State College, Pa., May 24, 2002 - The Penn State men's track and field team will send two members to the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Baton Rouge, La., May 29-June 1. Senior Ryan Olkowski (Baltimore, Md.) and junior Brian Derby (Philadelphia, Pa.) were among the qualifiers when the NCAA announced its championship participants Friday.

Olkowski, the Big Ten Champion in the 200 meters, qualified in that event for the NCAA meet. He will bring in the 11th best qualifying time with a mark of 20.59. He earned All-America honors during the indoor season in both the high jump and 200.

Derby, who finished second at the Big Ten Championships in the 400-meter hurdles, qualified with the ninth best time (49.97) in that event for the NCAA meet. The 2001 Big Ten Champion in the event, he will be looking to equal or better his All-American fourth place finish in last year's NCAA meet in the same event.