Ashland's Kurt Roberts Named National Field Athlete of the Year; All-Americans Announced

NEW ORLEANS – Saint Augustine’s Josh Scott, Ashland’s Kurt Roberts, Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler, and St. Cloud State’s Heather Miller were recognized Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as recipients of National Athlete of the Year Awards as chosen by the nation’s coaches for the indoor track & field season in Division II.

Roberts, a junior from Lancaster, Ohio, won the NCAA Division II shot put national championship, throwing for a meet record 64-11½ (19.80m) on his fifth-round toss. Roberts won the competition by nearly four feet and extended his personal best that is the best in Division II indoor history. Roberts won the GLIAC Championship by over four foot with a 61-1¼ (18.62m) toss. Roberts marks would also rank No. 2 among all collegians in all divisions this season. Roberts’ season best in the weight throw of 60-4½ (18.40m) finished in the top 20 nationally in DII.  At the national championship Roberts said “I was just tentative (after I fouled on the previous throw). I knew I had to get after it and stop being tentative. Don’t think about anything else just break your fingers off with the finish.”

Kurt Roberts was also named Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA for being the top-ranked shot putter in Division II this season having thrown 64-4½ (19.62m), which is over four feet from the nearest competitor in the division and the best ever in DII history.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) also announced 49 athletes and coaches that received regional awards for their efforts during the 2010 indoor track & field season in NCAA’s Division II as voted by the nation’s coaches. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was represented by Roberts, Saginaw Valley State University's Tony Filipek, and Ashland University's Steph Tinney and Kelly Ash. Ashland's  Jud Logan was named Men's Midwest Region Coach of the Year while Grand Valley State University's Jerry Baltes was named Women's Midwest Region Coach of the Year.

Heading into NCAA competition, Filipek was the nation’s leader in the 800 meters, having clocked 1:50.57 in winning the GLIAC title. Filipek would  finish fourth in the 800-meter run with a final time of 1:51.89. Along with the NCAA entry in the 800 meters, Filipek competed Cardinal DMR at the NCAA Championships, which took ninth place overall clocking in at 10:24.60. Filipek is a senior from Caro, Mich.

Tinney, the GLIAC Female Runner of the Year, was ranked second in the NCAA at 400 meters with a season best and GLIAC record of 55.33 which was recorded in winning the conference title. Tinney won gold at the national championship by completing the 400 meters in 54.73. In addition to her NCAA entry with the 400-meter dash, Tinney is also a member of Ashland’s 4x400-meter relay team that competed at the national meet. Tinney placed second at the GLIAC Championships in the 200 meters and has also recorded a top 25 national mark in the 800 meters (2:14.69). Tinney is a junior from Norwalk, Ohio.

Ash is the nation’s top performer and the only one to throw over 50 feet in the shot put this season in Division II, having marked a 50-1¾ (15.28m) toss at the All-Ohio Championships in mid-February. Ash won gold at the national championship meet with a throw of 51-1.Ash, a sophomore from Coshocton, Ohio, won the GLIAC Championship with the shot. Ash is also a national qualifier in the weight throw, carding a season best of 60-¼ (18.29m) at the Division II Team Challenge at Findlay.

Logan’s Ashland Eagles ranked third nationally heading into the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, with top qualifiers including Kurt Roberts, ranked first in Division II and second among all NCAA athletes in the shot put, and Carsten Krohn, second-ranked heptathlete headed into the Championships. The Eagles finished second at the GLIAC Indoor Championships and achieved 21 automatic or provisional marks over the course of the indoor season.

Baltes guided the Grand Valley State Lakers to a 2010 GLIAC Indoor Championship and a number two national ranking heading into the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. The GLIAC title was the eleventh-straight for Baltes and earned him the 2010 GLIAC Indoor Coach of the Year award. The Lakers will look to make a run at the NCAA team Championship with 16 women qualified to the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships.

USTFCCCA Division II Indoor Track & Field All-Americans

MEN

WOMEN