Drake Named National Track Athlete of the
Year; Juno Wins Regional Honor
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point senior Jesse Drake has been
named the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year by
the National Track and Field Coaches Association.
Drake, a Rhinelander native, was also named the Midwest Region's
Athlete of the Year and his national award was voted on before last
weekend's Division III championships where he captured the national title
in the 5000 meter run.
Leah Juno, a senior on the Pointers' women's team, was named the
Midwest Region's female Athlete of the Year. Rhondale Jones of Lincoln
(Pa.) was the national Athlete of the Year.
Drake had the nation's top times this season in two individual
events and one relay. He had the best time of any Division III runner in
the 5000 meters at 14:27.89, which was done at the national meet. He also
posted the best time in the mile at 4:12.00. His 3000 meters time was
second-best in the country at 8:23.88.
Drake was also a member of the nation's best distance medley relay
performance this season with a time of 9:58.84.
"I'm really happy for him because sometimes as a distance
runner it's difficult to win an award like that," Pointers' coach
Rick Witt said. "Many times people in sprints and jumps are noticed
more because it's easier for them to do multiple events. The fact he
showed his versatility, being able to be one of the top people in three
events is very difficult as a distance runner."
Drake showed plenty of versatility at the national meet, running
the 1600 meters leg on the distance medley relay just 22 minutes after his
victory in the 5000 meters. He was the only athlete to compete in both the
5000 and the distance medley.
"People who weren't there to see him do both of those events
do not realize how difficult that is," Witt added. "Some other
coaches came up to me after the meet and said his effort in those two
events showed how he was definitely deserving of winning this award."
Juno, a senior from Brillion, won the 800 meters title at the
Division III meet with a nation's best time of 2:12.11. She also ran the
opening leg on the third place distance medley relay team, which had a
time of 12:01.45. Juno was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference indoor champion in the 1500 meters this season and was the
Division III outdoor national champion in the 800 meters as a junior.
Juno had the fourth-best time in Division III in the mile this
season at 5:02.45 and had the seventh-best time in the 1500 meters at
4:40.07.
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