Natalie Hughes
	Class: Senior Hometown: Grand Junction, CO High School: Palisade

Collegiate Bests: 5K (17:28), 6K (20:50.1), 800m run (2:07.94), mile run (4:42.69), 1500m run (4:16.33)

Hughes has stepped up as a team leader and as a scorer, crossing the tape in the top two for the Noles in all seven meets last season. The three-time track and one time cross country All-American fi nished 43rd overall in a season and collegiate best time of 20:50.1 to earn the honor. A consistent runner, the highlight of her season came when she placed 18th at the NCAA Pre- Nationals meet in a then personal best time of 20:58.5 for the 6K course to lead FSU to a history setting tenth place finish. Hughes ran a season best 5K time at the Florida Intercollegiate Race, hosted by Florida State. She fi nished at the 18:11.06 mark for a second place fi nish helping the Garnet and Gold women to their only fi rst place finish of the season. Season honors included a third NCAA South Region honor and fi rst All-American award in cross country. Hughes joins a small list of Seminoles (Vicky Gill and Darien Andreau) to earn the honors in both cross country and track and field.

Hughes staked her claim early on as one of the top runners in the nation following impressive sophomore and freshman campaigns. She scored for the Lady Seminoles in all seven meets she ran in, a distinction accomplished by only two other teammates. Her eighth place performance at the 2002 NCAA South Regional meet helped FSU fi nish second and secure a spot at the NCAA Championships and also earned her All-NCAA South Region honors for the second consecutive earned her All-NCAA South Region honors for the second consecutive time. Hughes began the season as the top finisher for FSU at the Mountaineer Open and then at the Seminole Invitational. Her season best 5K time of 18:20 came at the Seminole Invitational and she ran her best 6K time of 21:47 at the ACC Championships to finish 19th. At that point her career bests included a 21:35 in the 6K and a 17:32 in the 5K.

In track, Hughes solidified her place in the Seminole record books, breaking Florida State school marks during the indoor and outdoor seasons. She owns the indoor mile mark, running a 4:42.69 mile at the Adidas Invite and the outdoor 1500m run (4:16.32) which she set during the 2003 season. She earned All-American honors in the 1500m run in 2003 (outdoor) and 2004 (outdoor) in addition to the honors she won as the best American freshman in the nation for that event and during the 2004 indoor season (mile run). Hughes won the first NCAA Region track championship with her win in the 1500m event. During her impressive freshman campaign, the sports management major also garnered All-ACC honors in the mile and 1,500m run. She came to Tallahassee as a highly recruited athlete after winning 13 Colorado high school state titles in both cross country and track.

FSU Will Host XC Regional

Scholar-Athlete Sweep

GPA: Great Program All-Around

Distance Dominance

Rust-Buster!

Top 10 to Begin

Close Encounter