| With the performances of both Tim Moses (PV) and Trevor Stutzman (SP) the Messiah men finished 13th at the NCAA Championships! |
Final Results (Men's Shot Put page 29)
Winston-Salem, NC – Messiah College senior
Trevor Stutzman collected a personal record 57'11" in the Shot Put at the Division III National Championships on Saturday to place fifth overall among a strong field. The mark solidified the third All-American honor of his career following respective eighth- and fifth-place finishes at the Indoor and Outdoor Shot Put last year.
Stutzman collected his best mark of the day on his final throw, one attempt after he measured past 59' on a faulted throw.
"I really felt good today, and I tried to warm-up well and amp it up more and more as I went on," Stutzman said, commenting on his approach. "I was the sixth of nine to make it through prelims, but it was really close."
True to his point, Stutzman made the finals cut by just four centimeters, though three others did much of the same. Once in the finals, his early throws put him fourth in the field. After more throws, he fell back a bit before entering his last two attempts.
"My second-to-last throw was the best of my life," Stutzman said of his throw that went mroe than 59'. "It was too bad that I faulted on it, but I regained my focus and got my best mark of the day to finish it out."
"Trevor's performance is just great," Messiah head coach
Dale Fogelsanger said. "He was injured in January but he stayed steady toward his goal, and his confidence at the 'big show' is evident in this result.
"He is a very focused and driven student-athlete, and we're really proud of him."
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Stutzman entered the Championships this weekend with a seed mark of 56'11.5", which was itself a personal record before today. But as good as the at mark was, it was earned in early December before Stutzman was shut down with an injury. His best throw after returning to action was 56'1.75", earned in a gold-medal performance at the MAC Championships in late February.
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The throw at MACs turned out to be a sign of things to come for Stutzman and Messiah, as he answered the bell on a big stage on Saturday.
