Four Golden Bears claim USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region honors

Four Kutztown University track & field athletes have been named All-Atlantic Region for the 2023 outdoor season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Following the conclusion of the regular season, top five ranking individuals in each event from each region are recognized with All-Region honors, along with each member of the three fastest relay teams. The Atlantic Region is comprised of schools from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), Mountain East Conference (MEC) and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

Kutztown had two representatives from the men's team in junior Anthony DeFusco (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) (long jump) and sophomore Anthony Helmstetter (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) (javelin), and two from the women's team in freshman Mia Grassia (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) (high jump) and sophomore Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional) (3000-meter steeplechase). DeFusco is a four-time Outdoor All-Region performer, having landed on the team in the triple jump in 2022 and both the long and triple jumps in 2021. The All-Region honors for Helmstetter, Grassia and Knerr are the first of their respective careers.

DeFusco was tied for fourth in the Atlantic Region in the long jump, surpassing an NCAA Division II provisional mark with a career-best jump of 7.38m (24'2.5") at the Coach Pollard Invitational hosted by Moravian, April 22. The Douglassville, Pa., native's new personal standard moved him up to third on Kutztown's all-time top 10 list.

Helmstetter broke through with the best javelin throw of his career at the PSAC Championships two weeks ago, sending it 58.25m (191'1") to claim the bronze medal. The second-year thrower from Middlesex, N.J., ranked fourth in the Atlantic Region and jumped 12 spots at the conference meet from a 15th place showing as a freshman.

Grassia concluded a successful first year with a silver medal finish in the high jump at the PSAC Championships. The Bay Shore, N.Y., native joined Kutztown's top 10 list at the Paul Kaiser Invitational, April 29, before clearing a season- and career-best 1.66m (5'2.5") at the conference meet to move into sole possession of fifth place in program history. Grassia ended the year tied for the fourth best jump in the region.

Knerr ran a personal best 11:33.29 in the 3000m steeplechase at the PSAC Championships to take third and capture her first career conference medal (bronze). Her time was good for fifth fastest in the Atlantic Region and marked her second straight PR in the event following an 11:36.82 at the Paul Kaiser Invitational. The sophomore from Columbia, N.J., holds sixth on KU's top 10 list.