March 19, 2008

BEMIDJI, Minn. - Bemidji State University senior track and field athlete Sheena Devine (North Branch, Minn.) will appear in the next edition of Sports Illustrated. The two-time NCAA Division II indoor and defending outdoor shot put champion has been selected as a focus in the magazine's "Faces In The Crowd" column.

Devine is the second Bemidji State student-athlete ever to appear in the SI feature following the April 25, 1994 appearance of BSU men's ice hockey player Jason Mack.

The North Branch, Minn. native is coming off her second consecutive undefeated indoor shot put season and has not lost to a Division II student-athlete in 22 meets. Saturday, March 15, Devine successfully defended her 2007 NCAA Division II indoor shot put title capturing her third national championship in the event with a school-record toss of 52-02.50 (15.91m). She also earned 11th place in the weight throw--her first trip to the championships in that event

When informed that she will appear in the pages of the sports publication Devine said with a smile, "That's cool." She added, "It's an honor to be recognized in a magazine like this that reaches beyond track and field."

Devine, a three-time All-American, 2008 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Indoor Female Field Athlete of the Year and 2007 Beaver Pride Female Student-Athlete of the Year owns NSIC shot put records both indoor and outdoor and has re-written the BSU track and field record book establishing new indoor shot put and weight throw marks while setting new standards in the outdoor shot and hammer throw.

The March 24 issue of Sports Illustrated will be available on newsstands Tomorrow (Mar. 20). Faces in the Crowd can also be viewed online at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/scorecard/faces/2008/03/24/.

Less than a week removed from the 2008 indoor national championships, Devine and the Beavers have already begun to prepare for the 2008 outdoor season. BSU's first scheduled competition is slated for April 5 at Hamline University in St. Paul. Minn.

--bsu--