Nowak Places 12th in Pentathlon at NCAA Indoor Championships

Friday, March 11

College Station, Texas

TBA

University of Northern Iowa

NCAA Indoor Championships

Nowak Places 12th in Pentathlon at NCAA Indoor Championships

3/11/2011 7:00:00 AM | Track and Field

By: UNI Athletics Communications

March 11, 2011

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – University of Northern Iowa junior Olimpia Nowak recorded her best finish yet at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, taking 12^th place in the pentathlon Friday afternoon. Nowak totaled 3,947 points for her second-best output of the 2011 indoor season.

Nowak opened the competition with a time of 8.73 seconds in the 60m hurdles to post the 11^th-fastest time and score 967 points. She gained another 736 points by clearing 5-03.00 (1.60m) in the high jump.

Nowak posted the sixth-best mark in the shot put with a throw of 39-10.00 (12.14m) and jumped 18-05.00 (5.61m) in the long jump. She concluded the day with an indoor personal-best time in the 800m, crossing the line in 2:18.62 for the seventh-fastest time and 842 points.

“Olimpia really battled today,” said UNI head track and field coach Dan Steele. “I am most proud of the way she kept her head in the game even when she wasn't happy with herself. She showed a level of emotional maturity that will pay off in the future.”

Nowak entered the competition ranked No. 14 in the nation. She will be recognized as a second-team All-American by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for her 12^th-place finish.

Oregon's Brianne Theisen won the event with a collegiate-record 4,540 points.

In her NCAA Championships debut as a freshman in 2008, Nowak placed 14th in the pentathlon with a score of 3,878 points. She also qualified for the heptathlon at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships and took 11th place with a career-best score of 5,415 points over the seven events.