St. Lawrence University senior Wendy Pavlus has been named the NCAA Division III Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year by the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and is the first Division III athlete to win both Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year and Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in the history of the USTFCCCA awards program.

Pavlus won the NCAA Division III 5000 meter championship on March 12, her second straight indoor 5000 meter title, and has now won four straight NCAA championships with back-to-back cross country individual titles as well as back-to-back 5000 meter championships indoors. She did not run in the 2010 outdoor championships due to a conflict with an academic program abroad.

Pavlus improved her own SLU record in the 5000 in the NCAA championship meet, running 16:51.78 for the best time at that distance in Division III this season, improving her own St. Lawrence record set the week before at the ECAC indoor championships. She holds three SLU indoor individual records (mile, 3000, 5000) and is part of two record-setting indoor relay teams.

She is a two-time winner of the Cross Country Athlete of the Year honor (2010 and 2011) and was the Atlantic Region women's Track Athlete of the Year indoors this past season and outdoors for the spring of 2010.

"This is certainly a tremendous honor for Wendy, our program and the University.  Winning the NCAA title in Cross-Country pretty went a long way towards locking up the Cross Country Athlete of the Year Award but in track and field that's far from the case as you're competing against a number of other national champions from across the country. Wendy had an incredible season capped by a dominating performance at NCAA's last weekend so it's great to see that the other coaches from across the country recognize those accomplishments." said Saint Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Mike Howard.

"This award recognizes the Wendy's performances throughout the season and I couldn't be happier for her and the program," said women's Track and Field head coach Kate Curran.  " She was obviously a key performer for our us throughout the season and very instrumental in leading our team back to the top of the Liberty League as well as into the national rankings. "

Pavlus, who qualified for the NCAAs outdoors in four events (1500, steeplechase, 5000 and 10,000) last spring will be out to add to her string of impressive accomplishments when the outdoor season begins April 2.