Cazzola To Run At USA Track Championships
UW-Oshkosh's Christy Cazzola will compete at the USATF Outdoor Championships this week (June 26-29) in Sacramento, Calif.
Cazzola, who finished her collegiate career during May, will run the 800-meter event on Thursday afternoon. If Cazzola advances, she will run the 800-meter semifinals on Friday night. If Cazzola doesn't qualify in the 800, she will compete in the 1,500-meter run on Friday. The finals for both events are on Sunday.
At the 2013 USA Championships, Cazzola placed 22nd with her 800-meter time of 2:04.08. It was the fastest time ever by a NCAA Division III woman.
Cazzola has clocked the best times of her illustrious career during the past month. She ran the 800 in 2:03.45 at the Nike Festival of Miles on June 5. Cazzola then finished the 1500 in 4:14.20 at the American Milers Club on June 13. She was also victorious with her mile time of 4:36.99 at the Music City Distance Carnival on June 8.
Cazzola won six national titles this year. At the NCAA Indoor Championship, she captured trophies in the mile and 3,000-meter runs, along with the distance medley relay. Cazzola then prevailed in the 800, 1,500 and 5,000-meter events at the NCAA Outdoor Championship.
The Collegiate Women Sports Awards named Cazzola the 2014 Honda Division III Athlete of the Year. She finished her career with 17 national championships – eight indoor, eight outdoor and one cross country.
Cazzola, a 29-year-old mother of two, recently received her third Academic All-America award. She earned her secondary education degree with a 3.34 GPA.
By Jon Feyen