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2015 Most Improved - The Guys...

Tuesday, 27 October 2015 01:10

Minnesota Multisport Awards - The category of MOST IMPROVED is determined by asking all members of the MMA Committee to review the 2015 resumes of our state's most successful multisporters, then ranking who they believed to be their Top 15 men and women. These lists are compared. The athletes who demonstrated the most upward mobility received nominations.

Here are the men's nominees:

BENNETT ISABELLA, 32, Bursnville (photo L) - Bennett was ranked among our state's Top 15 by most MMA Selectors in 2014, but did not make Team Minnesota, i.e. place in the Top 10. His 2015 resume, which featured two wins and six other podiums, plus consistent sub-2-hour performances at Olympic distance and National level duathlon results, make him a shoo-in to make the Team this year.

STEVE MORRIS, 23, Coon Rapids - A young guy, Steve was totally off the radar in 2014. This season he came, as they say, from nowhere, to nail down spots on all of the Selectors' Top 15 lists this year. Success, with potential for great improvement, was demonstrated at Olympic (1:59), Half IM (4:21) and full Iron (9:36:07) distances....

NICK NYGAARD, 25, Duluth - Nick was the 2014 Minnesota Rookie of the Year but missed a spot on Team Minnesota by 3-4 spots. Like Bennett, he has richly earned a Team Minnesota berth this year. His scorecard featured a big win at Timberman, a course record at Brewhouse Sprint and a 2nd / PR at Superior Man Half IM.

MIKE WARD, 26, Duluth (photo L) - Nick Nygaard's training buddy, Mike was on the radar last year, but was ranked lower than 15th on all the Selector's lists. This year he distinguished himself among the state's best, i.e. Team Minnesota, athletes. At Capitol City, which may have been the deepest men's field of the year in Minnesota, he placed 3rd in a blistering 57:16. He won by 10-minutes at Green Lake in the 2nd fastest time in the history of that event and set a PR at Toughman Half (4:19), where he finished 4th overall.

There were a plethora of other considerees in this category. The guy receiving the most support but missing a spot by the narrowest possible margin was LARRY HOSCH, who won three races and demonstrated "Big Dog" speed.

Also examined were the improved resumes of, in alpha order, THOMAS ANDERSON III, LEE BROWN, WADE CRUSER, PHILIP ENGLISH, CASEY MILLER, TRAVIS MILLER, MATT RADNIECKI, CHRIS TATTON and RYAN WIPPLER.