March 17, 2006

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State's Mandi Zemba has been named the 2006 United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Indoor Athlete of the Year it was announced Friday (March 17). Zemba was the Great Lakes Region Athlete of the Year prior to earning the national honor.

Zemba earned two all-america awards at the 2006 NCAA DII Track & Field Championships in Boston, Mass., placing third in both the mile (4:49.08) and 5000 (16:31.69). Mandi entered the 2006 National Championships with the fastest mile and fifth-fastest 5000. Zemba, a six-time all-american honoree in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, is a two-time individual national champion. Mandi claimed an outdoor national title in the mile as a freshman in 2002, before winning the 2005 cross country individual national

championship.

In addition, GVSU's Nate Peck was named the Great Lakes Region Male Athlete of the Year, while GVSU head coach Jerry Baltes was named the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year. Peck earned a pair of all-american honors with seventh-place finishes in both the mile and 5000. Baltes guided Grand Valley State to its best team finishes at the indoor national championships in school history. The women placed fifth, while the Laker men were 10th. GVSU also won its seventh straight men's and women's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference indoor track & field championship under the direction of Baltes.