Moon Township, Pa. - Freshman Rachel Kotula (East Berlin, Pa. / Bermudian Springs) of the Robert Morris University women's outdoor track & field team wrapped up a solid rookie season Friday by finishing 22nd out of 48 participants in the javelin at the 2011 NCAA East Preliminary Round at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex in Bloomington, Ind., on the campus of Indiana University.

Kotula recorded a throw of 43.97 meters in her third attempt to finish ahead of juniors Alexandra Kelly of Rutgers (43.84 meters) and Amy Matulewicz of Duke (43.81) and senior Gabriella Gioia of North Carolina (43.53). Kotula also fell less than three meters of shy of finishing in the top 12 and advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

The performance for Kotula Friday helped her wrap up an impressive freshman campaign in the javelin.

In her collegiate debut at the Wake Forest Open (3/18), Kotula won the individual championship with a throw of 45.77 meters, which helped her qualify for the IC4A/ECAC Championships and earn Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week accolades (3/29).

Kotula also surpassed the qualifying mark for the IC4A/ECAC Championships with a toss of 43.79 meters at the JMU Open Invitational (4/23) and a mark of 44.43 meters at the 2011 Northeast Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She finished second at the NEC outdoor championships to earn All-NEC honors.

At the IC4A/ECAC Championships in Princeton, N.J., Kotula finished with her second best throw of the season in the javelin at 45.74 meters.