Hempfield's Holmberg repeats as mid-region's top field athlete

Another indoor track and field season, another award for Maddie Holmberg.

Holmberg, a Penn State senior and Hempfield alum, was named the United Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year.

She is a repeat winner of the award, which has a lot of words in its name but almost seems fitting in that respect because Holmberg competed in a lot of events.

She won the Big Ten Conference pentathlon and qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships for the third time in her decorated college career.

Holmberg won the conference title with a personal-best score of 4,274 points, third-best in the nation and second-best all-time at Penn State. She finished second in the shot put (14.13 meters), third in the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 16.4 seconds), fifth in the 60 hurdles (8.5), tied for seventh in the high jump (5 feet, 4.5 inches) and fourth in the long jump (19 feet, 5.25 inches).

Holmberg was a first-team All-American in 2018 when she finished seventh, and made the second team last year.

Penn State senior David Lucas won the same award as Holmberg on the men’s side as a thrower. The 2018 national champion in the weight throw, he also will compete at nationals, set for March 13-14 in Albuquerque, N.M. Teammates Alexa Parks and Danae Rivers also qualified.

Nittany Lions assistant Fritz Spence was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year.

Maddie Holmberg has been named @USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year!

Maddie won her first Big Ten title in the pentathlon with a personal-best score of 4,274 points and heads to the NCAA Indoor Championships for the third time! pic.twitter.com/LILgYk9a2j

— Penn State Track & Field/Cross Country (@PennStateTFXC) March 6, 2020