May 30, 2001
Megan Pierce Named Women's Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Calvin senior Megan Pierce has been named the Women's NCAA
Division III Great Lakes Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and
Field Coaches Association.
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana and a graduate of Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran
High School, Pierce is the second member of the Calvin women's track and field
team to receive the award as Sarah Gritter was so honored a year ago.
Pierce capped off an amazing four-year collegiate career last weekend at the
NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Decatur, Illinois as she
posted three All-America performances including one national championship
effort. At the national meet hosted by Millikin University, Pierce took second
in the 400 meters with a time of 54.22 as she was nosed out for first place by
two-hundreths of a second. In the 4 x 100 meter relay, Pierce anchored Calvin's
team to a fifth place finish with a time of 47.66. In the 4 x 400 meter relay,
Pierce anchored Calvin's team to a first place and school record time of 3:43.24
with Pierce running a blazing split of 53.21 on the anchor leg. Calvin's time
of 3:43.24 is the third fastest time in the history of NCAA Division III women's
track and field. It also marked the third consecutive national championship
performance by Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team.
The trio of All-America efforts by Pierce helped the Calvin women's track and
field team post its highest national team finish as the Knights earned national
runner-up honors with a second place total of 49 points.
Pierce completed her Calvin track and field career as a nine-time All-American,
earning the the citation four times in the 400 meters, four times in the 4 x 400
meter relay and once in the 4 x 100 meter relay. In addition, Pierce earned
five national championship plaques as she captured individual national titles in
the 400 meters in 1999 and 2000 and in the 4 x 400 meter relay in 1999, 2000 and
2001.
Earlier this spring, Pierce was named the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic
Association's Most Valuable Runner for the third consecutive year in women's
track and field. At the MIAA Championships, Pierce captured first place in the
400 meters for the fourth consecutive year, becoming the first women's track and
field athlete in MIAA history to win the event four straight years at the league
meet. Pierce also anchored Calvin's 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relay teams to
first place performances at the MIAA Championships with the 4 x 400 meter relay
team clocking in with an MIAA record time of 3:50.68. For her efforts, Pierce
was named to the All-MIAA track and field team for the fourth consecutive year.
At the Hillsdale Relays April 28, Pierce captured the 400 meters with a
meet-record time of 54.15 which stood up as the fastest time in NCAA Division
III women's track and field this spring. She also anchored Calvin's 4 x 100
meter relay team to a first place and school record time of 47.30. Pierce was
then named the Women's Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet.
Pierce owns Calvin records in the 200 meters (24.72) and 400 meters (53.97) and
also holds the MIAA record in the 400 meters as she clocked in with a time of
54.50 at the 2000 MIAA Championships.
"Megan has had an unbelievable track and field career at Calvin College," said
women's track and field coach Ralph Honderd. "She has been a pleasure to coach
and it has been wonderful to watch her grow both as an athlete and as a person.
She served as one of our team captains this year and really did a great job in
that role. Her work ethic and leadership skills were invaluable to our team's
success this spring."
Calvin captured the MIAA women's track and field title for an unprecedented 12th
consecutive year this spring as the Knights scored a first place total of 350
points at the league meet and posted a 6-0 MIAA dual meet record. During the
four-year career of Pierce, Calvin recorded an MIAA dual meet record of 26-0.
Calvin's second place finish at the NCAA III Championships also marked its
fourth top-four national finish including its second in the last three years.
-end-
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