Pixler, Schmitz, Madden Gain Scholar Athlete of the Year Distinction in Division II

NEW ORLEANS – Jessica Pixler (Seattle Pacific), Darcie Schmitz (Fort Hays State), and Amanda Madden (Northern State) were named on Thursday as Scholar Athletes of the Year in Division II for the 2010 track & field seasons by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The three represent collegiate track & field’s best in both athletics and academics. In addition, 276 were tapped as USTFCCCA All-Academic honorees.

Past All-Academic Honorees

Scholar Athletes are determined from among those who earned All-Academic status and placed highest in individual events at the most recent NCAA Championships. Those who earn multiple individual championship titles rank higher in the tie-breaking process, and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final tiebreaker to establish a winner. Separate awards are given to track athletes and field athletes for the indoor and outdoor seasons, resulting in four categories.

Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year/Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year –
Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

Pixler, a native of Sammamish, Wash., earned Scholar Athlete of the Year titles for the indoor and outdoor seasons. In addition to compiling a 3.94 cumulative GPA while majoring in English, Pixler won a total of 12 NCAA Division II Championship titles between cross country and track and field. Included in the count were a national title in the mile from this indoor season and a national crown in the 1500 meters during the latest outdoor season. It has been announced that Pixler will continue her graduate work at the University of Colorado and has one year of eligibility in outdoor track & field remaining. Pixler is a five-time winner of the Scholar Athlete of the Year award for track and field and three-time previous winner in cross country. In addition, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selected Pixler as their College Division ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® of the Year

Indoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year – Darcie Schmitz, Fort Hays State

Schmitz, a native of Baileyville, Kan., was the NCAA indoor champion in the long jump and was also the runner-up in the triple jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. Schmitz, a junior in 2010, carries a 3.86 cumulative GPA as an art major.

Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year – Amanda Madden, Northern State

Madden, a native of Herreid, S.D., won the NCAA outdoor crown in the hammer throw by over 10 feet with a toss of 192-7 (58.70m). In addition, Madden won the NCAA indoor title with the weight throw earlier in the year. Madden, an art major, notched a 3.72 cumulative GPA through the winter 2010 term.

Past Winners

Indoor Track & Field (track athlete)
2010: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific
2009: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

Indoor Track & Field (field athlete)
2010: Darcie Schmitz, Fort Hays State
2009: Jenna Schmidt, Central Missouri

Indoor Track & Field (single award)
2008: Sheena Devine, Bemidji State
Katelin Rains, Minnesota State
2007: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

Outdoor Track & Field (track athlete)
2010: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific
2009: Ashley Puga, Northwest Nazarene
2008: Nandelle Cameron, Lincoln (Mo.)
Emma Erickson, South Dakota

Outdoor Track & Field (field athlete)
2010: Amanda Madden, Northern State
2009: Linda Rainwater, UC San Diego
2008: Jessica Selby-Tallman, Missouri Southern

Outdoor Track & Field (single award)
2007: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

276 Earn All-Academic Status

In addition to the Scholar Athletes of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced the women’s 2010 Division I All-Academic Track & Field team. A record total of 276 student-athletes representing 72 institutions compose the group. Slippery Rock, Shippensburg, and Grand Valley State led the way with 12 representatives on the All-Academic Team apiece.

National champions Steph Tinney (Ashland), Abby Kacsandi (Ashland), Anja Puc (Neb.-Omaha), Katrina Biermann (Truman State), Michelle Cumberbatch (Lincoln (Mo.)), Racquel Anderson (Lincoln (Mo.)), Alicia Nelson (Adams State), Nelly Spence (Shippensburg), Shermaine Williams (Johnson C. Smith), and Jacqui Barrett (UMass Lowell) joined those who won Scholar Athlete of the Year honors as All-Academic honorees.

Sixteen All-Academic honorees were reported to have cumulative GPAs of 4.0 and above.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor or Outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard in their respective event.

The male Scholar Athletes of the Year in Division II, along with additional individuals given All-Academic status, will be released tomorrow, Friday, July 30. Those institutions given All-Academic Team status will be named on Monday, August 2 (men) and Tuesday, August 3 (women).

USTFCCCA 2010 Division II Track & Field All-Academic Honorees, WOMEN