Hannah Steffan, a junior DBU Cross Country and Track athlete, is the Athlete Spotlight for the month of June. Steffan, from Palestine, Texas is entering the 2008 cross country season expecting to help lead the Lady Patriot Cross Country team to the NCAA Division II National Championships; if Steffan and the Lady Patriots are successful it will be the first time that they've qualified for the Division II National Cross Country Championships.
In 2007, Hannah helped lead the Patriots to their first ever Heartland Conference Championship where she placed fourth as an individual and was named to the All-Conference squad. While that was the highlight of her season, she also placed in the top 15 at the Oklahoma State Jamboree, helping the Patriots to a second place team finish; she finished fourth place at the UT-Tyler Invite to open the season when the Lady Patriots won their first ever team championship.
Steffan's success also comes on the track. In 2007 she was a member of the Lady Patriots' National Championship Distance Medley Relay team, and in 2008 she anchored that same squad as they repeated as the National Champions. In 2008 she qualified for the NCCAA National Championships in the Distance Medley Relay, the 4x800m Relay, the 800m, the mile, the 3000m, and the 5000m. Steffan scored points in the Distance Medley Relay, the 4x800m Relays, and the 3000m run in 2008 as she was named the DBU Women's Track MVP.
"Hannah's had a great career in her two years here and we're very excited about her next two years," said head coach Jacob Phillips, "she's got a desire to be great and she works so hard to be the best she can be. She's very competitive and she should really set her sights this year on doing amazing things."
Hannah will be looking to help the Lady Patriots win their second consecutive Heartland Conference Championship and win their first ever South Central Regional Championship in 2008.
Hannah Steffan
