Pixler Named National Runner of Year
History-Making Falcon Senior Captures USTFCCCA Honor for Third Straight Time
Jessica Pixler has added another national honor to her vast colletion of them.
11/24/2009 7:40:47 PM
SEATTLE – The three-peats continue for Jessica Pixler.
The Seattle Pacific senior, who made history last Saturday in Evansville, Ind., by becoming the first woman to win three straight NCAA Division II cross country championships, has been named the Female National Cross Country Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Pixler (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake HS) led the race virtually from start to finish, and completed 6 kilometers at the University of Southern Indiana in 20 minutes, 22.9 seconds. That was nearly seven seconds faster than runner-up Sarah Porter of Western Washington.
The NCAA title came on the heels of Pixler completing a four-year career sweep of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and NCAA West Regional championships. She won the GNAC on Oct. 24 and the regionals on Nov. 7. Both of her times – 21:03 for GNAC at Yakima’s Apple Ridge Run, and 20:08.9 for regionals at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park – broke her own course records.
Earlier, Pixler was named the West Region Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year, and was tabbed by the GNAC as its female Runner of the Year.
While Pixler is the first Division II woman with three consecutive cross country wins, two others have accomplished that feat at different levels: Sally Kipeygo of Texas Tech in Division I (2006-07-08) and Missy Buttry of Wartburg in Division III (2002-03-04).
Pixler’s NCAA title was the ninth of her career. In addition to the three cross country crowns, she has four championships for indoor track and two for outdoor track.