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Rookie of the Year Nominees...

Sunday, 25 September 2011 03:00

(Photos - 2011 ROY Nominees Ruth Brennan Morrey and Stephanie Peterson.)

MMA Nominees - Results were scrutinized and five first-year multisporters * were perceived by the nine-member MMA Selection Committee as being sufficiently competitive with their veteran elite peers to warrant Rookie of the Year consideration. Each candidate needed to turn in at least three "competitive" efforts, i.e. wherein they demonstrated "elite" potential, and to have performed with reasonable consistency.

Four of those five candidates are this year's official ROY nominees. With their 2011 results, they are (in alphabetical order):...

* RUTH BRENNAN MORREY, 35, Rochester

- 1st @ Falls Duathlon

- 1st @ RochesterFest Olympic (MSCS Olympic Championship)

- 3rd --1st Minnesotan--@ Chisago Lakes Half (4:43:20)

- 3rd @ Pigman Half - 4:37:34 elaine

* ELAINE NELSON, 32, Duluth (photo R)

- 1st @ Chequamegon Bay Triathlon (WI)

- 1st @ Life Time-Minneapolis Citizens (Would have placed 6th in the Elite competition.)

- 3rd @ Brewhouse

* STEPHANIE PETERSON, 35, Apple Valley

- 1st @ Fairmont Sprint

- 6th @ Falls Duathlon & Green Lake Sprint

- 7th @ One Last Tri

- 7th @ Minneapolis Duathlon & St. Croix Valley Sprint

- 9th @ TwinCities Sprint

brian - BRIAN ZUELI, 32, Hudson, WI (photo L)

- 1st @ TriTonka

- 2nd @ St. Croix Valley Sprint

- 4th @ Life Time-Minneapolis Sprint

- 5th @ Wingman

- 6th @ Chisago Sprint & Croixathlon

- 9th @ Square Lake Short Course

The MMA Selectors congratulate the nominees, as well as Mike Ward, 22, from Duluth, who also received serious consideration. Mike's resume featured a win at Brewhouse Short Course, a 4th at Green Lake Olympic and a 6th at Maple Grove Olympic.

Awards will be presented at the gala Tri Night 2011 festivities in early December. MTN will post details as soon as they become available.

* To be considered a Rookie, an athlete must not have raced in more than two races prior to the year they receive ROY consideration.

MMA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HISTORY: