Huber named an All-American

Colby grad tops in NCAA

Mackenzie Huber’s freshman season at UW - Stout came to a bitter, premature end. Huber, a state runner-up in the shot put, and a 2019 graduate of Colby High, was set to compete at the NCAA D-III Indoor Championships in Winston-Salem, N. C., back in March.

Huber was seeded ninth, and had All-American honors on her mind, when COVID-19 dashed those hopes. She was left thinking about what might of have been, but recently received some excellent news when U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) awarded Huber with All-American honors in the shot put.

“I was shocked by the news that I was named All-American since Indoor Nationals was cancelled and I never had the chance to compete,” Huber said upon hearing the news.

The USTFCCCA announced the 2020 All-American awards on their website Tuesday, May 19, along with the criteria for the honors.

Normal policies dictate that All-America honors are awarded to those studentathletes who place in the top eight in an individual event or, as a member of a topeight placing relay event at the NCAA Championships.

With the indoor season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA Division III Executive Committee adopted the following criteria: Based on the selected participants for the national championships initially announced by the NCAA on Sunday, March 8, the following will be recognized as All-America for the 2020 Indoor Track & Field season: Individual events: ALL student-athletes declared and initially accepted into their event. Relay events: Members of ALL relays who produced the performance that was declared and initially accepted into their event.

“I am incredibly honored to be named an All-American as a freshman,” Huber said with great joy. “I have worked so hard to earn this title, and even though I wasn’t able to throw at nationals to earn it, I am honored.”

Huber advanced to the national championship in her first season, and finished second at the WIAC Indoor Championship and earned Newcomer of the Year honors. Her personal-best this year was a throw of 45-feet, 7.75-inches, fourth on the UW-Stout all-time indoor shot put list, and first on the Blue Devil’s all-time freshman list by more than two feet.

“My freshman season was the best that it could be,” Huber said. “I gave my 100 percent throughout the whole season, and the numbers were proof. I could not have done it without my family, teammates, coaches and community around me the whole way. “

The NCAA will be granting an extra season of eligibility to all spring sport athletes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and Huber says she is hoping for an even bigger season next year.

“Due to COVID-19 shutting down my freshman season early, it absolutely fuels me to be better prepared for next year because I know what to expect and how hard I have to work to get to where I want to be.”

Huber says all the support she received gave her the ability to get to where she is, and she has already set her sights on a return trip to nationals in 2021 - for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

“The positivity and support was incredible and created such a burning fire within me to be a better person, athlete and student.”