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National Indoor Track & Field Award Winners Named in Division III

March 15, 2012

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the national award winners for 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field season as chosen by the nation’s coaches. Amherst’s Ben Scheetz, Christopher Newport’s Richard Roethel, and Wartburg’s Nevada and Skye Morrison were named the National Athletes of the Year. North Central’s Frank Gramarosso and Wartburg’s Marcus Newsom were tapped as National Coaches of the Year. And, UW-Oshkosh’s Pat Ebel and Wartburg’s Steve Johnson won honors as National Assistant Coaches of the Year.

National Men’s Track Athlete of the Year

Ben Scheetz, Amherst

The senior from Lancaster, Pa., recorded fastest time in Division III history in the 800 meters during the indoor season with a time of 1:47.43. He also recorded the fastest times in Division III of the regular season in the mile, 1000 meters, and 600 meters.

Despite being ill, Scheetz competed in the 800 and mile preliminary rounds at the NCAA Championships, but did not make the final in either event.

Recent Winners:

2012: Ben Scheetz, Amherst

2011: Ben Scheetz, Amherst

2010: Delannie Spriggs, Salisbury

2009: Willy Kaul, UW Oshkosh

2008: Peter Kosgei, Hamilton

2007: Will Leer, Pomona-Pitzer

2006: Bobby Young, Lincoln (Pa.)

National Men’s Field Athlete of the Year

Richard Roethel, Christopher Newport

A junior from Farmingdale, N.Y., Roethel won the first heptathlon competed at an NCAA Division III Indoor Championship with an all-time division record score of 5,434. Among all divisions, Roethel’s score finished the indoor season in the national top 35. Roethel was also entered in the open high jump at the national championships where he finished third.

Roethel was named the Mason-Dixon Conference athlete of the their championship meet where he scored 34 points and was the champ of the high jump and took runner-up honors in the pole vault, long jump, and shot put. Roethel is entered in both the heptathlon and high jump for the NCAA meet.

Recent Winners:

2012: Richard Roethel, Christopher Newport

2011: Ethan Miller, Central (Iowa)

2010: Jake Winder, North Central (Ill.)

2009: Todd Wildman, Trinity (Texas)

2008: Al Winsley, Mississippi College

2007: Brandon Houle, UW Oshkosh

2006: Uzoma Orji, MIT

National Men’s Coach of the Year

Frank Gramarosso, North Central (Ill.)

Gramarosso led the Cardinals to their third-straight NCAA indoor team title as North Central scored 48 points to top nearest challenger UW-Eau Claire by 11 points. North Central joins UW-La Crosse and Lincoln (Pa.) as the only Division III men’s team to have won three or more national indoor titles consecutively.

NCC had three individual-event champions in the national meet. Dan Benton won the 400 meters and anchored the 4x400 relay to victory, and Josh Winder won the pole vault.

North Central won the CCIW title for the 12th-straight time this indoor season.

Recent Winners:

2012: Frank Gramarosso, North Central (Ill.)

2011: Frank Gramarosso, North Central (Ill.)

2010: Al Carius, North Central (Ill.)

2009: Toby Schwarz, Whitworth

2008: Walter Wandall, Moravian

2007: Roger Haynes, Monmouth

National Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Pat Ebel, UW-Oshkosh

Ebel’s UW-Oshkosh throwers to 28 of the team’s 32 team points at the NCAA Championships. Nick Baatz and Pete Delzer finished second and third, respectively, in the shot put. Also, Delzer and Ben Ludtke took 2-3 in the weight throw at the national meet. In total UW-Oshkosh qualified three for the NCAA meet in both the shot put and weight throw.

At the WIAC Championships, Ebel had men finish 2-3-6 in the shot put and 1-2-3-8-10 in the weight throw.

Recent Winners:

2012: Pat Ebel, UW-Oshkosh

2011: Guy Mosher, Central (Iowa)

2010: Tim Winder, North Central (Ill.)

National Women’s Track Athlete of the Year

Nevada Morrison, Wartburg

A senior from Maywood, Ill., Morrison and twin sister Skye, the National Field Athlete of the Year, helped Wartburg to an NCAA team title and a meet-record 99 points. Nevada scored 14 of the points with a national title in the 400 meters with a 55.80 clocking, and by anchoring the Wartburg 4x400 that claim national top honors and neared the meet record with a time of 3:45.66. Nevada also was on Wartburg’s distance medley relay team that finished third.

During the regular season, Nevada ran national top-20 times in the 60 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and 800 meters and was the IIAC champ of the 200, 400, and as part of the squad’s 4x400.

Recent Winners:

2012: Nevada Morrison, Wartburg

2011: Wendy Pavlus, St. Lawrence

2010: Marie Borner, Bethel (Minn.)

2009: Amanda LaRocca, Illinois Wesleyan

2008: Stephanie Herrick, TCNJ

2007: Marcia Taddy, UW Platteville

2006: Amy Ruston, Lehman

National Women’s Field Athlete of the Year

Skye Morrison, Wartburg

Skye Morrison scored 23½ points in the national championship meet – 16 coming from field events. Skye won her second NCAA title in the long jump by over a foot with a meet-record leap of 20-3 (6.17m). She also took fourth in the triple jump. In addition, Morrison took third in the 400 meters and was a member of the squad’s 4x400 team at the national meet.

Skye was the IIAC Champion of the long jump and triple jump.

Recent Winners:

2012: Skye Morrison, Wartburg

2011: Abigail Schaffer, Moravian

2010: Kristen Bates, Messiah

2009: Caitlin Schetter, UW La Crosse

2008: Caitlin Schetter, UW La Crosse

2007: Alecia Watson, CCNY

2006: Robyn Jarocki, UW Oshkosh

National Women’s Coach of the Year

Marcus Newsom, Wartburg

Newsom, in his 14th year as head coach, led the Knights to their third NCAA indoor team title in four years as the squad scored a meet-record of 99 points. Of 16 entries to the national meet, 15 scored and Wartburg claimed four event titles. In addition to the Morrisons taking titles in the 400, long jump, and as part of the 4x400, Laura Sigmund won the 5000 meters.

Newsom also guided his team to the IIAC title as they scored 234½ points.

Recent Winners:

2012: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg

2011: Pat Ebel, UW Oshkosh

2010: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg

2009: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg

2008: Chris Schumacher, Illinois Wesleyan

2007: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg

National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Steve Johnson, Wartburg

In his 11th year working with the national-champion Knights, Johnson had athletes score a 1-2 finish in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Championships. Laura Sigmund took the national crown at the distance while Alana Enabnit took second. The Johnson-led distance medley relay took third at the NCAA Championships.

Recent Winners:

2012: Steve Johnson, Wartburg

2011: Markus Allen, Buffalo State

2010: Katie Wagner, UW La Crosse

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Tom Lewis

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association

Communications Manager

1100 Poydras St., Suite 1750

New Orleans, LA 70163

(O) 504-599-8904 (F) 504-599-8909

Email: tom@ustfccca.org

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