FSU's Cody Stilwell Becomes First-Ever Bulldog Male To Earn All-America Honors In Weight Throw

Big Rapids, Mich. - Senior thrower Cody Stilwell (Cadillac) of the Ferris State University men's indoor track and field squad earned All-America honors for the second time in his collegiate career on Friday (March 8) night at the 2019 NCAA Division II National Indoor Championships in Pittsburg, Kan.

Stilwell, who was one of 18 throwers in the men's weight throw, placed eighth overall in the event at the Robert W. Plaster Center on the Pittsburg State University campus. He tossed a season-best throw of 20.25 meters (66-5 1/4") while garnering All-America accolades, becoming the first FSU male thrower to earn indoor All-America recognition since former national champion Paul Cochran in the shot put in 1990.

Additionally, Stillwell is the first-ever Bulldog male to earn All-America honors in the men's weight throw.

Stilwell held the nation's 11th-best throw overall at 19.81 meters this year heading into the national championships, but moved up three spots with his performance at nationals. The national meet was hosted by Pittsburg State along with the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The 2019 Division II Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships took place at the state of the art Robert W. Plaster Center at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kan. The event format features both individual and team championships held over two days of competition.

This season, Stilwell led the Bulldogs with a fifth-place finish in the weight throw (63-6.25) at the 2019 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Indoor Championships in University Center.

A spring 2018 GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient, Stilwell garnered All-America honors for the first time in his collegiate track and field career with a fifth-place performance in the hammer throw at the 2018 D2 National Outdoor Championships in Charlotte, N.C. He became only the second FSU male performer to earn All-America honors in the past eight years and his finish was the highest by a Bulldog men's outdoor track athlete since 1990.

A United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association All-American and All-Region pick a year ago, Stilwell finished third at the 2018 GLIAC Outdoor Championships in the hammer. Last season, he won the hammer throw and set a new school record with a performance of 62.58 meters at the Grand Valley State Al Owens Classic and also competed in the 2018 D2 National Indoor Championships in the weight throw.

Stilwell was an All-GLIAC honoree in both men's indoor and outdoor track and a GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team selection last season.

During the indoor season this year, Stilwell finished among the top five throwers in six of his collegiate competitions, including two first-place performances and four top-three efforts.

Last year, Stilwell also competed in the D2 National Indoor Championships in Pittsburg and finished 11th overall in the men's weight throw in day one action with a performance of 19.27 meters for the Bulldogs.