Mitchell Repeats As NCAA Midwest Region Athlete Of The Year

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Sr. • New Richmond) as its NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Midwest Region Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Mitchell was one of eight award winners, with the others being Wendy Pavlus of St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) in the Atlantic Region, Marie Borner of Bethel University (Minn.) in the Central Region, Katie Navarre of Denison University (Ohio) in the Great Lakes Region, Jenn Cronin of Lebanon Valley College (Pa.) in the Mideast Region, Jacqui Wentz of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the New England Region, Caitlin Masse of Trinity University (Texas) in the South/Southeast Region and Alicia Freese of Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.) in the West Region. Pavlus and Borner were also honored for the second straight year.

Mitchell is unbeaten in her last four races, including runs at the WIAC Championship held Oct. 31 and the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional held Nov. 14. She also won the Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 2 and the UW-Oshkosh Invitational on Oct. 17. Mitchell finished second at the Carroll University Invitational held Sept. 12 and the Roy Griak Invitational held Sept. 26.

Last year, Mitchell finished third at the NCAA Division III Championship to earn All-America honors. She took first place at the Carroll University Invitational, Calvin College Invitational, Notre Dame Invitational and NCAA Division III Midwest Regional.

Mitchell captured All-America honors with a 13th-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Division III Championship.

Mitchell, who transferred to UW-Oshkosh after one season at the University of Minnesota, competes at the NCAA Division III Championship on Saturday (Nov. 21) in Highland Hills, Ohio.