Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Track & Field's Heitzman Qualifies for NCAA Championships, Earns Susquehanna Valley Limo Bison Athlete of the Week Nod
5/31/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
May 31, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After qualifying for the NCAA National Championships in the javelin for the first time in his career, Bucknell's Ted Heitzman (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) added another career first on Tuesday when he was named the Susquehanna Valley Limousine Bison Athlete of the Week. The first Bison to advance to nationals since 2007, Heitzman will compete for All-American honors on Wednesday, June 8 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Heitzman finished sixth at the NCAA East Preliminaries with a throw of 228 feet, 2 inches. The junior now heads to the National Championships seeded 14th overall with the top 11 javelin throwers claiming All-American nods.
Heitzman is Bucknell's first national qualifier since Matthew Forys advanced to the championships in the steeplechase four years ago. The current Bison junior is also just the second field athlete in program history to advance and the first since Jim Heizman qualified in the hammer throw in 1996.
A three-time selection as the Patriot League Field Athlete of the Week, this marks Heitzman's first nod as the Bison Athlete of the Week. Heitzman also set Bucknell's program record in the javelin at 237-8 and the Patriot League Championship record at 232-4 earlier this spring.
Heitzman will compete at nationals at 3:05 p.m. on June 8 at Drake University. Also qualifying for the NCAA championship meet was Laura Rycek (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) in the javelin with an 11th-place finish. She will throw next at 3:05 p.m. on June 9.
