ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend outdoor track & field team had four student-athletes named U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honorees for the 2019 NCAA Division III outdoor season.
Braeden Smith (Erie, PA/Seneca), Nick LaChut (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin), Elijah Dangrow (Greenville, PA/Greenville), and Haley Yenchik (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) were selected in the Mideast Region for being one of the top five individuals in the region to earn the distinction. Only athletes from USTFCCCA member institutions are eligible for the award.
Smith was the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) champion in the high jump (1.91m) and then took home gold at the All-Atlantic Region Outdoor Track and Field Championship with a leap of 2.09m. Smith qualified for the NCAA Championships with his win at the All-Atlantic meet, ranking sixth in the Division III.
LaChut and Dangrow welcome All-Region honors in the men's pole vault event. At the CSAC Championship, Dangrow picked up fourth place (4.25m) while LaChut came in second (4.40m). The duo finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the in pole vault at the All-Atlantic Region Championship.
Yenchik tallies her second consecutive All-Region outdoor honors this season. Yenchik was named All-Region in the women's pole vault. She won the pole vault event at the CSAC Championships (3.40m) along with being named CSAC Women's Field Athlete of the Year. Yenchik also took home gold at the All-Atlantic Region Championship with a height of 3.63m.