---

Two North Branch High School graduates, Sheena Devine and Joe Remitz, have earned All-American honors while representing Bemidji State University. The pair of sophomore shot putters gained recognition at the 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held May 25-27 in Emporia, Kansas.

Devine finished sixth with a throw of 47 feet, 9.75 inches. The winning throw was 49-04.50. Remitz’s third place throw was 58-07.50, compared to the winning 60-06 throw. The top eight shot putters gain All-American recognition.

“Joe and Sheena are both high-quality athletes and have each experienced a tremendous amount of success this year,” commented Bemidji State head track and field coach Craig Hougen.

Devine got out of the gates quickly this spring provisionally qualifying for the NCAA meet with a throw of 45-07 in the first meet of the outdoor season. Since that time, she captured first place in four of five meets, each time surpassing the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark of 43-06. However, she saved her best for last recording the fourth longest shot put distance in the country this season with a 48-04 first place throw at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships in Wayne, Neb. The throw also stands as the new BSU and NSIC women's outdoor shot put standard.

Remitz entered the NCAA Division II Championships after taking home first place in five of six events this spring. His only non-first place finish came at the Drake Relays where he competed against a mixture of the best NCAA Division I and II athletes. In that meet, he took 11th with a throw of 54-10. The 2006 NSIC outdoor shot put champion is already an All-American after finishing sixth in the shot put at the 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in Boston, Mass March, 10-11. This is is first trip to the national outdoor championships.

Devine, a 2003 NBHS graduate, is the daughter of Pat and Pat Devine of Harris. Remitz, a 2002 NB graduate lives with his parents, Joseph and Colleen Remitz, in Cass Lake.

---