Mindy Sawtelle Earns All-America Honors at NCAA Cross Country Championships; Named East Region Athlete of the Year

Complete results

Mindy Sawtelle concluded her stellar collegiate running career by placing 16th at the NCAA Division II cross country meet, held on Saturday in Pomona, Calif.

Sawtelle, who is graduating from IUP next month, posted a time of 22:03 on the 6K course to earn All-America honors for the third time in cross country and lead the Indians to a tenth place finish in the team standings.

Sawtelle led all runners from the East Region for the third straight year after finishing second in 2003 and eighth a year ago.  After the meet, Sawtelle was selected the Athlete of the Year for the East Region.

She has earned a total of eight spots on All-American teams in just three years of competition, tied with Amber Plowden for the most of any track and field/cross country athlete in IUP history. 

Sawtelle's total includes three in outdoor track and field and twice in indoors.

Following Sawtelle to the finish line from IUP was the team's No. 2 runner, junior Nicole Blaesser, who was 49th in 23:00.  Blaesser is in line to take over as the team's top runner upon Sawtelle's graduation.

Rounding out the IUP runners were Erica Hoffman (85th, 23:50), Stacie Stockard (117th, 24:28), Katie Farnsworth (122nd, 24:37), Charlene Wirfel (139th, 25:00 and Meaghan Strong (164th, 25:52).

With 323 points and a tenth place finish, IUP placed ahead of rival Edinboro (13th) for the first time this season.  Kutztown, the third Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference team at the meet, was 15th.

Adams State won the team championship with 54 points, 15 ahead of Grand Valley State.