Nov. 16, 2007
IOWA CITY, IA – Hawkeye senior cross country runner Diane Nukuri has been named Midwest Region Women’s Athlete of the Year. The announcement came today from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The Pickering, Ontario, native became the Midwest region champion for the second year in a row, beating the next runner by nearly 30 seconds and tying the school record with a time of 19:37. Nukuri was the 2006 champion with a time of 20:34. She is the only Hawkeye to ever win two regional titles.
Nukuri has run in five races this season and won four. She set four school records and four course records. Her Big Ten championship title this year shattered the school and course records by over 45 seconds with a time of 19:37.60. She was the first Hawkeye to win the Big Ten meet since Tracy Dahl in 1992.
“Diane has had a tremendous career and we’re all very proud of her achievements,” said Coach Layne Anderson. “She’s been an excellent role model for the squad. Diane has one very big competition left and I’m certain she’ll leave nothing on the table.”
The women’s team will end itsseason Monday at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, IN. The women will be running a 6K at Noon (CST) at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center. The event will air live on CSTV, with live webcasts on www.cstv.com and www.ustfccca.org. This will be Iowa’s second straight year competing as a team at the national meet.
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