Kearney, Neb. - Nebraska-Kearney thrower Dane Tobey has been named the RMAC's top male athlete for the month of May.

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference instituted an awards program to recognize outstanding performances by student-athletes throughout the league by honoring student-athletes each month. The league's sports information directors nominate the student-athletes that are then selected by the league office.

The May female winner is Metro State softball player Tara Mickelson.

Tobey, who garnered RMAC Athlete of the Month accolades for April, won the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field national shot put title on May 29 with a school-record toss of 62-7.25, breaking his own record of 610.25, set on May 10. He also placed ninth in the discus while becoming the third Loper man to win a national title at the Division II level.

 At the RMAC Championships earlier in May, Tobey won the shot and discus and also scored team points in the hammer and javelin.  Those points helped UNK win its first-ever RMAC outdoor team title.

The junior from Waco, Neb. was named the United State Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Field Athlete of the Year, Central Region Field Athlete of the Year, and RMAC Field Athlete of the Year.  His six Division II All-American honors are the most ever by a UNK male student-athlete.

2009-10 RMAC Athletes of the Month
May: Tara Mickelson, Metro State & Dane Tobey, Nebraska-Kearney

April: Christie Robinson, Metro State & Dane Tobey, Nebraska-Kearney

March: Aaron Braun, Adams State & Allison Rosel, Fort Lewis

February: Mike Dominguez, Mesa State & Sarah Moore, Colorado Mines

January: Josh Hensley, Adams State & Kaitlin Petri, Chadron State

December: David Barden, Fort Lewis & Brecca Gaffney, Colorado Mines

November: Bri Morley, Metro State & Reuben Mwei, Adams State

October: Rustin Dring, Nebraska-Kearney & Kayla Mitchell, Colorado Mines

September: Adam Saur, Colorado Mines & Nikki Scott, Nebraska-Kearney