Ferris State's Johnson & Raasio Earn All-Region Track & Field Honors
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Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of Ferris State University senior track and field student-athletes have garnered All-Region laurels for the 2015 outdoor campaign in an announcement made by the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA).
Senior runner Samantha Johnson (Troy) claimed all-region accolades in two events, the 800 and 1500 meters, while senior thrower Briana Raasio (Hancock/Central) earned acclaim in the javelin this year.
The top five individuals in each event from each region earned the All-Region distinction, in addition to each of the members of the regions' top three relay teams. The regions used for this award match those used during the cross country season, and student-athletes must come from USTFCCCA member institutions.
Presently, Johnson is among the national provisionanl qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in both the 800 meters and the 1500 meters. During the outdoor campaign, she's posted four first-place finishes in the distance events and placed among the top six finishers overall in all five meet appearances, which includes five top-two efforts. Earlier this year, Johnson received 2015 NCAA Division II Indoor Track All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the mile run at the national meet on March 14 in Birmingham, Ala.
A GLIAC Commissioner's Award winner for Excellence a year ago, Johnson was chosen as the 2013 United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Region "Runner of the Year" and the 2013 GLIAC Cross Country "Athlete of the Year" for her efforts in cross country. She has been an all-conference pick multiple times and a multiple-time GLIAC All-Academic Team selection in her career. For her performance last year in 2013-14, Johnson was also chosen as a 2014 Capital One Academic All-America selection.
In her final season of cross country in the fall of 2013, Johnson won three cross country races, including the GLIAC and NCAA Midwest Regional titles while also winning the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational. She qualified individually for the NCAA Division II Championships where she placed fifth in the country and claimed All-America kudos. The veteran four-year letterwinner helped Ferris State to be ranked as one of the region's top 10 squads throughout her collegiate career and ranked nationally multiple times.
Meanwhile, Raasio has compiled a team-leading nine top-three finishes in outdoor competition this year, including three first-place efforts and four runner-up performances in the javelin, discus or hammer throws. This past weekend, was the runner-up in the javelin (127-5) at the Grand Valley State "Second To Last Chance" meet on Friday. She also took 14th place in the hammer throw (141-00) and came in 18th in the discus (113-11). Raasio also competed in three events on Saturday at the GVSU "Last Chance" competition, including a third-place finish in the javelin (122-4). She also placed 13th in the hammer throw (141-9) and was 20th in the discus (123-10).
Along with their performances on the track and in the field, both Johnson and Raasio were also GLIAC All-Academic Team selections this year.
The official competitors for the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be announced early this coming week. Both Johnson and senior distance runner Breeann Ovokaitys have qualified provisionally for the national meet, which will be hosted by GVSU in Allendale on May 21-23.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches' interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.