NDSU Women Sweep Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year Awards

ELMHURST, Ill. - North Dakota State senior Whitney Carlson was voted The Summit League Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year and senior Christine Schmaltz was named Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year in a vote of the league's head coaches. The duo also won the league indoor Athlete of the Year awards.

Carlson earns her first career Outdoor Athlete of the Year award after winning four Summit League titles in the 100 meter hurdles, 400 meter hurdles, long jump and heptathlon.  She was named Track Championship MVP and Field Championship MVP for her performance.  At the NCAA Championships, she finished fifth in the heptathlon with a school record 5,556 points to earn first team All-America honors.  She took ninth in the long jump with a season-best mark of 20-10 3/4 to claim second team All-America honors.  The recipient of the NCAA Elite 88 Award for the championship participant with the highest GPA, she was also a Capital One Academic All-America first team selection.

Schmaltz claims her first Track Athlete of the Year award after winning Summit League titles in the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters.  It was her second straight outdoor title in the 800 meters.  She was a second team All-America selection after finishing ninth in the 800 meters at the NCAA Championships.  She is ranked second all-time at NDSU in the 800 meters after running a time of 2:02.77 at the American Milers Club High Performance Series.

Both Carlson and Schmaltz will compete at the U.S. Championships in Eugene, Ore. this weekend.  Schmaltz will run the 800 meters, while Carlson will compete in the long jump and heptathlon.