RELEASED:  Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Four Earn USTFCCCA Midwest Region Awards

MADISON, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals have collected awards from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2009 outdoor track and field season.  UW-Oshkosh’s Willy Kaul and Ayla Mitchell were named the NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men’s and Women’s Track Athletes of the Year, respectively, while UW-La Crosse’s Bobby Riley claimed the Midwest Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year honor.  UW-La Crosse assistant coach Travis Erickson was named the Midwest Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year.

A senior from Menomonee Falls, Wis. (Milwaukee Lutheran), Kaul leads the NCAA Division III in both the 5,000-meter run (14:07.72) and the 10,000-meter run (29:38.85), and he achieved the second-fastest time of the season in the 1,500-meter event.

Mitchell, a senior from New Richmond, Wis., was victorious in the 800-meter run, 1,500-meter run and the 5,000-meter run at the WIAC championship, becoming the first individual in conference listings to pull off a triple win at the meet.  She has the fastest qualifier in NCAA Division III in the 1,500-meter event at 4:20.78 and the fourth-best mark in the 5,000-meter run among declared competitors.

A senior from Wittenberg, Wis. (Wittenberg-Birnamwood), Riley was the WIAC Field Performer of the Meet after securing conference championships in the discus, javelin and shot put.  His best marks of 58- 4 3/4 (17.80m) in the shot put and 177-0 (53.95m) in the discus are the top marks all season in NCAA Division III.

Erickson, who primarily coaches the jumps, has eight individuals who achieved qualifying marks for the NCAA Division III Championship.  He coached three WIAC champions (long jump, triple jump and high jump) at the outdoor meet.

WIAC All-Americans
NCAA Championship History
Academic All-Americans