FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
USTFCCCA Release

May 18, 2009-- After putting together a monster month of May that included a conference title and a national record in the pole vault, North Central College's Rachel Secrest has been honored as the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USFTCCCA) Field Athlete of the Year for the Midwest Region.

Secrest, the defending NCAA Division III indoor champion in the pole vault, claimed her second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Outdoor Championship on May 1 before establishing a new Division III pole vault record on May 8 at North Central's Dr. Keeler Track and Field Invitational at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, clearing 13 feet, 2 1/4 inches (4.02 meters). The junior would further improve her mark the following week; winning the event with a vault of 13 feet, 5 1/4 inches on May 15 at the Gregory Invitational.

The versatile athlete also turned in a third place showing at the CCIW Championships in the long jump with a provisional qualifying leap of 18 feet, 1/2 inch while placing ninth in the 100 meter hurdles after clocking a 16.64.

Secrest is one of six Cardinals making the trek to Marietta, Ohio for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships beginning Thursday, March 21 and running through Saturday. The pole vault competition is slated to begin on Friday at 4 p.m. (Eastern Time).