November Athletes of the Week

11/16/99

This week's "Athlete of the Week" goes to a person whose performance this last weekend epitomizes what the "Athlete of the Week" award is all about. Michelle Rizzo had to spend a couple of days before the Great Lakes Region Championship nursing a knee injury. There was question whether she would be able run or finish. She answered that question soundly. Undaunted by the adversity she ran a PR, school record, and qualified for the NCAA Championships. There are runners who are rattled anytime they are kept from training. For some reason they think all that hard work and training goes away instantly as soon something goes wrong. It is refreshing and a honor to see someone like Rizzo not let obstacles get in the way of her goals.

November 9, 1999

Jackie Coe (Jr), from Wadsworth High School, was named this week's "Athlete of the Week". She earned this honor after the dedication and commitment to training she exhibited over the Summer and Fall of this year. As a result of her workout habits she has physically transformed into a much more powerful athlete. Her lifting and throwing levels have significantly increased. Her bench, for example, has already improved by thirty pounds. In the past her concentrations were focused mostly on the shot put, but her motivation and love for throwing has allowed to be more accomplished in the other throws. Most of her improvements have come in the 20 lb weight and hammer, along with significant increases in the shot put. Her hammer distances in practice have increased by 20 feet and weight throws by nearly 10 feet. Jackie is putting herself in an excellent position to compete well in one of the best conferences in women's throwing, the MAC. She has become an inspiration and example of the training ideals of the Zip throwing program and University of Akron Track and Field/Cross Country Team.

November 2 1999

This week's Athletes of the Week are the Dostals. Luke and Gigi dostal were chosen for this distinction because of their performances at the MAC Cross Country Championships October 30th. .

Gigi Dostal (Hopple), Massilon Perry High School, transfer from Malone College in Spring 99, earned Second Team All-MAC honors at the MAC Championships after placing 11th in route to helping the Zips to their first MAC Championship title. In the race Gigi was considerably behind in the leaders in the race. There were four Kent runners significantly ahead of her with 1000 meters to go. At the end she had made up ground and was ahead of the four top Kent runners. Gigi's commitment, mental toughness at the race and her perseverance to believe in the program earned her this week's athlete of the week

Luke Dostal, a senior out of Massilon Perry High School has been a member of the Zip squad for five seasons. Each year he has steadily improved becoming one of the Zip's top runners. At the MAC championships he was the men's #3 runner placing 56th. Ladt year he was the Akron's 6th best finisher. His tenacity, mental toughness and dedication has earned him Zip Men's Athlete of the Week.