Division III USTFCCCA All-Americans Named For Indoor T&F

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the 151 men and 135 women that earned USTFCCCA All-America distinctions for the 2011 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field season. A total of 336 awards will be given as a result of performances at the past weekend’s NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Columbus, Ohio.

USTFCCCA All-Americans (PDFs): By Team | By Event | All-America History

NCAA Championship Scoring Summary | National Rankings Final Week-by-Week

The men of North Central (Ill.) and the women of UW Oshkosh came away with national team crowns.

For North Central, it was the Cardinals’ second-straight national crown, but it sure wasn’t easy. NCC scored 45 points in the meet was closely stalked three other teams that finished within three points, including runner-up Central (Iowa) (44), third-place UW La Crosse (43), and fourth-place UW Oshkosh (42).

The Cards had eight unique scorers in the meet, but was placed in good position due to a 2-4-7 finish (15 points) in the pole vault. Senior Mike Spain won the 5000 meters for North Central, and sophomores Dan Benton (400 meters) and Peter Geraghty (pole vault) claimed runner-up performances in their respective events.

For the women of UW Oshkosh a national team title was a record breaker. Since 2006, the squad has been tied with Christopher Newport for most NCAA Division III indoor women’s national team titles with six apiece. Now with the crown, the Titans won their seventh D-III indoor women’s title, the most among all teams.

Oshkosh scored 46½ points for the victory, but was closely finished by two-time defending champs Wartburg (44). MIT claimed third with 30½ and Methodist took fourth at 26. Both MIT and Methodist recorded their best finishes in school history for their first “trophy” finishes.

The Titans earned 33 of their points in the shot put and weight throw. Senior Holly Ozanich swept both events for Oshkosh and claimed her second-straight weight throw NCAA crown.

Amherst’s Ben Scheetz and Central’s Ethan Miller each earned three All-America certificates. Scheetz was the winner of the 800-meter national crown, finished fourth in the 400, and anchored the 4×400 squad to a sixth-place finish. Miller was national champ in the high jump and took runner-up honors in the long jump and pentathlon – all good for 26 of 44 of Central’s team points.

On the women’s side, Melissa Norville (Illinois College), Portia Jones (MIT), Lauren Alpert (Illinois Wesleyan), and Nevada Morrison (Wartburg) each earned three All-America nods. Norville was the national champ in the 55-meter hurdles, second in the triple jump, and third in the long jump. Jones was third in the 55 hurdles, fourth in the 400, and anchor of the team’s fifth-place 4×400 team. Alpert was fourth in the long jump, fifth in the 400, and anchored the team’s 4×400 to second place. Morrison was third in the 400, eighth in the 55, and anchored the Knights 4×400 to a NCAA crown.

UW Oshkosh led all men’s squads with 15 All-America honors, followed by UW La Crosse (14), North Central (Ill.) (8), McMurry (7), and UW Eau Claire (7). MIT had the most among women’s teams with 14, followed by Wartburg (12), North Central (Ill.) (9), UW Oshkosh (8), and UW Eau Claire (8).

The men of the WIAC earned 50 All-America certificates while the NESCAC (19), CCIW (10), and UAA (10) followed. The WIAC also claimed the most honors in women’s events with 29, followed by the IIAC (25), NEWMAC (18), and CCIW (18).

To earn All-America honors, athletes must have scored any portion of a team point at the NCAA. USTFCCCA membership by a program is required to earn All-America awards.

2011 USTFCCCA Indoor Track & Field All-America – NCAA Division III

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