NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Christopher Newport University junior, Richard Roethel, was named the National Men's Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) today.

The announcement comes the week after Roethel won the national championship in the men's heptathlon and placed third in the high jump.

Roethel's score of 5,434 in the heptathlon at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships was an all-time division record. The score also places him in the top 35 across all divisions. Roethel won the 60m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 60m hurdles and finished sixth and ninth in the pole vault and 1000m. He finished 321 points ahead of the runner-up.

Roethel was also named the Mason-Dixon Conference Field Athlete of the Year after scoring 34 points at the championship meet. He won the high jump and was runner-up in the pole vault, long jump and shot put.

CNU's all-time list has Roethel in the top 10 in five different events. He is second in the high jump, third in the pole vault and sixth in the long jump. Roethel is the leader in the heptathlon and sits in ninth in the shot put.

Recent Winners:
2012: Richard Roethel, Christopher Newport
2011: Ethan Miller, Central (Iowa)
2010: Jake Winder, North Central (Ill.)
2009: Todd Wildman, Trinity (Texas)
2008: Al Winsley, Mississippi College
2007: Brandon Houle, UW Oshkosh
2006: Uzoma Orji, MIT

Full Awards List