Point Park's Shields repeats as RSC Female Athlete of the Year 2017-18
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- Point Park University track and cross country runner Anna Shields has been selected as the 2017-18 River States Conference Female Athlete of the Year. It is the second year in a row that the junior from Torrington, Conn., was chosen for the award.
The RSC Female Athlete of the Year award is voted on by athletic directors in the conference. Each school nominates one candidate to be considered. The winner claims the honor as the top overall female athlete in the conference this year.
Shields won four NAIA national championships and earned five NAIA All-American honors during the 2017-18 school year. She was named the NAIA National Track Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Shields was also the RSC Track Athlete of the Year in both indoor and outdoor as well and RSC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year.
Shields claimed two national titles at the NAIA indoor track meet with those coming in the mile (4:37.20) and 1,000 (2:46.22). She won two more national titles at the outdoor meet with those coming in the 800 (2:04.75) and the 1,500 (4:14.38). Shield set an NAIA national record in the 1,500 meters, a record that had stood since 1992.
In the RSC, Shields won four events and one relay at the conference indoor championships. She then won four events and two relays at the outdoor championships. In cross country, Shields won the RSC individual title with first place at the conference meet. She went on to earn NAIA All-American honors placing 12th at the national meet.
Shields was named the NAIA national runner of the week a total of seven times during the year. She won that honor three times during the cross country season and twice each during indoor and outdoor track.