Shining on at The Rock
SLIPPERY ROCK — Dalton Anderson did more than embrace the challenge. He crushed it.
The Moniteau graduate — following a well-decorated track and field career at Westminster College — transferred to Slippery Rock University this past season to work on his Masters in Business Administration.
“I loved it at Westminster and I was successful there,” Anderson said. “But I wanted to expand my horizons.”
All he did was wind up being named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Anderson won the PSAC championship in the javelin and had the No. 1 mark in that event in the Atlantic Region. He finished eighth at the Division II National Championships with a throw of 64.45 meters. His throw of 65.44 won the PSAC title.
The eighth-place finish nationally netted Anderson All-America honors. He was a Division III All-American last year after placing third in the national meet with Westminster.
Anderson was the only PSAC male athlete to score any points at the National Championships.
“In track and field, it really doesn’t matter what division of school you’re with,” Anderson said. “I go to these meets and I compete against Division I and II athletes all the time. I’m used to that.”
Because Anderson lost a year of competition to COVID-19, he has another year of eligibility at SRU and plans to take it. He is wrapping up his Masters now, but is looking to take a few more courses while he competes next year.
“The school record in the javelin at SRU is 70 meters,” he said. “I’ve hit 67, so I’m right there. My goal is to break that record.”
Recently-retired SRU track and field coach John Papa said Anderson wanted to focus on the javelin when he joined his program. He competed in numerous events at Westminster.
“I know Dalton was looking forward to working with (SRU throwing coach) Jim Geist,” Papa said. “He had great coaching at Westminster, too. He wanted to challenge himself by coming here and I respect that.
“To become an All-American during your first year at Division II after coming from a smaller school ... not a lot of athletes can do that.”
Anderson said Geist has been “an excellent coach” and has helped him make the transition from Westminster to Slippery Rock.
“He coached (fellow Moniteau graduate) Ryan Protzman, who previously coached me,” he said. “Their styles are similar. The technique is the same.”
Anderson was named the MVP of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships in 2021. He placed among the top six in six events at the PAC meet.
He competed in the heptathlon at Westminster, tallying a school-record 4,266 points. During the Mike Kowal Invite in early December of 2021, Anderson competed in the heptathlon and finished no worse than sixth in any single event. He won the shot put and high jump, placed third in the 1,000 meters and 60-meter hurdles.
“He is an outstanding athlete and a hard worker,” Papa said. “It didn’t take him long to become a leader on this team.”
Anderson became the second SRU track and field member in as many years to be named PSAC Field MVP. Danielle Collier, a Sharpsville resident, received that honor in 2021 throwing the javelin. She went on to win the Division II national championship in that event.
“Danielle’s success was one of the things that attracted me here,” Anderson said of The Rock. “I want to win the national title in the javelin next season. That’s what I’m gearing toward.
“To be able to do this at a university 15 to 20 minutes from my house ... I love that.”
