Trueblood and Lyle named academic all-region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu May 29, 2016 Trueblood and Lyle awarded academic all-district honors MSUB Track and Field on Facebook | MSUB Track and Field on ISSUU GNAC Release | CoSIDA Release

Senior Jinise Trueblood was one of two MSUB women’s track and field athletes awarded academic all-district honors.

MSUB seniors Jinise Trueblood and Della Lyle are being honored for their accomplishments in competition and in the classroom.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Seniors Jinise Trueblood and Della Lyle were announced as selections to the CoSIDA Division II Academic All-District 8 Track & Field/Cross Country Team announced May 26.

Trueblood graduated this spring with a 3.99 cumulative grade point average in health and human performance. The senior was a valuable member of both the Yellowjacket cross country and track and field teams.

This year Trueblood finished with four top-20 results during the cross country season. She finished 20th at the Montana State Invitational in Bozeman and was ninth at the home-hosted Yellowjacket Invitational.

During the track and field season, Trueblood qualified for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in the 5,000 meters, placing 16th in the conference final in 29:39.72. During the outdoor season, Trueblood placed third in the 5,000 meters at the MSU Open in 21.22.10.

The distance runner holds the sixth-fastest time in Yellowjacket history in the 6,000 meters in 22:11. Trueblood is a sixtime Academic All-Conference honoree, earning the conference honor in cross country and track & field every season she was eligible.

Lyle is a transfer student, finishing out her academic eligibility this season with the Yellowjackets. She is earning her master’s degree in psychology at MSU Billings, carrying a 4.00 cumulative grade point average.

Transferring from the University of Redlands in California, Lyle has been a revelation for the MSUB track and field program.

In her single season for the Yellowjackets, Lyle has amassed five MSUB track and field school records in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters and in the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters as well as the 3,000 meter steeplechase.

At the GNAC Indoor Championships Lyle was crowned the GNAC Female Newcomer of the Year after placing fourth in the 5,000 meters and eighth in the 3,000 meters. For the outdoor season, Lyle was the runner-up in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Lyle was a provisional national qualifier in both the 5,000 meters and the 3,000 meter steeplechase.

At the 2016 NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Lyle set the MSUB school record and advanced to the finals with the 11th fastest time in 10:26.88. During the title race on Friday May 28, the native of Buffalo, Wyo., placed ninth in the finals in 10:33.17 becoming the first female track MSUB student-athlete to earn the title of AllAmerican.

Lyle was the first female from MSU Billings to compete on the track for a NCAA Division II national title. She missed the podium by one spot, finishing with a Second Team All- American honor.

Ten student-athletes from the GNAC were honored, and with their election, the 10 are eligible for the CoSIDA Division II Academic All-America ballot. The Division II team will be announced by the organization on Thurs., June 23.

Trueblood and Lyle follow MSUB cross country and track and field student-athlete Renae Hepfner who earned the academic all-district 8 honor last season.

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--