Miami's Kristina Bolterstein Receives Regional Field Athlete of the Year Award

Story courtesy of Miami Athletic Media Relations

 

OXFORD, Ohio - After tying the all-time Mid-American Conference high jump record and winning her second straight indoor conference high jump title, Miami University junior Kristina Bolterstein (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Midpark) has been named as the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Great Lakes Region Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. The men's and women's winners from all nine regions were announced yesterday.

 

Compiling one of the best indoor seasons in program history, Bolterstein put together an impressive list of accomplishments as a junior. Bolterstein opened the season by ripping off a MAC-record jump of 6-1 1/2 at the Findlay Open, becoming the first female in school history and the seventh in conference history to clear six feet in the high jump. She also equaled the all-time conference indoor high jump standard set by Kent State's Alexandra Church on March 14, 2003 and qualified automatically for the 2007 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

 

In addition, Bolterstein earned MAC Field Athlete of the Week honors on Feb. 6 after winning the high jump at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational, and she successfully defended her conference high jump title at the 2007 MAC Championships. Bolterstein cleared 5-10 at the MAC meet, which was 1.5 inches better than the second-place jumper, and became the fifth Miami athlete in the past seven seasons to win conference titles in consecutive seasons. All told, Bolterstein won five high jump competitions during the indoor season.

 

Bolterstein is one of Miami's two national qualifiers this season, as junior pole vaulter Sarah Landau will join her at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. After having the top high jump clearance in the nation for the majority of the season (6-1 1/2), Bolterstein enters the competition ranked fourth nationally.  

 

2007 USTFCCCA AWARD WINNERS

GREAT LAKES REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Ed Nuttycombe, University of Wisconsin

Women's Coach of the Year: James Henry, University of Michigan

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Scott Mayle, Ohio University

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Kristina Bolterstein, Miami University (Ohio)

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Chris Solinsky, University of Wisconsin

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Nicole Edwards, University of Michigan

 

MID-ATLANTIC REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Fred Samara, Princeton University

Women's Coach of the Year: Kevin Donner, Bucknell

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Ryan Fritz, Penn State

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Gayle Hunter, Penn State

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Sam Bair, Pittsburgh

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Frances Koons, Villanova

 

MIDWEST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Chris Bucknam, University of Northern Iowa

Women's Coach of the Year: Matt Bingle, University of Minnesota

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Raven Cepeda, University of Northern Iowa

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Brittany Riley, Southern Illinois University

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Aaron Buzard, Minnesota

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Kineke Alexander, University of Iowa

 

MOUNTAIN REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Mark Robison, Brigham Young University

Women's Coach of the Year: Craig Poole, Brigham Young University

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Mikael Hanany, UTEP

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Ellie Rudy, Montana State

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Lopez Lomong, Northern Arizona

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech

 

NORTHEAST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Nathan Taylor, Cornell University

Women's Coach of the Year: Bill Morgan, University of Connecticut

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Muhammad Halim, Cornell University

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Sarah Wilfred, Cornell University

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: David Proctor, Boston University

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Morgan Uceny, Cornell University

 

SOUTH REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Bob Braman, Florida State University

Women's Coach of the Year: J.J. Clark, University of Tennessee

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Cory Martin, Auburn University

Women's Co-Field Athletes of the Year: Britney Reese, University of Mississippi, and Patricia Sylvester, University of Georgia

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Rubin Williams, University of Tennessee Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Kerron Stewart, Auburn University

 

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Bubba Thornton, University of Texas

Women's Coach of the Year: Pat Henry, Texas A&M

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Andra Manson, University of Texas

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Destinee Hooker, University of Texas

Men's Co-Track Athletes of the Year: Leo Manzano, University of Texas, and Reggie Witherspoon, Baylor University

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Jessica Ohanaja, Louisiana State University

 

SOUTHEAST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Bob Pollack, Clemson University

Women's Coach of the Year: Dave Cianelli, Virginia Tech

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Tone Belt, University of Louisville

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Yvette Lewis, Hampton University

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Jacoby Ford, Clemson University

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Natasha Hastings, University of South Carolina

 

WEST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Greg Metcalf, University of Washington

Women's Coach of the Year: Greg Kraft, Arizona State University

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Norris Frederick, University of Washington

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Sarah Stevens, Arizona State University

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Russell Brown, Stanford University

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Amy Hastings, Arizona State University