December 7, 2004
Release courtesy of Mark Adkins, Wartburg College sports information director

WAVERLY, IOWA . . . Wartburg College senior women’s cross country/track and field standout Missy Buttry of Shenandoah earned her second USA Track and Field Athlete of the Week honor in four weeks Wednesday, Dec. 7. She claimed her first such honor Nov. 16.

The Knights standout became the first athlete ever to successfully defend the women's individual title Dec. 4 at the 2004 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships in Portland, Oregon.

Buttry, who won the 2003 race in Greensboro, N.C., by just a couple strides over 2002 NCAA Division I cross country runner-up Kate O'Neill, took complete command at the halfway point of the 2004 race and went on to win in 23 minutes, 7.85 seconds. Sabrina Monro was the runner-up in 23:48.39, with last year's third place finisher, Katherine Newberry, placing third again in 23:53.48.

The Shenandoah native adds her two USATF national club championships to a string of three consecutive NCAA Division III titles. She is one of four athletes to win three individual national titles in cross-country, joining the late Steve Prefontaine (University of Oregon), Henry Rono (Washington St. University) and Gerry Lindgren (Washington St. University).

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