAA outdoor meet since Barney Ewell took the 100 and 200-meter dash events in 1941. The Ivory Coast product leaves Penn State a three-time All-American and a three-time conference champion, establishing himself as one of the greatest sprinters in Penn State history.
Setting school records in the 100 and 200-meter dash events on his way to one of the greatest sprint seasons in school history, Traore qualified to the 2024 Paris Olympics with his 19.93 200-meter PR at the NCAA East Region First Round meet.
Assistant Coach Brandon Rizzo
- USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year
Rizzo collected the first coaching award of his career, being named USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Men's Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year for his work with the men's 200-meter national champion, Traore. Rizzo also guided Penn State's men's 4x400-meter relay team to a third-straight appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc).