Freshman thrower Jessica Oji is unstoppable.
Before she came to Penn, Oji was the No. 1 throws recruit and the No. 8 overall recruit from the 2025 high school track and field recruiting class. She immediately made an impact on the mound, shattering the standing Ivy League record by over 1.5 meters in her indoor debut for the Red and Blue.
The Livingston, N.J., native would go on to reset the Ivy League record two more times during the indoor season. Oji’s most notable performance occurred during her first Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Championships, when her 18.50-meter lob broke the African record. The previous mark was set just one day prior by Nebraska thrower Miné de Klerk, who represents South Africa.
Oji concluded her indoor season at her first NCAA national championships, finishing seventh overall to earn first-team All-American honors as the only underclassman in the field.
Her outdoor season has been nothing short of brilliant.
Oji once again broke the Ivy League record in her season debut, throwing 18.10 meters at the Spec Towns Invitational in early April. As the season progressed, Oji claimed her first collegiate Penn Relays title and another Ivy League shot put title. She also began contesting discus, improving her personal record by nearly eight meters in just two weeks.
Though the academic year is over, Oji’s season is just beginning. She’s currently ranked No. 4 in the NCAA in the shot put, and is set to take the stage at NCAA East Regionals later this month. At the beginning of August, Oji will represent Nigeria at the World U20 Championships, with a good chance of winning her first world title.
Honorable mentions: freshman distance runner Joseph “Tiago” Socarras (men’s track and field); freshman epeeist Simon Lioznyansky (men’s fencing)
Check out the rest of the end-of-year awards for the 2025-26 season here.
