Simon Fraser University middle distance runner Lindsey Butterworth was named the Great Northwest conference indoor track and field athlete of the year, while Clan graduate student Jennifer Johnson and freshman Paige Nock also won special awards.
Butterworth, a senior from North Vancouver completed a brilliant 2015 season and indoor career, winning the women’s 800-metre title in a time of 2:08.44 at the recent NCAA national meet in Birmingham, Alabama.
Butterworth, who had the season-best time in NCAA Division II in both the 800 (2:06.56) and mile (4:44.80), also anchored SFU’s second-place distance medley relay team that set a conference record at the nationals with a time of 11:28.28.
Prior to the national meet she claimed three Great Northwest titles to bring her career total to seven. She won the 800 in a time of 2:08.44 and also won the mile (4:55.34) and the distance medley relay (11:59.08) for the third time in each.
Johnson, who hails from Corvallis, Oregon earned the Great Northwest female newcomer of the year award, while Nock was voted the top female freshman in the conference.
Johnson, who sat out her final two years at Georgetown due to injuries prior to transferring to SFU to attend graduate school, earned All-American honors in the 3,000m, placing third in a time of 9:26.82 and breaking the old NCAA national meet record in the process.
In the conference meet, Johnson set a meet record time of 9:47.6 in winning the 3,000m. She was also a member of SFU’s winning distance relay team, which posted a 11:59.08.
Read an inspirational account of Johnson’s road to becoming a three-time All-American – she was SFU’s only All-American in cross country this season – in the Burnaby NOW here: http://www.burnabynow.com/sports/running-down-a-dream-corrected-1.1798317
Nock became a two-time All-American in her freshman season. The native of Courtice, Ont., ran the third leg of the women’s distance medley relay that placed second at the national championships in a conference record time. Nock also ran a personal best in the 800m at nationals, covering the distance in 2:12.11 to place 11th in the heats, narrowly missing the cut-off for the final. Her time was enough to earn second team All-American honours.
Nock was second to Butterworth in the women's 800m at the Great Northwest championships.
The outdoor track and field season begins this Saturday with Clan athletes attending the UBC Open and the Spring Break Open in Seattle, Washington.
