TWO FERRIS TRACK ATHLETES EARN ALL-AMERICA HONORS

Mikinzie Stuart & Matt Jozwiak Named To USTFCCCA All-America Team

The two FSU student-athletes were recognized by the USTFCCCA after successful performances at the 2009 NCAA-II Indoor Championships held this past weekend (March 13-14) in conjunction with the NCAA Division II Winter National Championships Festival in Houston, Texas.

Stuart placed seventh for the Bulldogs in the final round of the women's one mile run as she clocked 4:58.59 in Saturday's event final. Jozwiak also earned All-America honors as he took seventh place in the men's 800 meters with a time of 1:54.75 on Saturday. The top eight finishers in each event earned All-America status.

Mikinzie Stuart

Matt Jozwiak

Stuart previously placed fifth in the first heat of the women's one mile run prelims on Friday (March 13) with a time of 4:56.46 while Jozwiak took sixth place in the second heat of the preliminary men's 800 meters on Friday. His opening-round time of 1:54.65 enabled him to be the final qualifier in the event.

FSU sophomore Tina Muir (St. Albans, U.K.) also competed at the national meet, but came up short of earning All-America kudos on Saturday in the women's 5,000 meters as she placed 12th overall (17:28.90) in the field. She held the ninth-best (16:57.70) overall seed time of the 16 individuals who took part in the one section final heading into the national championships.

Both the Bulldog men's and women's indoor squads earned two points apiece at the national meet under interim head coach Steve Picucci by virtue of the two All-America finishes.

Jozwiak is only the second FSU men's track and field athlete since 1993 and the first in three years to claim Division II All-America status at either the indoor or outdoor national meets. This year represents the fifth-straight year at least one Ferris women's athlete has received All-America laurels at the indoor nationals.

Stuart previously claimed indoor All-America accolades in 2006 as a member of FSU's record-setting distance medley relay team. This year marked both Jozwiak's and Muir's initial appearances at the national track and field championships although Muir claimed All-America honors last fall by finishing 12th overall at the NCAA-II National Cross Country Championships held in Slippery Rock, Pa.

The University of Houston hosted the 2009 NCAA Division II Winter National Championships Festival. During this Olympic-type event, more than 800 student-athletes battled for NCAA titles in men's and women's track and field, men's and women's swimming and diving, and wrestling. The festival is being held over a five-day period with all events being held in the Houston area. The primary goal of this festival is to enhance the student-athlete collegiate experience and, at the same time, create awareness and exposure for Division II sports by hosting multiple championships in a specified time period at one specific location.

The complete USTFCCCA All-America Teams can be found at the links below:
USTFCCCA Women's All-America Team (PDF)
USTFCCCA Men's All-America Team (PDF)

More information & results from the NCAA-II Championships can be found at this link:
NCAA-II Championships Results