Waxahachie, Texas – May 16, 2016- The National Christian Colleges Athletics Association (NCAA) has announced the 2016 Track & Field Wheeler Award winners, and Southwestern Assemblies of God University’s (SAGU) Destiny Garza won the award for females. Garza is a junior from Houston, Texas.
Garza was SAGU’s first commit to the new cross country and track and field programs. Along the way she has helped establish the heartbeat of the Lady Lions team. Most recently, Garza earned the gold medal in the 10k at the NCCAA National Championship setting a personal record of 37:06. She finished first out of a field of 18 runners from across the nation.Garza also finished in sixth place out of 18 athletes in the 5k at the NCCAA National Championship. She crossed the finish line at 18:25.24.
In 2015 at the NCCAA National Championship, she place second in the 10,000m and tenth in the 5,000m. Destiny was a 2015 NCCAA All-American and has been an NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week. She set school records in the 1,500m and 5,000m this year.
Off the track, Destiny is actively involved with her home church in Houston, TX as well as the church she attends while at SAGU. She played a vital role on a team mission trip as she led their evening devotions and set the tone that Jesus trumps running every day. Destiny has also excelled in the classroom by holding a 3.79 GPA in business administration.
SAGU’s Track & Field Coach, Jason Covarrubias , noted, “Destiny is by far the hardest working kid that I have ever coached. She has set the bar high for her teammates and future SAGU Lady Lions.”
For the men, Bob Jones University’s (BJU) Daniel Marinelli is the 2016 Track & Field Wheeler Award Recipient. Daniel is a senior from Winter Springs, Florida.
The Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Wheeler Award is sponsored by John and Jody Wheeler who have been involved in athletic activities of Christian high schools and colleges for many years. The Wheelers continue to actively participate in the area of athletics and wish to promote athletics in Christian colleges.
The awards were established in order to enhance excellence in Christian track and field competition and to perpetuate the Christian philosophy and faith as exemplified through Christ-like track and field participation in NCCAA member institutions.
Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, the NCCAA strives to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ through its 24 National Championships and 1 National Invitational. For more information on the NCCAA, contact the NCCAA National Office at (864) 250-1199 or visit www.thenccaa.org.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
