Coaching Staff Outstanding Athletes Coached
Drew
HARDyK Assistant Coach
19th Year Cincinnati, ‘92
vERTICAL JUMPS, MULTI-EvENTS Coaching Awards and Honors 2008 USTFCCA Mid-Atlantic Men’s Outdoor Assistant Coach of the year Men’s Head Coach - United States 2007 NACAC Championships
Dr. Andrew Hardyk, entering his 19th year with the Nittany Lion track and field program, will continue to mentor the Penn State high jumpers, decathletes, and pole vaulters in 201112. Hardyk has now coached a total of 22 All-America finishes during his tenure with the Nittany Lions. Hardyk’s high jumpers impressed in 2011, with both Bryson Hartzler and Sean Reilly bettering the seven-foot barrier over the course of the year. Hartzler cleared 7-1.50 (2.17) during the indoor season, which is tied for the fourth-best jump in the Nittany Lion indoor record books. Reilly stepped up during the outdoor season, topping out at 7-0.25 (2.14) - the sixthbest clearance in school history. Reilly’s outdoor campaign also included a bronze-medal finish at the Big Ten Championships, as well as an appearance at the NCAA First Round. The Nittany Lions scored three at the indoor conference meet with Reilly finishing sixth, and Hartzler and then-freshman
Ryan Fritz * Four-Time NCAA All-American (High Jump) * Two-Time Big Ten Champion (High Jump) * 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier John vellenoweth * Indoor and Outdoor School Record Holder (Pole Vault) * 2009 NCAA Outdoor Qualifier Shawn Colligan * 2008 NCAA Outdoor Qualifier * 2008 Big Ten Runner-Up (Decathlon) Ryan Olkowski * Three-Time NCAA All-American * Eighth Place at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials (Decathlon) * School Record Holder (Indoor 200m) James Cook * Three-Time NCAA All-American * Big Ten Champion (Decathlon) Steve Pina * 1996 NCAA Bronze Medalist (Long Jump) * 1996 Big Ten Champion (Long Jump) John Gorham * Four-Time NCAA All-American (Long Jump) George Audu * Three-Time NCAA All-American (Long Jump) * Two-Time Big Ten Champion * 2000 British Olympic Trials Champion Brian Derby * NCAA All-American * Two-Time Big Ten Champion (400m Hurdles) Chavous Nichols * 2004 East Region Champion (Triple Jump) * East Region Record Holder * NCAA All-American
Jon Hendershot tying for eighth overall. Hardyk’s charges also excelled in the multi-events, with current senior Anya Uzoh totaling 7045 points in the decathlon - the 10th-best total in school history. Uzoh would score a seventh-place finish in the heptathlon at the Big Ten
Big Ten decathlon in 2007. Colligan and Morrisey both recorded personal bests over 7000
Indoor Championships.
points, at 7361 points, and 7097, respectively - both among the top ten performances in the
In 2010, Hardyk led then-senior Ryan Fritz to a fourth-place finish in the high jump at the
Penn State's storied decathlon history.
NCAA Outdoor Championships, as well as a sixth-place effort at the USATF Outdoor Cham-
Hardyk's athletes had an outstanding year in 2007, highlighted by a pair of All-America per-
pionships. At the conference level, Hardyk would guide Fritz to a third-place effort at the Big
formances from Fritz, who posted a fifth-place finish in the NCAA high jump indoors, and tied
Ten Outdoor Championship.Nationally, Hardyk also assisted in guiding then-sophomore Joce-
for ninth outside. Fritz also captured both Big Ten titles, and took top honors at the NCAA East
lyn Witmer to her first-career appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the pole
Regional Championships. Hardyk coached former PSU All-American Ryan Olkowski, who finished eighth in the
vault. Along with his nearly two decade tenure at Penn State, Hardyk is also experienced on the
decathlon at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. Olkowski - a three-time NCAA All-American -holds
international scene as he was selected to serve as men's head coach of the United States
the distinction of being the only athlete in NCAA history to record All-America finishes in the
team at the 2007 NACAC Championships in El Salavador.
high jump and 200-meters in the same meet, which he achieved during the 2002 NCAA Indoor
In 2009, Hardyk was instrumental in marked improvements among the Nittany Lion pole
Championships.
vault contingent, highlighted by indoor and outdoor school records from senior John Vel-
During his first 13 years at Penn State, Hardyk covered the sprints, hurdles, jumps and
lenoweth. Vellenoweth would clear 17-0.50 (5.20) indoors, and post a clearance of 17-5.50
relays as an assistant for the men's program. All told, Hardyk coached athletes have won 11
(5.32) during the outdoor season.
Big Ten Individual titles, and have set 21 Penn State records.
Fritz recorded another successful campaign under Hardyk’s watch in 2009, notching appearances at both NCAA meets, tying for third at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Hardyk received his bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1992 and a master's degree in Engineering Mechanics (orthopedic biomechanics) in 1993 from the University of
Hardyk’s athletes also fired on all cylinders in 2008, highlighted by an NCAA appearance
Cincinnati. He completed his PhD in Exercise and Sports Sciences (sports biomechanics) in
from Shawn Colligan, who placed 16th in the decathlon at the NCAA Championships. Hardyk's
December of 2000 at Penn State. At Cincinnati, Hardyk - a team captain - competed in the
years of dedication and success did not go unrecognized in 2008, as he was named Mid-
long jump and the sprints for the Bearcats, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the
Atlantic Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year during the outdoor season.
long jump his senior year. Hardyk was also a Great Midwest Conference Champion in the
Colligan would also finish a point out of a conference gold medal at the 2008 Big Ten Out-
long jump and 4x100-meter relay. Post-collegiately, Hardyk competed at a national-class level
door Championships, where Hardyk-coached athletes captured two of the top four finishing
in the long jump and the 100 meter dash. He competed in the 1994 and 1995 USA Track and
spots. Colligan's runner-up standing at the conference meet marked the second straight year
Field Championships as well as the 1995 US Olympic Festival in the long jump. He also com-
a Hardyk-coached athlete won silver-medal honors, as Chris Morrisey finished second in the
peted in the 100 meter dash at the 1997 and 1998 USA Track and Field Championships.
8
PENN STATE 2010-11
TRACK AND FIELD/CROSS COUNTRy