DC Ends 15th in Nation, Postema Regional Athlete of the Year

NEW ORLEANS – The spectacular season for the Defiance College men's track and field team continued after it finished 15th in Div. III for its highest ever ranking and its top athlete, senior Tom Postema, was selected as the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year on Friday, May 17. [Release] 

After an outstanding indoor campaign by Postema that included National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American Honors in the weight throw and hurling the third-longest mark in Div. III history for the event, the Defiance, Ohio, native lived up to the high standards he established for himself.

Postema went on to set the new school record in each of the hammer throw (65.80 meters), discus (56.27m) and shot put (17.04m), which placed him first, second and tenth in the Div. III national rankings, respectively. The senior's mark in the hammer put him in the Div. III record books, as it was the second-longest recorded throw.

This marks the third-straight track and field season that Postema has earned the honor of Great Lakes Regional Field Athlete of the Year. The region includes division III colleges and universities from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan and is awarded based on votes by all its coaches.

For the Yellow Jacket men's track and field team as a whole, its top running and throwing performers carried the team to a final USTFCCCA poll ranking of 15th in the country for the best mark in school history. This talented team accomplished the same feat during the indoor season when the squad finished 18th nationally.

To conclude the season, Postema will be competing in the NCAA Div. III Championships starting on Thursday, May 23 at 5:10 p.m. where will be competing in the discus. The senior will then toss for the title in the hammer throw at 2:05 p.m. on Friday, May 24. He will then wrap up the championships Saturday, May 25 with the shot put beginning at 4:05 p.m. Links will be posted in the schedule center regarding live results and live video of the championships.