Butler's Victoria Mitchell Earns Coleman Medal of Honor

June 30, 2005

Butler University track and cross country star Victoria Mitchell has been named the female recipient of the 2004-05 Horizon League Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor. Men's soccer player Antou Jallow of UW-Milwaukee was named the male recipient of the award.

The Horizon League's highest individual honor, the Coleman Award is presented annually to the league's male and female student-athletes who best exemplify the dignity and high purpose of the Horizon League and its membership. The individuals must have demonstrated outstanding achievement in academics, athletics and extra curricular activities.

Mitchell won the 2005 NCAA Division I women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, becoming the first Butler athlete to capture an individual national championship in 73 years. A year ago, she was named the 2004 Horizon League Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, and she earned 2004 Horizon League Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors after winning the 2004 league individual cross country championship. She's a five-time Horizon League individual track champion, and she holds league records in the 1,500-meter run, the 5,000-meter run and the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Mitchell further was named the Outstanding Performer (Running Events) at the 2004 Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

A graduate student majoring in education, Mitchell was named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team, the 2005 District V All-Academic Team and the 2004-05 Horizon League Academic All-League Team. She was named to the Butler Athletic Director's Honor Roll in 2004 and 2005, and she was named to the Butler 4.00 Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005.

This past spring, Mitchell and teammate Nick Goodliffe collaborated to develop the first Indiana Para-Athlete track and field meet, held in Indianapolis on May 21. She also assisted Butler head track and cross country coach Joe Franklin with his cancer fund-raising project, and she has contributed to Butler sports camps.

"Victoria is completely selfless. She puts everyone above herself," said Franklin.

Mitchell is the ninth Butler athlete to win the Coleman Medal of Honor and the second in three years. Butler men's basketball player Brandon Miller earned the honor in 2002-03. Other Butler winners are Fraser Thompson (2000-01), Jon Neuhouser (1997-98), Alisa Pykett (1996-97), Chris Miskel (1995-96), Beth Christiansen (1990-91), Jody Littrell (1989-90) and Jill Taylor (1988-89).