March 16, 2008

Mankato, Minn. - The United State Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its 2008 men's and women's indoor track and field All-Americans on Sunday, a list which included 20 honors for Grand Valley State University. The Lakers earned 11 USTFCCCA All-American honors on the women's side and another nine on the men's team. GVSU also earned two individual national championships: Maegan Doyen in the high jump and Bryant Wilson in the pole vault.

The women's awards were headlined by Doyen's first-place finish in the high jump. She was joined on the All-American list by four other field athletes. Dianna Noonan and Miranda Farr both earned the honors in the pole vault, while Kathie Posa and Mary Bogner were both All-Americans in the weight throw.

Candice Wheat (60-meter hurdles) and Katherine McCarthy (800 meter) were the two individual runners to earn the All-American plaudits for Grand Valley State University. The distance medley relay team, which consisted of McCarthy, Katie Mandziara, Katie Alfredson and Kelly Gibbons also received the honors.

On the men's side, there were five individual All-Americans. Nate Peck and Nick Polk both received the honors for their performances in the 5000-meter run. Todd Schuster's finish in the 800-meter run was also good enough to earn the plaudits. Wilson was named a USTFCCCA All-American following his first-place finish in the pole vault, and Ryan Rademacher followed that up with an All-American honor of his own, coming in the long jump.

The men's distance medley relay, comprised of Polk, Peck, Schuster and Troy Rock finished first in their event and were all subsequently named All-Americans.