Olympic gold-medalist and Penn State alumnus Horace Ashenfelter was named last night as the 2008 homecoming grand marshal.

Ashenfelter, Class of 1949, summed up his feelings in one word: "honored."

"We knew that it was an Olympics year, so we looked into all athletes that went to Penn State and competed in the Olympics," Donavan Hunt, homecoming public relations overall chairwoman, said.

She said they thought Ashenfelter especially fit what they were looking for because he was a gold medal winner.

"Not only did he go to the Olympics, but he won gold while he was there. He was the best fit, especially in an Olympic year."

Hunt (senior-public relations) said the Homecoming Overall Committee had a list of potential grand marshals to chose from.

She said not all of the choices were Olympians, but all had contributed to Penn State in some way.

Samantha Kulp, homecoming alumni relations overall chairwoman, said Ashenfelter personifies being a part of the Penn State community.

"We really feel that he exemplified our theme this year, which is 'inspired by tradition,' " she said. "He really is what it means to be a Penn State alumni."

Ashenfelter's duties as grand marshal include appearing in the homecoming parade and attending the student-alumni ice cream social, Hunt said.

Ashenfelter enrolled in Penn State in 1942.

But he left the university to serve the United States in the Air Force in World War II, he said.

Following his tour of duty, he graduated from Penn State with a degree in physical education -- now health and human development -- in 1949 and, in the same year, won the NCAA two-mile run and the IC4A outdoor two-mile run.

He then won a gold medal in the 1952 Olympic games in Helsinki, Finland with a time of 8:45 in the 3000-meter steeplechase, according to a press release.

"I didn't even make the team in 1948 when I was a student," Ashenfelter said. "Then I joined the New York Athletic Club after graduation and went to the Olympic trials, so Penn State was a big part of it; it was the beginning part."

The 200-meter indoor track at the Multi-Sport Facility is named for Ashenfelter and his wife, Lillian.

"If there was one single person that made my Olympic career possible it was my wife," Ashenfelter said. "I was working, we had two children to take care of at the time, and she was pregnant with our third during the games."

Hunt said the committee is looking forward to having Ashenfelter as grand marshal.

"We are really excited to honor someone who was given so much to Penn State and our country," she said.