Wednesday, May 23, 2018
NEW ORLEANS – Former Northwest Nazarene University track and field star Ashley Puga was inducted into the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Athlete Hall of Fame on May 23.
Puga, a two-time national champion in the 800 meters, is one of the most decorated athletes in NNU track and field history. The USTFCCCA made the announcement in conjunction with the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Charlotte, N.C.
This is the 23rd class to be elected into the hall of fame and Puga is the first representative from NNU and from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Puga is joined in this year’s class by Adriane Blewitt (Ashland University), Lynnsey Dailey (Fort Valley State), Jackie Jeschelnig (Ashland University), Chaunte Mitchell (Stanislaus State), Antoinette Oglesby (Fort Valley State), Libia Rodriguez (Saint Augustine’s), Shnaka Walker (Saint Augustine’s) and Bryant Wilson (Grand Valley State) in the largest class ever inducted.
Puga won the national indoor title in the 800 meters in 2009 and then won the outdoor title as well. She won seven GNAC conference titles, set 12 school records, was named the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II National Outdoor Female Track Athlete of the Year in 2009, was named the GNAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year twice, was a nine-time All-American and was a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year in 2009.
Puga's GNAC record of 2:05.23 in the outdoor 800 meters stood for one year and still ranks as the fifth-fastest in conference history. Her record time of 2:07.63 indoors stood for two seasons and is currently the No. 6 time in conference history. She also owned the GNAC indoor record in the mile (4:47.37), which is currently No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List, and the outdoor 1,500 meters (4:23.17) where she currently is No. 7 on the all-time list.
In the classroom, Puga graduated summa cum laude with a major in accounting and business administration. She was a three-time GNAC All-Academic Team selection and was the 2008-09 GNAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.