Dec. 6, 2011

IRVING, Texas (C-USA/SMU) – Silje Fjortoft added another Athlete-of-the-Year trophy to her case today as the league office announced that the redshirt senior has won the award for the second time in her career.  Fjortoft earned the honor as a sophomore in 2008.

The distance specialist capped off her cross country career by earning All-America status with a program-best 13th-place finish at the 2011 NCAA Championship. Leading up to nationals, she captured her third South Central Regional title which earned her South Central Region Athlete of the Year merits by USTFCCA. Prior to that, she won her second C-USA Championship.

The Orsta, Norway native clocked winning times in all six races she competed in and led SMU to three first-place finishes, including the 2011 Conference USA Championships. Fjortoft was named C-USA Athlete of the Week three-times this season and seven for her career.

Fjortoft’s 2011 Races

North Texas Invitational – 4K
13:16 – 1^st place

UT-Arlington Invitational – 2 mile
10:31 – 1^st place

Notre Dame Invitational – 5K
16:54 – 1^st place

Chile Pepper Festival – 6K
19:44.2 – 1^st place

Conference USA Championships – 5K
16:06.8 – 1^st place

NCAA South Central Regional Championships – 6K
19:59.1 – 1^st place 

NCAA Championships
19:41.2 – 13^th place