Postema Tops Indoor Season with All-America Accolades

NEW ORLEANS – Defiance College senior thrower Tom Postema has earned the honor of U.S Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-American for the weight throw, after his third-place finish at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Div. III Indoor Championships in Naperville, Ill. [Release]

At the championships, Postema recorded a final toss of 19.50 meters to put him in third. Coming into the event seeded No. 1, the home grown Defiance, Ohio, native fell behind early and was ranked seventh going into the finals. But he was able to move up four spots by improving his distance in each toss during the final round (18.59 m, 18.91 m and 19.50 m). Postema's third-place mark was the highest at the NCAA Championships since Trevor Matuszak took second in the weight throw in 2008.

On the 2012-13 indoor season, the senior racked up the DC school records in the weight throw and shot put, as well as setting the All-Ohio and Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference record in the weight. Postema's hurl of 20.72 meters at the conference championships was the second-longest throw in all of NCAA Div. III history.

The Tinora High product was chosen as the USTFCCCA Division III National Male Athlete of the Week from Jan. 20-27, while also being selected HCAC Field Athlete of the Week three times. To finish off, the Tinora High product earned All-Ohio, All-HCAC, and was named USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year. This is the second time in Postema's career that he has been an All-American, after he earned the honors last outdoor season for the Discus.

The Purple and Gold track and field team will travel down to Cincinnati, Ohio for its first meet of the outdoor season. The squad will be competing in the Mount St. Joseph Invitational on Friday, March 22. Action will kick off at 12:30 p.m.