February 26, 2005

BEMIDJI , Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships concluded on Saturday with the NSIC crowning two new team champions with the exit of Minnesota Duluth from the conference. With a total of 146 points, Northern State University claimed the men's title while Winona State University blew away the rest of the competition by nearly 100 points to grab the women's title.

For the men, James McNear of Concordia University, St. Paul was the high points performer of the meet and was also named the NSIC's Male Track Athlete of the Year. McNear grabbed first place finishes in the 55-meter hurdles (7.96), the high jump (6-8 1/2), and the triple jump (45-6 3/4). McNear also added a second place finish in the long jump with his leap of 22-1 1/2.

Winona State's Deidra Faber was crowned the Female Track Athlete of the Year for her season-long efforts. Faber grabber her first title in the heptathlon setting a new NSIC record with 3320 points. This weekend Faber finished first in the 55-meter dash (7.46), the 200-meter dash (26.06), the 400-meter dash (58.26) and the long jump (18-3 1/2).

Adam Wilson and Ashley Spolarich, both of Bemidji State, each added to their historic years. Wilson out-tossed the rest of the competition by nearly a foot on his way to a first place finish in the weight throw with his toss of 53-10 1/2 . He would finish atop the leader board in the shot put as well with his toss of 51-2 1/4.

Spolarich came up just short in the high jump in a fourth jump, jump-off between Tanna Walford of Wayne State and Hillary Cunningham of Winona State. Spolarich finished in a tie for second with Cunningham after clearing 5-6 1/4 on her third attempt at that height. Walford, named the NSIC's Female Athlete of the Year, finished in first as she was able to clear 5-7 1/4 on her fourth jump.

For her efforts throughout the season, Spolarich was named the NSIC's Female Newcomer of the Year. Spolarich also grabbed a second place finish in the 800-meter run (2:23.52) and a fifth place finish in the triple jump (31-1 3/4).

Northern State collected two conference awards as Matt Walberg was named the Men's Newcomer of the Year and Jim Fuller was named the Men's Coach of the Year.

Mason Rebarchek, in his first year as head coach, was named the Men's Coach of the Year.