Vicki Mitchell Named to Division III Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame
4/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo men's and women's cross country and women's indoor and outdoor track and field head coach Vicki Mitchell has been named as one of four individuals to be inducted into the Division III Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame for 2011.
Mitchell, a 1991 graduate of Cortland State, was a seven-time NCAA champion and 10-time USTFCCCA All-American in cross country and track events specializing in distance events for legendary head coach Jack Daniels. In 1990, Mitchell won her first of two indoor 1,500-meter NCAA crowns while also winning the outdoor 3,000-meters and the Division III cross country title. At the 1991 Division III Championships, Mitchell recorded double national wins in the indoor 1,500 and 5,000-meters and the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000-meters. Following her graduation, she competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 10,000-meters and qualified for the 2000 U.S. Marathon trials in her first attempt at the distance.
Now in her 11th season with the Bulls, Mitchell was also named Cortland's Western New York Alum of the Year in 2003 and was inducted to the Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame in 2004.
"It is a tremendous honor to be selected to the USTFCCCA Division III Track & Field Hall of Fame," said Mitchell. "I am very fortunately for the opportunities that I had as an athlete both at SUNY Cortland and professionally. I had excellent support and mentoring and proudly share this honor with my former coach as well as my parents. My wonderful experiences as an athlete led me into my career path as a collegiate coach and my goal is to develop young men and women and provide opportunities to excel athletically and overall in life."
Joining Mitchell in the 2011 class are Dan Henderson (Wheaton (Ill.)), Shawn Watson (Mount Union), and Eleena Zhelezov (Brandeis). The four athletes will be recognized during an induction ceremony on Wednesday, May 25, in Delaware, OH during the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. All told, the quartet won a total of 30 NCAA individual crowns during their illustrious collegiate careers.
Created in 2004, the USTFCCCA Division III Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame consists of 40 individuals. Among the more noteworthy individuals are U.S. Olympic champions Joan Benoit Samuelson and Edwin Moses.
