Cougar Athletics
30 NAIA National Championships
95 GSAC Championships
...and counting

THIS YEAR: One of the NAIA’s top 800-meter runners in track & field, senior Jason Zichterman returns to cross country for the first time in 5 years ... Has not run a 5K trail course since his 2002 junior year in high school ... Should develop into a key contributor as the season unfolds.

TRACK & FIELD: In his first year at Azusa Pacific, immediately became a force for the Cougars, collecting 5 NAIA All-America honors and playing key role in the Cougars winning the 2007 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championship ... At that meet in Johnson City, Tenn., finished sixth in the 600 (1:19.95) and ran the third leg on the Cougars’ 4x400 (finished sixth with a 3:17.94) and 4x800 (finished third with 7:39.98) ... At the NAIA outdoor championships in Fresno, Calif., was an All-American in the 800 (sixth with a 1:52.12), and 4x800 (ran second leg for the national championship quartet that clocked a 7:30.70) ... Was the Golden State Athletic Conference champion in the 800 (1:55.08) ... Came to Azusa Pacific after running 3 seasons of track & field at the University of Colorado ... Had to overcome a pair of arthroscopic knee surgeries during his sophomore and junior seasons ... Posted career-bests of 1:50.18 in the 800 and 48.52 in the 400 during his 2004 freshman campaign ... Clocked an indoor 800 best of 1:50.32, while finishing third at the 2005 Big 12 championships.

HIGH SCHOOL: Ran 4 seasons of track for head coach Bob Howard at Gunison (Colo.) High where as a 2003 senior he teamed with current Cougar Matt Sparks to lead the Cowboys to the state 3A championship ... Was a 5-time state champion between the 400, 800, 4x400 and 4x800 and 9-time all-state honoree ... In cross country, twice finished tenth in the state championship meet ... Also earned 2 varsity letters in basketball.

PERSONAL: Born Jan. 7, 1985, in Estes Park, Colo., to Phil and Jan Zichterman, both of whom work with the U.S. National Park Service ... Has a younger brother (Patrick) ... Majoring in political science.