Johnson Named National Athlete of the Year
Jesse Robinson
USTFCCCA Release
NEW ORLEANS – Fresh off her national championship run on Saturday, St. Scholastica senior Chelsea Johnson has been named the Division III Women's National Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA); it was announced on Tuesday.
Johnson becomes the first Saint to be named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Year. The North Branch native capped off her career in style by capturing the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship Saturday in Hanover, Ind. The NCAA title was the first in school history.
Johnson won by 11 seconds on Saturday with a time of 21:11.7, pulling away from the lead pack in the final kilometer. Johnson won her final six races of her collegiate cross country career, which included the Roy Griak Invitational, Pre-Nationals Meet, Brooks Invitational, UMAC Championship and Central Region crowns. Johnson won a program record eight races this season.
Johnson is also the cross country program's first two-time NCAA All-American. Johnson placed 15th at the 2012 NCAA Championships.