Former Defiance Standout Tom Postema Continues Success

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  Former Defiance College field athlete Tom Postema '13 continues his success after graduation and recently competed in the USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships in Boston, Mass.

On Sunday, Mar. 1, Postema placed seventh amongst 16 competitors in the weight throw with a distance of 70' 9.00".  The distance was a personal best for Postema.

While attending Defiance, Postema was a multi-time All-American in several events including the weight throw, discuss and hammer.  As a senior, he finished third at the NCAA Division III National Indoor Meet in the weight throw and was tabbed the Great Lakes Regional Indoor Field Athlete of the Year.  He was also named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for the second straight season after capturing conference titles in both the shot put and weight throw.  His mark in the weight throw (20.72 meters) was a HCAC record and the second-farthest toss in all of Division III that season.

During the outdoor season, Postema captured the HCAC title in the hammer with a distance of 215.88 feet which was a conference record and the third farthest distance in NCAA Division III history.  He also went on to claim the shot put and discus titles, including setting a HCAC record in the discus with a toss of 184' 7.00" (56.27 meters).  Postema went on to sweep the HCAC Most Valuable Field Athlete award winning both the indoor and outdoor accolades.  Postema ended his career as a four-time HCAC Champion and four-time first-team All-HCAC.  He capped his collegiate career with his second NCAA Great Lakes Regional Field Athlete of the Year award, this time for his efforts during the outdoor season, and finished second in the discus at the NCAA National Meet.  But Postema didn't stop there, as he won the national title in the hammer becoming the first Defiance men's track & field athlete to accomplish the feat.  He threw the hammer a distance of 212' 2.00" (64.67 meters), which was nearly 11 inches farther than his nearest competitor.

Postema still currently owns a combined five school records and four conference marks.  He is the school record holder in the indoor shot put (55' 9.0"), weight throw (67' 11.75") and outdoor shot (55' 10.75"), discus (184' 7.25") and hammer (215' 10.50").  In the HCAC, Postema holds the record in the indoor shot (16.26 meters) and weight throw (20.72 meters), while also owning the hammer (215' 10") and discus (184' 7") records.