OSHKOSH, Wis. - Illinois Wesleyan senior Rachel Anderson of Clinton was named the NCAA Division III Female Track Athlete of the Year on Wednesday night during a banquet on the eve of the Division III Outdoor National Championships.

Anderson is the first IWU track athlete to receive such an honor. She is a three-time NCAA indoor champion in the 400-meter dash and helped the Titans win the indoor national title earlier this year.

She enters the outdoor meet seeded No. 1 in the 200 and 400. Anderson won the outdoor 400 in 2006 and placed second last year.

"It is really exciting," she said. "It was a surprise. It means a lot coming in my senior year and in my final outdoor season. For other coaches to say that I do something well is a very nice honor."

Anderson credited IWU coach Chris Schumacher and his staff for helping her win the award, saying, "It's mainly because of them that we've had the success we've had."

The former Clinton High School star now turns her focus to the national meet, which begins today at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

"That's the most important thing, to still perform well this weekend and not win this and then let everyone down by not performing up to standards," Anderson said.

"I still want to perform well. That's what we came here for."

Schumacher said Anderson, who also was named the Midwest Region Female Athlete of the Year, fueled the indoor national title and has elevated the program "to be one of the premier teams going into the outdoor meet."

"I don't know if we've had more talented athletes, but certainly, her work ethic has brought her to this point," he said.

IWU assistant coach Marchan Adkins also was honored. Adkins was named the Division III national men's assistant coach of the year and earned the same honor for the Midwest Region. He has been an assistant at IWU for nine years.