22 Oct USA Track & Field Foundation Awards Pitch Johnson Grants to 50 Elite Track & Field Athletes
PITTSBURGH – To put an exclamation point on a record-setting year of grants, the USA Track & Field Foundation is excited to award a final round of grants to elite athletes with the announcement of 50 Pitch Johnson travel grant recipients. These grants total $75,000 and are funded by the generosity of USATF Foundation Director, Franklin “Pitch” Johnson to honor his late father, also named “Pitch”. The elder Pitch Johnson was a 110m hurdler and competed in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. He was also the track & field and cross-country coach at Drake and Stanford Universities, the Director of the Drake Relays, and a Founder of the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association.
Pitch Johnson and his family are staples in the world of track & field and the USATF Foundation is grateful for their continued support of these dedicated athletes. Reid Johnson, a Foundation Board member himself and son of Pitch Johnson is proud of the family tradition of financially assisting American track & field hopefuls and helping them realize their dreams. “It’s great to see my Dad doing this with the USATF Foundation. He loves the sport and supporting the athletes.” stated Reid Johnson.
The Foundation announced that 50 talented athletes will receive $1,500 each as part of a grant travel program that was created in 2019 by Pitch. In order to be eligible for a travel grant, athletes are required to submit a grant application through the USATF Foundation website each year. Many professional track and field athletes are faced with out-of-pocket travel costs associated with domestic and international competitions, training camps and injury care. These grants are intended to provide support for travel expenses as athletes often must fly across the country or even overseas to find elite competitions.
The following 50 athletes will receive grant awards in the amount of $1,500 each:
| Aaron Mallett | 110m Hurdles |
| Alicia Monson | 5000m/10000m |
| Allie Wilson | 800m |
| Amere Lattin | 400m Hurdles |
| Ashtin Mahler | Heptathlon |
| Brannon Kidder | 800m |
| Bridget Guy | Pole Vault |
| Brittany Brown | 200m |
| Chase Ealey | Shot Put |
| Chris Benard | Triple Jump |
| Curtis Thompson | Javelin Throw |
| Daniel Michalski | Steeplechase |
| Darrell Hill | Shot Put |
| Dez Bryant | 200m |
| Harrison Williams | Decathlon |
| Heather MacLean | 1500m |
| Helen Schlachtenhaufen | 1500m |
| Isaac Updike | Steeplechase |
| Janee’ Kassanavoid | Hammer Throw |
| Jelena Rowe | High Jump |
| Josette Norris | 1500m/5000m |
| Kelsey Card | Discus Throw |
| Kord Ferguson | Discus Throw |
| Lalauga Tausaga | Discus Throw |
| Leah Falland | Steeplechase |
| Malaina Payton | Long Jump |
| Marisa Howard | Steeplechase |
| Marvin Bracy-Williams | 100m |
| Mason Ferlic | Steeplechase |
| Michael Shuey | Javelin Throw |
| Micaela Hazlewood | Discus Throw |
| Michaela Meyer | 800m |
| Michelle Atherley | Heptathlon |
| Molly Seidel | Marathon |
| Morgann LeLeux Romero | Pole Vault |
| Morolake Akinosun | 100m |
| Rachel McCoy | High Jump |
| Sam Mattis | Discus Throw |
| Sam Prakel | 1500m |
| Sean Donnelly | Hammer Throw |
| Shakeela Saunders | Long Jump |
| Shannon Osika | 1500m |
| Shelby McEwen | High Jump |
| Tamara Clark | 200m |
| Tiffany Flynn | Long Jump |
| Tonea Marshall | 100m Hurdles |
| Trey Culver | High Jump |
| Val Constien | Steeplechase |
| Vernon Norwood | 400m |
| Vincent Ciattei | 1500m |