It’s an exciting time for St. Lawrence sports, as one of their own, Wendy Pavlus ‘11, has been nominated as a candidate for the 2009-2010 Division III Athlete of the Year by the Board of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards. The results of this nomination will be announced on June 21, 2010 at a press conference in Los Angeles, CA.
Pavlus proved herself throughout the season, and it was noticed by many. St. Lawrence Cross Country head coach, Mike Howard said, “Wendy enjoyed an outstanding season this fall and had an absolutely unforgettable run on Saturday at the NCAA Championship race. I am so excited and proud to see that she is receiving this recognition as it is very well-deserved.”
She finished first out of 73 in the Ronald C. Hoffman Invitational and 31st out of 363 total runners in the Paul Short Invitational. Of the 59 competitors at the Plattsburg Cardinal Meet, Pavlus finished in second place. At the 2009 Liberty League Championships, Pavlus followed closely behind two St. Lawrence teammates, coming in third in the 6k course with a time of 22:44. Her success continued at the NYSCTC Cross Country Championships, earning the second place spot with a 5k time of 18:06. From there Pavlus made her way into the NCAA Cross Country Nationals with first place spots in the Saratoga Invitational and the NCAA Atlantic Regional.
Pavlus was named the 2009 NCAA Division III Cross Country champion on Saturday, November 21st. She completed the course in 21:28, giving her not only a winning time but a new course record. Pavlus smoked the competition, finishing 17 seconds ahead of the next contender.
This nomination builds on the success Pavlus has been experiencing as she was also named the 2009 USTFCCCA Women’s Athlete of the Year. She also received her first, well-earned and much deserved, All-America status this year. The Tupper Lake, NY native comments on the season, “This season has been very exciting! Running at nationals last year motivated me for this year.” In addition to her excellence in cross country, we can continue to be amazed by her modesty and appreciation for others around her.
Pavlus attributes much of her success to her team and coaching staff, “Our team was amazing this year. Everything that has been accomplished is due to the fact that we can all depend on each other for help when it is needed. I have had so many people help me, our coach Mike Howard always listens to my concerns and the team has created such an eventful season along with so many others.”
Pavlus stated, “Amy Farrell, my high school coach, gave me the inspiration I needed to use today and I owe my success to her.”
After all of these accomplishments, we congratulate Wendy and look forward to what she does next year.
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