NEW ORLEANS — Eight Penn State athletes were officially honored as United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches’ Association First Team All-Americans on Tuesday.

Fresh off their performances at the NCAA Championships last weekend, the Nittany Lions saw honors for the team of Aaron Nadolsky, Brandon Bennett- Green, Casimir Loxsom and Brady Gehret, who placed fourth in the 1,600-meter relay and became the first Nittany Lion men’s relay to earn All-America honors in the event.

They were joined on the list by Joe Kovacs, who was fourth in the shot put; Gehret, who was sixth in the 400; and Laura Loht and State College’s Lauren Kenney, who were third and fourth, respectively, in the javelin.

Earning second-team honors were Loxsom and Bekka Simko, who were 11th and 15th, respectively, in the 800; Melissa Kurzdorfer, who was 12th in the hammer throw; and the women’s 4x400 relay team of Doris Anyanwu, Ijeoma Iheoma, Kirsten Nieuwendam and Dynasty McGee, who were 13th.

William Barr was an honorable mention All-American in the discus.