June 15, 2005
Release courtesy of Mark Adkins, Wartburg College sports information director

WAVERLY, IOWA . . . Wartburg College women’s cross country/track and field standout Missy Buttry of Shenandoah will add another honor to her resume when she travels to New York City later this month to receive Honda’s Division III Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year award.

The award honors the top woman athlete from colleges and universities competing in NCAA Division III. Buttry will receive the award during a June 29 press conference in the Low Library Rotunda at Columbia University. In recognition of the award, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will donate $5,000 to the Wartburg women's athletic program.

“I am very surprised and greatly honored to be receiving this award,” said Buttry. “It’s exciting for me, considering all of the tremendous student-athletes who compete in Division III.”

One of the most decorated Division III student-athletes, Buttry has won 12 individual national championships in cross country and track and field. She is tied for third in all divisions among all-time women's individual national titleholders

Buttry concluded her collegiate career in front of a home crowd at Walston-Hoover Stadium as Wartburg hosted the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships May 26-28. She won the 1,500 and 5,000 meters, her 11th and 12th national individual titles, and led her team to the national championship, Wartburg's first in any women's team sport.

She is the fourth Iowa Conference student-athlete to receive the Honda award, which was established in 1987-88. Luther’s Turena Johnson (1996-97), Simpson’s Kelly Schade (1998-99), and Central’s Libby Hysell (2002-03) were previous recipients.

The Honda awards program recognizes the top woman collegiate athlete in each of 12 sports. In addition, it honors the top women collegiate athlete in NCAA Divisions I, II and III and presents an annual Honda Inspiration Award.

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