TUCSON, Ariz. — Conquering one challenge after another, Jordan Geist keeps reaching new distances with his shot put and hammer throws.

Now the Knoch High School and University of Arizona graduate can sit back and be recognized — at least temporarily.

Geist is being inducted into the WPIAL Sports Hall of Fame. He is one of five athletes in the 2024 induction class, announced Wednesday.

The induction banquet is May 31 at the Doubletree Hotel in Green Tree.

“I’m looking forward to getting back home and connecting with the WPIAL again,” Geist said. “Since I left for Arizona, I’ve been a bit out of touch with what’s been going on there.

“It’s a special feeling, receiving an honor like this.”

Other athletes being inducted are Clairton football, basketball and baseball standout Tyler Boyd (a receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals), Mt. Lebanon football player Robert Schilken, Yough softball standout Nicole Sleith Schaffer and Connellsville basketball and softball star Beth Swink.

Some coaches and administrators — including Seneca Valley athletic director Heather Lewis — will be inducted as well.

“Jordan never stops working,” said Judy Geist, his mother and former high school throws coach. “Now he’s getting ready for the U.S. Olympic Trials.”

The Olympic Trials will take place in June.

“I’ve got an indoor meet coming up Feb. 17 with Indoor USA,” Geist said. “That might be my only indoor meet. From there, I’ll focus on my training for the Olympic Trials.

“Fortunately, I’ve gained sponsorship from USA Track and Field, so I can train and prepare without having to do another job. I’m training full-time now and that’s really helping me.”

Geist still competes in the shot put and hammer throw. He stopped doing the discus a couple of years ago.

Geist won the NCAA indoor and outdoor shot put championships in 2023, claiming the latter title on his final throw.

He has since finished third in the Pan American Games in the shot put.

“When he threw the shot put 60 feet as a freshman, we thought we might have something special here,” Mrs. Geist said. “Jordan dedicated himself to this sport.

“He stopped playing football his sophomore year, began watching videos of throwing, listened to the coaching ... He set himself up for the opportunity at Arizona and took advantage of it.”

Admitting he missed summer practice with his high school buddies, Geist never regretted giving up football despite making all-conference as a middle linebacker. He dropped basketball in eighth grade.

“It was difficult (leaving football) because I’ve always done it,” he said. “But I wanted to commit to track. It was an easy decision to make.”

Geist set some impressive throwing records along the way.

He became a three-time WPIAL and PIAA champion in the shot put and discus while at Knoch. Geist still holds the PIAA shot put record of 73 feet, 10.75 inches and the discus mark of 208.07 feet.

He holds the WPIAL records in those events as well.

Geist won the 2017 New Balance Outdoor Championship in the hammer throw with a toss of 238 feet. He also won the gold medal in the 2017 Pan-Am Games Under-20 championships with a shot put toss of 72 feet, 3 inches.

He was an 11-time All-American at Arizona and earned Academic All-American honors as well.

“Now he’s coaching kids at a high school in Tucson,” Geist’s mother said. “He wants to give back.”

He also wants to push forward.

“I’m getting more and more confident about making the Olympic team,” he said. “I had to take on better guys during the (Arizona) regular season.

“I’m used to doing a little bit more.”