Nov. 21, 2008
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IOWA CITY, IA – Iowa senior Racheal Marchand has been named the Midwest Region Women’s Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA in a Thursday release. She is the third consecutive Hawkeye to earn Regional Athlete of the Year honors with Diane Nukuri winning in 2006 and 2007.
The award comes near the end of a stellar season for the senior from Valparaiso, IN. In every race she has competed in this year, she was the top Iowa finisher, including four finishes in the top-five overall. Her win at the Midwest Regionals is the third straight win by an Iowa runner, following Nukuri in 2006 and 2007. She earned all-region honors for her performance as well as being named first team all-Big Ten following her third place finish at the Big Ten Championships. She set a new personal best of 20:27.9 in the 6,000 meters at Pre-Nationals, which ranks fourth on the all-time Iowa cross country times.
Marchand and the Iowa women’s team, as well as individual qualifier Jesse Luciano, will be in action Monday at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, IN. The women will run a 6,000 meter race at approximately 11:08 a.m. CT and the men will follow with a 10,000 meter race at approximately 11:48 a.m.