Thursday, November 18, 2004

TUSCULUM'S AMANDA MUSICK WRAPS UP REMARKABLE RUN AT NATIONALS THIS WEEKEND

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- One of the greatest runners in Tusculum College history will be ending her collegiate career this Saturday as Amanda Musick competes at the 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship in Evansville, Ind. The 6,000-meter race is being held on the campus of the University of Southern Indiana, with the women's championship beginning at 1:15 p.m. (CST).

Musick, a senior from Lebanon, Va., is making her second straight trip to nationals and third NCAA Championship appearance in her four seasons at the Greeneville, Tenn. school.

Musick has enjoyed the finest cross country career in school history and will leave Tusculum as one of the school's most decorated student-athletes. She punched her ticket for this year's national championship by finishing third at the Southeast Regional meet two weeks ago in Wingate, N.C. With that finish, she also garnered NCAA All-Region honors for a fourth time, a first in TC history.

In her two previous trips to nationals, Musick finished 152^nd at last year's event, and 124^th in 2001 when she advanced to nationals as a freshman.

The four-time All-South Atlantic Conference First Team honoree has won 10 individual races in her collegiate career, including one title this season winning the Tusculum Invitational for a fourth consecutive year. In her storied career, she has finished in the top 10 on 25 occasions, including 21 times in the top five. In 2001, she was the SAC Freshman of the Year and followed that in 2003 by claiming SAC Runner of the Year honors by winning the league meet that season.

Musick has also excelled in the classroom, being named to the NCAA II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team every season as well as being tabbed to the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll. She is majoring in Business Management at TC and is the daughter of Randy and Brenda Musick.

- TC -