Dacia Bushman

Class:
Senior
Height:
5-6
Hometown:
Castalia, Iowa
Prev School:
Home Schooled

2009-10 (Jr.): Finished as Liberty's No. 1 runner in all five of her cross country races … came in second at both the Big South Preview and the Big South Championship, helping Liberty claim the conference title at the latter meet … her season-best 6K time of 21:56.3 earned a 48th-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship … On the Track: Crossed the line second in the 5K and sixth in the 3K at the Big South indoor meet … ran an indoor personal-best 17:44.60 5K at Penn State's Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup … battled injury through much of the outdoor campaign, but posted a fifth-place finish in the Big South 10K final … Awards Summary: Two All-Big South honors (cross country – 2nd place, indoor 5K – 2nd place) … Big South All-Academic Team (cross country).

2008-09 (So.): Served as Liberty's No. 3 runner during her sophomore cross country campaign … she and Melissa Martens finished third out of 20 teams at the season-opening Virginia Tech Cross Country Relay … ran a season-best 19:13.3 for the 5K, placing 11th at the Big South meet … On the Track: Excelled in the 10K during the outdoor track season … finished as the Big South 10K runner-up … clocked a season-best 36:46.15 for fourth place in the ECAC 10K … Awards Summary: One All-Big South honor (outdoor 10K – 2nd place) … Big South Presidential Honor Roll.

2007-08 (Fr.): Made an immediate impact as a freshman, serving as the No. 2 runner for the Big South champion Lady Flames … she placed sixth at the Big South meet in a 5K personal-best 18:04.5, garnering Big South Freshman of the Year honors … ran a Liberty freshman-record 6K time of 21:39.3 at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship to finish 44th … On the Track: Earned all-conference honors with her third-place showing in the 3K at the Big South indoor meet … also finished third in the 10K at the Big South outdoor championship and eighth in the ECAC 10K … clocked personal-best times in the steeplechase (11:40.98, No. 5 in Liberty history), 5K (17:40.06, No. 5 in Liberty history) and 10K (36:43.19, No. 3 in Liberty history) … her 10K effort was a Liberty freshman record … Awards Summary: Big South Freshman of the Year (cross country) … three All-Big South honors (cross country – 6th place, indoor 3K – 3rd place, outdoor 10K – 3rd place) … Big South Presidential Honor Roll.

Prep: Home schooled … led her Valley Community team to Iowa 1A state cross country titles in 2003, 2004 and 2006 … individually, placed second at the Iowa state cross country meet in 2003 and 2006 and third in both 2004 and 2005 … received Elite All-State recognition, as her time at the 2006 state cross country championship (14:42.85 for 4K) ranked fourth in all divisions in Iowa … finished third at 1,500 meters at the Iowa state track meet in both 2006 and 2007.

Personal: Daughter of Chuck and Marlys Bushman … one of nine children … nursing major … birthday is on Sept. 16.

Cross Country Personal Bests
5K: 18:04.5
10/27/07 – Big South Cross Country Championship
Hendersonville, N.C.

6K: 21:17
10/1/10 – Brooks Paul Short Run
Bethlehem, Pa.

Track Personal Bests
1,500: 4:53.15
Mile: 5:15.89 (indoor)
3K: 10:11.86 (indoor)
3K Steeplechase: 11:40.98
5K: 17:40.06
10K: 36:43.19

Big South Cross Country Championship (5K)
2007 (Hendersonville, N.C.): 6th place, 18:04.5 (Big South Freshman of the Year, All-Big South)
2008 (Lynchburg, Va.): 11th place, 19:13.3
2009 (Winston-Salem, N.C.): 2nd place, 18:32 (All-Big South)
2010 (Blacksburg, Va.): 3rd place, 18:07.82 (All-Big South)

NCAA Southeast Regional Championship (6K)
2007 (Louisville, Ky.): 44th place, 21:39.3
2008 (Clemmons, N.C.): 87th place, 22:51.9
2009 (Louisville, Ky.): 48th place, 21:56.3
2010 (Louisville, Ky.): 36th place, 21:25.0