Western State College of Colorado

GUNNISON, Colo. - Lisa Thomas Duits, a 2009 graduate of Western State College, former cross country captain and 2009 NCAA Division II runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, died in a car crash early Saturday morning.

After graduation, Duits had been assisting the cross country team this fall while continuing her training and  becoming a member of the Adidas Boulder Running Company club team. She married 2009 Western State graduate Zachary Duits this past September.

Duits earned the Paul Wright Award in 2009 as Western State's top female senior student-athlete. She led the women's cross country team to a podium finish in 2008, was the RMAC champion in the steeplechase in 2009 and finished her career with the program's third-fastest time in the steeplechase. She earned six All-RMAC honors last season between cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field.

Duits graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double-major in physical education and exercise science. She was a Dean's List student every semester and earned the Ernest Degutis Scholarship in the Exercise and Sport Science program in 2007.

Counseling services are available tonight, Sunday evening, at 6 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Center in Ute Hall. Memorial services are still pending.