Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

Patti (Fitzgerald) Zwiers
Bemidji State University
Track & Field
 
Patti (Fitzgerald) Zwiers was a three-year letter winner for the Bemidji State University women's track and field team and head coach Jan Berg. She earned All-Northern Sun Conference (NSC) honors six times and was a five-time All-American in the shot put. She won the NSC shot put titles in 1988 and 1989 and posted a conference record of 44-10.5 en route to the 1988 outdoor shot put championship.  The Beavers finished second at both the 1988 NSC Outdoor Championship and the 1989 NSC Indoor Championship.  Fitzgerald qualified for the NAIA National Championships six times, earning the 1989 indoor shot put national championship with a heave of 44-08. A three-time team captain, Fitzgerald was selected as BSU's Most Valuable Player in 1988 and was tabbed NSC Field Athlete of the Year in 1989. She left Bemidji State as the indoor shot put record holder at 45-3.75. Fitzgerald also shined in the classroom, where she was named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete in 1989 and earned NAIA Academic All-America accolades in 1988, 1989 and 1990. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1990 with a degree in Math Education. Patti and her husband John have three children, Zak, Thomas and Natalie, and reside in Fergus Falls, Minn.