With the conclusion of the indoor track and field season, the Big Ten Conference named its annual award winners and two stand-out Nittany Lions take home top honors. Sophomore David Lucas was awarded the Big Ten Men’s Field Athlete of the Year, while Terrance Laird was named Big Ten Men’s Freshman of the Year.

David Lucas is the first athlete in Penn State history to be named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year and only the second Athlete of the Year for the Nittany Lions, after 800 meter runner Casimir Loxsom in 2013. This accolade comes only days after Lucas won a national title in weight throw in the NCAA championship meet.

This award is the most recent of several national honors Lucas earned this season. The Lititz, PA, native was also named the Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the week leading up to the championship. During the season, he received the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week award following one of his many record breaking weekends competing in the weight throw.

Freshman Terrance Laird was the youngest Nittany Lion to compete at the national championship meet this season. Laird burst on to the national scene with a blazing 200 meter performance at Penn State National Open meet, where he finished in 20.76 seconds.

Laird improved upon this performance during the Big Ten Championship. His 20.56 second performance shattered the school record and earned him a second place finish. At the national championship meet, Laird earned second-team All-American honors and finished the season as the fastest freshman at the 200 meter distance. Laird is the first Nittany Lion to earn this award since Brannon Kidder in 2013.