Hoag Recognized as Athlete of the Year

BUTTE – Seeley Lake seventh-grader Owen Hoag was recognized as one of the 2017 Athletes of the Year with the Montana Association of USA Track & Field. Hoag was excited for the recognition and looks forward to continuing to improve and pursue his love of track.

Hoag competed in his second Junior Olympics in Bozeman this past June. In 2016 he won the 100 and 200 meters for his age group and placed second in the 400-meter. This year he swept all three events in his age group.

In Butte at the annual meeting of the Montana Association of USATF Sept. 24, the Youth Division announced its Athlete of the Year awards for the top twelve male and female athletes in the state for the 2017 Junior Olympic track & field season.

More than 300 track & field athletes in Montana between the ages of 7 and 18 years old were eligible to be considered for the award.

Selection of the male and female athletes was based upon their performances at three levels of competition this past summer during the months of June and July. While Hoag said the award was not dependent on the athlete winning all of their events, many of them did.

"I was really surprised but it felt really good," said Hoag. "Being Athlete of the Year was really exciting."

The Montana Association of USA Track & Field, congratulates each of the student athletes for being selected as a recipient of the 2017 Athlete of the Year award and for their commitment to the sport of track & field and the Junior Olympic program.

The Junior Olympic program offers competition in both track & field and cross-country for student athletes in six age divisions. For information about the Junior Olympic program visit http://www.usatf.org