Postema Wins Athlete of the Year, DC Celebrates Top Season

NEW ORLEANS – Defiance College's men's track and field team continued to gain recognition from their performance in the 2013 indoor season on Wednesday, March 6 when senior Tom Postema was named National Collegiate Athletic Association Div. III Great Lakes Region Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. [Release]

A senior from Defiance, Ohio, Postema became the second-best performer in the history of the Div. III weight throw this season with a mark of  20.72 meters, a quarter-inch short of 68 feet, and he is ranked 17th in the event this season among all divisions. The Tinora High product is the top seed in the weight throw and 11th seed in the shot put heading into the NCAA Championships this weekend. Postema earned HCAC Championships Field Athlete of the Meet honors after tossing a conference championship record in the weight throw and a win in the shot put. The senior excelled at the All-Ohio Div. III Championships by winning the weight throw in meet-record fashion, along with taking home the shot put title.

This honor is just another accolade the Yellow Jacket men's track and field team can add to its stellar season. As a team, DC cracked the Top-25 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Poll for the first time in school history and finished the year ranked 18th for its highest-ever ranking. The squad also ended eighth in the Great Lakes Region, which was also a school-best mark.

Postema will be competing in the NCAA Div. III Championships starting on Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. where will be competing in the weight throw. The senior will then battle in the shot put at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Links will be posted in the schedule center regarding live results and live video of the championships.