FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu June 6, 2016 Lyle completes set, named GNAC Newcomer of the Year MSUB Track and Field on Facebook | MSUB Track and Field on ISSUU GNAC Release | Yellowjacket Award Winners
MSUBs Della Lyle named the 2016 GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Female Newcomer of the Year.
Senior Della Lyle finishes the complete set, being honored as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Female Newcomer of the Year. PORTLAND, Ore. – Senior Della Lyle completed her track and field conference honors being named the 2016 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Female Newcomer of the Year released Monday. MSUB’s Lyle was awarded the indoor honor in March and finishes her track and field year with the complete set by bookending her successful time in a Yellowjacket uniform with both conference accolades. “Della really deserves this award after the tremendous season she had this spring,” MSUB head coach Dave Coppock said. “She completely re-wrote the MSUB record book for the women’s distance events, setting three new outdoor marks; steeplechase, 5,000 and 10,000 meters, which were all NCAA preliminary qualifying marks as well. Her steeplechase mark, set at the NCAA DII National Championships, was the 4th fastest all-time mark, in the GNAC.
“Della performed right at the top, both athletically and academically,” Coppock continued. “She’s a wonderful person and really took on a mentoring and leadership role with the team. It was really gratifying to see Della close out her collegiate track career on such a high note.” During the outdoor season, the native of Buffalo, Wyo., placed second at the GNAC Outdoor Championships in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a time of 10:29.08. That time was the fourth-fastest in GNAC history, a MSUB school record, and just two seconds from a NCAA automatic qualifying time. On Day 2 of the outdoor championships, Lyle finished seventh in the 5,000 meters in 16:50.74, lowering her own MSUB school record by 30 seconds. The graduate student-athlete scored all 10 of the Yellowjacket women’s team points at the outdoor conference meet with eight points from the steeplechase and two from her finish in the 5,000 meters. Lyle’s time in the women’s 5,000 meters was a NCAA preliminary qualifying time, and she just missed the cut for the National meet by two seconds. The graduate student from the University of Redlands in California transferred to MSUB for one season of track and field. Lyle’s time at the GNAC conference championships in the steeplechase, was the 11th fastest time in the nation and qualified her for the NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Bradenton, Fla. During the preliminary heats, Lyle finished fifth in her heat, lowering the MSUB school record in the event with a time of 10:26.88. She placed 11th overall, advancing to the national title race in a field of 12. During the finals, Lyle finished ninth in 10:33.17, one spot off the podium, with the top-8 finishers earning First Team AllAmerican honors and the next four earning Second Team All-American awards. Lyle became the first MSUB female track All-American for the Yellowjackets and was the first female track athlete to compete for a national title. Lyle holds three MSUB outdoor track and field school records: 5,000 meters, 16:50.74; 10,000 meters, 36:51.66; 3,000 meter steeplechase, 10:26.88. In May, Lyle earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-West Region honors by being ranked in the top-5 of the steeplechase in the west region. She finished a GNAC all-conference honoree in the steeplechase. For her performance in the classroom, Lyle was named to the GNAC all-academic team with a 4.00 cumulative grade point average as a graduate student in psychology. She was also announced as a selection to the CoSIDA Division II Academic All-District 8 Track & Field/Cross Country Team, and is eligible for Academic All-American honors which will be announced by the organization on June 23. Cody Thomas from Alaska Anchorage was named the Male Athlete of the Year while Bethany Drake from Western Washington earned Female Athlete of the Year honors. Kodiak Landis from Central Washington was named the Male Newcomer of the Year. THE BUZZ: MSU Billings scooped-up Newcomer of the Year awards in three running disciplines this year under Coach Coppock…Lyle earned the honor in indoor and outdoor track and field while senior Matt Winter was named the GNAC Male Newcomer of the Year in cross country. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--