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11th Year at Penn State Former Nittany Lion captain Dayna Holston Wenger begins her 12th season as an assistant coach, after rejoining her alma mater in September of 1996. A 1994 Academic All-American, Wenger is primarily responsible for all Nittany Lion throwing events. The 2005 NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field East Region Assistant Coach of the Year, Wenger has coached a total of eight All-Americans, who have earned a combined total of 15 All-America honors, including 2003 National Discus Champion Deshaya Williams. Her athletes have also made their mark on Nittany Lion history, as they own all of Penn State's women's throwing records both indoors and out. Wenger's always outstanding javelin contingent highlighted the 2007 season, as Wenger saw Allen Pettner, Tanner Evak, and Heidi Nadeau to NCAA Championship appearances. Pettner, who was named Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year, set facility and Big Ten records with a gold-medal performance at the Big Ten Championship, with Evak following in second. Wenger also coached regional-qualifiers and Big Ten scorers Steve Meyers and Dane Miller on the men's side. On the women's side, Wenger saw Christen Clemson claim the NCAA East Regional discus title, and Nadeau post an 11th-place finish in the javelin at the NCAA Championships. All told, Wenger coached four NCAA qualifiers, 13 regional qualifiers, a regional champion, a Big Ten Champion, four conference medalists, and numerous Big Ten scorers in 2007. This year is shaping up to be no different for the Nittany Lion throwers, as Wenger brought in another outstanding recruiting class, including standout shot putters Blake Eaton (Allegeny, N.Y.) and Joe Kovacs (Bethlehem, Pa.), as well as two-time Nike National Javelin Champion Karlee McQuillen (Johnstown, Pa.). Wenger will also coach transfer Tyler Hoffman, a multiple-time regional qualifier and Patriot League champion while at Bucknell University. Throughout her Nittany Lion career, Wenger has coached numerous athletes to NCAA and Big Ten success, including five-time All-American and seven-time Big Ten Champion Jennifer Leatherman, who also holds the Big Ten record in the hammer and the Penn State standards in the weight and hammer. Wenger also saw Ja'Nai O'Connor to Big Ten record status, as O'Connor claimed both conference shot put titles in 2004, setting the all-time conference mark outdoors. O'Connor also holds both Nittany Lion standards in the shot. In 2002, Wenger saw Williams to the top of the NCAA medal stand - the first NCAA champion in program history. Williams' tremendous career also included three All-America certificates and two Big Ten gold medals. Wenger recently traveled with 2006 U.S. National Heptathlon Champion Gi-Gi Johnson to the 2006 World Combined Events Challenge in Talence, France, which provided Wenger with a great international coaching experience. Wenger works regularly with Johnson in both the shot put and javelin. Johnson was the 2006 USATF Heptathlon Champion and has a pair of appearances at the IAAF World Championships to her credit. In addition to her coaching achievements at Penn State, in 2003, Wenger was selected to coach the throwers for the U.S. team at the Junior Pan American Championships in Barbados. The national team appointment was the first of her career. During Wenger's collegiate career with the Lions, the Penn State standout twice qualified for the NCAA Championships in the javelin and was also an academic All-American. While competing for Trinity High School in Washington, Pa., she was a three-sport standout and was a WPIAL champion in the javelin with the No. 2 U.S. High School ranking in USA Today. She ranked third in the nation with a throw of 155-6. At Trinity she was coached by Penn State All-American Elaine Sobansky. In June 2000, Wenger was inducted into the Washington-Greene County chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame as only the second woman ever elected. As an athlete, she finished third in the javelin at the 1992 Big Ten Championships and went on to finish 11th at the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas. She also was the 1989 and 1990 Pennsylvania State Bowling Champion, with a high game of 285. She is currently pursuing a master's degree from Penn State in higher education. Wenger is a Level I, Level II, and Level III USA Track and Field certified coach. She is married to Douglas Wenger, a project manager at Poole-Anderson Construction in State College. They reside in Boalsburg, Pa.
Coaching Experience Assistant Coach Outstanding athletes coached Brianne Johnson - Four-time All-America javelin thrower. Jennifer Leatherman - Five-time All-America, seven-time Big Ten Champion. Holds the Big Ten record in the 20 lb. weight throw. 2006 Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year. 2005 NCAA East Regional hammer champion. Jen Pastore - 1998 All-America javelin thrower, holds school record (198-11). Carrie Karabinos - 2000 Olympic trials competitor. Holds school record in the javelin (169-3). Ashley Colley - 2003 All-America Javelin thrower, 2004 Big Ten runner-up, 2004 Olympic Trials qualifier. Kate Johnston - Big Ten runner-up in the hammer. An NCAA qualifier in the hammer and weight throw. Ja'nai O'Connor - Indoor and Outdoor Big Ten shot put champion (2004) and Penn State record holder indoor and outdoor. NCAA finalist in the shot put, 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier. Christen Clemson - 2004 Big Ten runner-up in the discus. Diana Bruch - 2005 All-America (javelin). Gigi Miller - 2005 heptathlon World Championship Qualifier (shot put and javelin).
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