San Antonio - Trinity University Tigers junior Caitlin Masse of Katy, Texas (Cinco Ranch), was named the South/Southeast Region Women's Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Masse won the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Region Women's Cross Country Championship last Saturday by 30 seconds over the nearest competitor on the muddy course at Greensboro, N.C. She captured the 6k regional race with a course-breaking time of 22:56 on the Guilford College route.

She will compete Saturday at the NCAA Championships in Highland Hills, Ohio.  The top 35 runners earn All-America honors.

Masse is just the second runner at Trinity to win the regional meet, with D'Ann Arthur also winning the regional race in 2007.  Masse is a three-time All-Region runner for the Tigers.

The Tiger women are coached by Jenny Breuer, who guided the team to a sixth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Championships.