RELEASED:  Wednesday, November 21, 2007

UW-Platteville’s Sigl Named Male Athlete of the Year; Jordahl and Witt Also Honored

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Tyler Sigl has been named the 2007 NCAA Division III Male Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). UW-River Falls’ Becca Jordahl claimed the Midwest Region honor, while UW-Stevens Point head coach Rick Witt earned the region’s men’s coaching honor.

Sigl won the individual national title this season and became only the 13th runner in NCAA Division III history to earn four All-American awards.   He placed 10th at the national meet a year ago, fourth in 2005 and 14th in 2004.

The senior from Seymour, Wis. is just the third runner from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) to win a NCAA Division III individual title after clocking a time of 24:24 on the 8,000-meter championship course.   UW-La Crosse’s Brett Altergott won the national meet in 1997, while UW-Stevens Point’s Arnie Schraeder won the 1986 event.

Sigl was named the Midwest Region Male Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA earlier this month.

UW-River Falls’ Becca Jordahl claimed the Midwest Region Female Athlete of the Year.   She became the first Falcon to win a regional title when she covered the 6,000-meter course in a Falcon record-setting time of 21:05.21.  Jordahl beat the second-place finisher, UW-Oshkosh’s Ayla Mitchell, by 13 seconds.   At the WIAC meet this year, Mitchell beat Jordahl by two seconds.

Witt directed a UW-Stevens Point program that gave conference powerhouse UW-La Crosse a battle at the NCAA Midwest Regional, scoring 76 points to finish second by six points and earn an automatic NCAA bid.  The Pointers finished second by 25 points to the Eagles at the WIAC meet.  Witt is in his 30th season as UW-Stevens Point’s head coach.