SAINT LEO, Fla. – Tereza Novotna, who solidified a spot in the NCAA Championships with a second-place showing at the NCAA South Region meet on Saturday, November 5, will be contending for the Lions' first National Championship on Saturday, November 19.

The race is scheduled to go-off at 2 p.m. EST at the Plantes Ferry Athletic Complex in Spokane, Wash.

Novotna has compiled a thrilling freshman resume amassing six top-10 finishes, including four top-five completions in 2011. In addition, the Opocno, Czech Republic native is entering the NCAA Championships running her best times of the season. In her last two races, she has won Sunshine State Conference Championships as an individual, and collected the automatic bid at the NCAA South Region race in Tampa with a second-place showing.

Her impressive performances on the course have amounted to an award-filled postseason for the freshman. In total, Novotna has earned nine postseason accolades including Sunshine State Conference Runner of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and USTFCCCA All-South Region.

"Tereza is excited to race" said Head Coach Melissa Miller. "She has put in the necessary time and effort to put herself in prime position to make a push for the lead group."

Novotna also chimed in with her own thoughts, "I am excited to get out there and run my best race possible. It will exciting to see a new state, meet new people, and challenge myself like never before," stated the Lions' freshman.

Fans will have the unique opportunity to watch Novotna run the NCAA Championships in its entirety at the following link, NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS. The link is expected to go live two-to-three hours before meet time.

For continued coverage on Novotna and her run at a National Championship, visit SaintLeoLions.com