Njoku Named USTFCCA Division III Field Athlete Of The Year
Patrick Duffy
NEW ORLEANS (March 20, 2015) – Junior
Gladys Njoku of the Stevens Institute of Technology women's track and field team was named United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Field Athlete of the Year on Wednesday.
"We are all so proud of Gladys' amazing '14-'15 indoor campaign," said Head Coach
Justin Wood. "She was undefeated against NCAA DIII and had six total wins including meets at Yale and Princeton. Her Empire 8, ECAC and NCAA titles are huge points of pride for the program."
This award adds to the list of achievements for Njoku during this indoor season. At the Indoor National Championships last weekend, she became the first person in Stevens indoor track and field history to win a national championship when she jumped 1.72-meters. Njoku and Cortland State's Taylor Hudson battled back and forth with each clearing heights of 1.69m, 1.72m and 1.75m. Since Hudson needed two attempts at 1.69m, Njoku was the winner based her completing all the heights on the first attempt. Back in February at the Ramapo Indoor Select, the Cedar Grove, N.J. native set a school-record with a jump of 1.80-meters which is .3 centimeters off of the all-time record. This height is also the fourth best height ever recorded in DIII history.
"Winning a national title in the sport of track & field is such a difficult thing to do," Coach Wood said.
"Remaining undefeated against NCAA DIII competitors and winning a national title is even more difficult. Her future is bright and we are excited to see what she does next!"
Last year at the indoor championships, she placed second reaching a height of 1.75-meters before falling in a dramatic jump-off to Ashlee Ward of Misericordia. Last week, her and classmate
Amy Regan were named USTFCCCA Atlantic Region athletes of the year and she also took home Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Week back on February 9.
At the E8 championship meet on February 14, she set a conference record with a jump of 1.70m. As coach Wood stated, she is currently undefeated in the high jump against division III competitors and has won six of her last eight times out.
"Gladys has come so far from her freshman year," Wood said. "She didn't qualify for NCAA's as a freshman, as a sophomore she was second indoors but then tenth outdoors. "I think that tenth place at outdoors was one of the best things to happen to her. She realized it wasn't going to come easy and she had to step up her game to reach her goals. She did just that this year and the results speak for themselves."
The Ducks will kickoff the outdoor season on March 27 when they participate in the Monmouth Invitational beginning at 4 p.m.