Spartanburg, S.C. -- The Southern Conference today named Appalachian State distance runner Adam Van Nortwick as the TIAA-CREF Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 21.

Van Nortwick, a senior from Saranac, N.Y., was named the men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer at the SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend. The distance runner grabbed two individual titles in the one mile run and the 3,000-meters. Van Nortwick also finished second in the 800-meters run with a time of 1:54.44 and was a member of the first-place distance medley team. 

Off the track, Van Nortwick boasts a 3.32 GPA and is majoring in athletic training.  He is a four-time member of the Southern Conference Academic All-Conference team.

Other top performers include The Citadel’s Raymond Copenhaver (baseball), Davidson’s Brenna Burns (women’s indoor track and field), Elon’s Chris Chalko (men’s basketball), Furman’s Amber Kiser (softball), Georgia Southern’s Chris Shehan (baseball), UNCG’s Jeff Hedges (wrestling), Western Carolina’s Kerri Savery (women’s indoor track and field) and Wofford’s Brandon Waring.

For more than 85 years, TIAA-CREF has been helping millions of people working in the academic, medical and cultural fields plan for their retirement. The organization’s clear and long-held commitment to serve those who dedicate themselves to the benefit and enlightenment of others remains unchanged.

With a non-profit heritage, TIAA-CREF has long subscribed to a different set of guiding principles. Principles directly influenced by the people they serve. With over $380 billion in combined assets as of June 30, 2004, their approach to investing goes beyond sound portfolio management. Visit TIAA-CREF.org or call 800-842-2776.