Complete USTFCCCA Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - For the second straight year, Illinois Wesleyan senior Amanda LaRocca and head coach Chris Schumacher have been honored as Midwest Region women's track athlete and coach of the year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The USTFCCCA announced on Wednesday, March 10, the 72 athletes, assistant coaches and head coaches that received regional awards for their efforts during the 2010 indoor track & field season in NCAA's Division III as voted by the nation's coaches.

The awards will be presented at a banquet Thursday evening at Greencastle, Ind., site of the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend.

LaRocca (Palatine, Ill., HS) scored a total of 35 points at the 2010 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin indoor championships to lead Illinois Wesleyan to the team title. Her top finishes include first place in the 55 meters and 55-meter hurdles and fourth place in the 200 meters.
She heads into the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships with the fourth best time in the 55-meter hurdles at 8.25 and eighth best time in the 55 meters at 7.16.

In his 13th season, Schumacher coached Illinois Wesleyan to its third straight CCIW conference title, scoring a conference record 252 points. Schumacher coached conference champions in the sprints, hurdles, 4x400-meter relay, and horizontal jumps.
The Titans enter the NCAA Championships ranked fourth in the nation with nine entries into the national meet.