Dec. 20, 2002

Former University of Missouri track star Ann Marie Brooks was named a recipient of the NCAA Today's Top VIII Award, as announced by the NCAA Honors Committee. Brooks is one of eight athletes that will be honored for her athletic and academic achievements.

Brooks was also a finalist for the 2002 NCAA Woman of the Year, the second consecutive year a Tiger track athlete has received that award. Brooks was a member of the national champion distance medley relay team in 2001 and garnered All-American honors in the 3000 meters, 1500 meters, 5000 meters, and cross country. She also won the 5000 meters at the North American-Central American- Caribbean championships as a member of the USA Track & Field team.

Brooks, a May 2002 graduate, won an NCAA postgraduate scholarship and graduated with a 4.01 GPA in plant science. She was a two-time Verizon/CoSIDA at-large academic All-American and a Walter Byers postgraduate scholarship runner-up.

Brooks was also very active in the community. She served on the Boone County Council on Aging, assisted handicapped children to ride horses at the Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Stables, and volunteered at the University of Missouri Children's Hospital.

Brooks will be honored at the 38th Annual NCAA Honors Dinner January 12th in Anaheim, California.