http://www.ustfccca.org/2012/06/featured/ustfccca-region-award-winners-announced-for-di-outdoor-track-field
USTFCCCA Region Award Winners Announced for DI Outdoor Track & Field
June 4, 2012
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Monday the association’s Region Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season. Voted on by the nation’s coaches, many of these athletes and coaches will participate in this upcoming weekend’s final site of the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, June 6-9. NCAA.com and ESPN3.com will carry live coverage starting Wednesday. ESPNU will air live coverage on Saturday, June 9, starting at Noon, eastern.
Men's Track Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Mohammed Ahmed - Wisconsin
The Ontario native shattered the Big Ten Record in the 10K by running 27:34.64 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational – a time that ranks No. 14 in the world and an Olympic ‘A’ standard. The junior also claimed a Big Ten title in the 5K with a meet-record performance of 13:41.06. Ahmed advanced to the NCAA Finals with a third place finish in the 5000 at the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Donn Cabral - Princeton
Cabral set an American-collegiate record in the steeplechase with 8:19.14 at the Oxy High Performance Meet. The senior also anchored his team to victory in the DMR and 4xMile at the Penn Relays and won both the steeple and 10K at the Ivy League Championships. The Glastonbury, Conn., native won his heat at the East Prelims in the steeplechase to enter with the No. 6 seed.
MIDWEST REGION - Andrew Riley - Illinois
The top seed in the 110-meter hurdles will also compete in the 100 meters at the NCAA Finals after winning both events at the West Prelims. The senior from Kingston, Jamaica, has run a collegiate-leading 13.28 this season for the high hurdles.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Cameron Levins - Southern Utah
The senior from British Columbia, Canada enters the NCAA Finals as the top-ranked athlete in the 5K and 10K after an undefeated season in both events. His time of 13:18.47 for the 5000 meters surpasses the Olympic A standard of 13:19.62, while his 10,000 meter time of 27:27.96 is 18 seconds under the Olympic A standard and is the No. 2 collegiate performance all-time.
NORTHEAST REGION - Kyle Merber - Columbia
The senior set an American collegiate record in the 1,500 meters with time of 3:35.59 -- fastest collegiate time in the nation, second-fastest in the U.S. and 15th-fastest in the world. The Dix Hills, N.Y. native was the Ivy League champion in the 1500 meters and the 4x800 meter relay (setting an Ivy League record with 7:20.53).
SOUTH REGION - Maurice Mitchell - Florida State
The senior qualified for NCAA Championship from the East Preliminary in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay. The 100 and 200 marks were top legal collegiate times of the season. The Kansas City, Mo., native owns the NCAA’s fastest 200-meter time for all-conditions (20.08) which also ranks fourth in the World. Mitchell won ACC titles in the 200 and 4x100 relay.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Prezel Hardy, Jr. - Texas A&M
The Big 12 Performer of the Year and High Point scorer won conference titles in the100 and 200 with career best times of 10.03 (wind-aided) and 20.33, and also anchored the 4x100-meter relay to victory. The sophomore advanced to the NCAA Finals with the top seed in the 100 and 200 and as part of the Aggies’ 4x100 relay. The Killeen, Texas, native ranks second in the 100 and fifth in 200.
SOUTHEAST REGION - David Verburg - George Mason
The junior was the 400 meter champion in a meet record 45.06 and also scored in the 200 and 4x400 relay at the CAA Championships to earn CAA Track Performer of the Meet honors. The IC4A Champion in the 400 meters has a best time of 45.08, which is second in the NCAA and sixth in the U.S. currently. The Lynchburg, Va., native anchored the top seeded 4x400 relay to a time of 3:03.82.
WEST REGION - Chris Derrick - Stanford
The senior won the 5000 meters and was runner-up in the 1500 meters at the Pac-12 Championships. The Naperville, Ill., native qualified for the NCAA Finals in the 10,000 with the second seed after setting the American Collegiate Record earlier this season with a time of 27:31.38. Derrick currently sits on the 2012 The Bowerman Watch list.
Men's Field Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Derek Drouin - Indiana
A junior from Corunna, Ontario, Drouin has cleared 7-7 (2.31m) in the high jump this season, an Olympic “A” standard and the all-time Big Ten record, and sits second in the collegiate ranks this season. Took Big Ten and Penn Relays titles this year and scored at the Big Ten meet in the javelin.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Joe Kovacs - Penn State
Kovacs, a senior from Nazareth, Pa., is the collegiate leader in the shot put by nearly two feet with a best this season and Penn State record of 68-5 (20.85m). Kovacs was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year as he was the league champion with the shot and has been undefeated this season among collegiate competition this year.
MIDWEST REGION - Tim Glover - Illinois State
A junior from Normal, Ill., Glover is this year’s collegiate leader in the javelin, having marked a best throw of the year of 266-9 (81.30m). Glover now ranks ninth on the all-time collegiate performers list as result of his best of the year. Glover won the Missouri Valley Conference title with the javelin as well this season. Glover is also on The Bowerman Watch List.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Jeff Mohl - Montana State
Mohl, a junior from Red Lodge, Mont., was the Big Sky Champion in the decathlon with a meet-record and season-best score of 7,630. He scored 27¾ points at the conference championships, helping the squad to a second-place team finish, as he went on to take second in the long jump, fourth in the pole vault, and ran legs on the team’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.
NORTHEAST REGION - Nick Huber - Cornell
A senior from Leopold, Ind., Huber won the decathlon at the Ivy League “Heps” Championships by besting the meet record by over 400 points with a score of 7,632. Huber also placed at Heps in the high jump and 110-meter hurdles and was an IC4A qualifier in the high jump, pole vault, 110 hurdles, and 400 hurdles. He was named Cornell’s MVP of the season.
SOUTH REGION - Ricky Robertson - Mississippi
Robertson, a junior from Hernando, Miss., is the collegiate- and American-leader in the high jump, having cleared a school record 7-7¼ (2.32m) earlier in the year. He placed in the top four at the SEC Championships in both the high jump and triple jump. Robertson is an NCAA final site qualifier in both the high and triple jumps.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Andrew Irwin - Arkansas
A freshman from the Mount Ida, Ark., was the SEC Champion in the pole vault and was named the league’s Field Athlete and Freshman Field Athlete of the Year. Irwin notched a new American junior record with a clearance of 18-9¼ (5.72m) at the SEC meet. The mark was also the Olympic “A” standard.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Alexander Ziegler - Virginia Tech
Ziegler, a junior from Dischingen, Germany, was the ACC Champion in the hammer throw, and he holds a season’s best of 240-1 (73.18m) which ranks second among collegians this season.
WEST REGION - Nick Ross - Arizona
A junior from Murrieta, Calif., earned All-Pac 12 honors in the high, long, and triple jumps this season while claiming the league high jump title. He currently holds a personal-best and is ranked third among all collegians with a best this season of 7-6 (2.26m). Ross made the NCAA finals site in the high jump and triple jump.
Men's Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Ed Nuttycombe - Wisconsin
Now in his 28th season at the helm of the Badgers, Nuttycombe led his UW team to the Big Ten Men's Championship. He was named the Big Ten Conference 'Coach of the Year' after qualifying 25 athletes to the West Preliminary Rounds of the NCAA Championship. He personally coaches jumps, hurdles and combined-events. The Badgers were ranked No. 1 in the Great Lakes region and 23rd nationally and will compete with seven entries in the NCAA Finals rounds in Des Moines.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Fred Samara - Princeton
A fixture as Princeton’s head coach since 1977, Samara led his Tigers to the Ivy League Championship with a 31-point victory marking his 13th such championship at the school. Princeton is ranked No. 1 in the Mid-Atlantic region and have advanced six entries to the NCAA Final Rounds. Earlier this season, the Tigers claimed two Penn Relays Champ of America relay events.
MIDWEST REGION - Steve Rainbolt - Wichita State
Rainbolt guided Wichita State to a second-place finish at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships. He coached two to MVC titles including Todd McKown to a school record time of 13.42 in the 110m hurdles. Nine men and the 4x400-meter relay competed at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds with four Shocker men qualified for the Final Rounds. He is now in his 12th year as head coach at WSU.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Ralph Lindeman - Air Force
Lindeman led the Falcons to the Mountain West Championship title, earning himself the conference’s Coach of the Year honor. 2012 brought two Academy records and 21 incursions into the program’s top-10 list. The Falcons recorded a program-record seven conference champions (800m, 5000m, steeplechase, 4x400m relay, high jump, pole vault, hammer) as well as a program-record 17 all-conference selections. Air Force qualified 15 entries to the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, another program best, with two advancing to the Final Rounds. In his 23rd year at the Academy, Lindeman’s team is ranked No. 3 in region.
NORTHEAST REGION - Nathan Taylor - Cornell
Taylor led Cornell to the top team ranking in the Northeast Region. The Big Red were runner up at the HEPS and IC4A's and had 18 athletes qualify for the East Preliminary Round with two advancing for the final rounds of the national championships. Cornell had 47 different athletes qualify for the IC4A's and won 8 events at the HEPS. As a jumps coach, Taylor had seven jumpers at the East Preliminary Rounds covering all four events.
SOUTH REGION - Bob Braman - Florida State
Under Braman's watch the Seminoles qualified 19 for the East Preliminary Rounds of the NCAA Championship. FSU will have 13 men competing at the Final Rounds, third most of teams competing. The Seminoles are ranked second in the region and fifth nationally. FSU finished second at ACC Championship, just 4½ points shy of the title. In his 12th season at FSU, Braman directly coaches the distance team, which has qualified Terril Gibson (800) and Mike Fout (10k) for the NCAA Championship.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Pat Henry - Texas A&M
Henry’s Aggies won the Big 12 team title, scoring 150 points to win by 19. Texas A&M became first men’s team in Big 12 history to sweep victories in 100, 200, 400, 4x100 and 4x400. The Aggies totaled eight conference victories, adding wins in 110 hurdles, steeplechase and javelin. Event areas directly coached by Henry totaled 93 points at the Big 12 meet. Now in his eighth year at A&M, Henry’s team had a dozen entries and two relays qualify for NCAA West Preliminary Rounds with six entries and both relays advanced to NCAA Championship Final Rounds. The Aggies enter the Final Rounds ranked No. 1 in the nation.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Dave Cianelli - Virginia Tech
In his 11th season at VT, Cianelli led the Hokies to its first ACC Team Championship. The team had 5 ACC individual champions and 14 ALL ACC performers at the meet. The Hokies are ranked No. 1 in Southeast region and No. 8 nationally with 14 entries to the NCAA Finals, second highest among the men’s programs.
WEST REGION - Fred Harvey - Arizona
Now in his 10th year as Head Coach and 25th overall at UA, Harvey coached the team to a third-place finish at the Pac-12 Championship meet. The Wildcats won three individual conference championships. Nine athletes competed in ten events at the West Preliminary Rounds of the NCAA Championships and eight will compete in eight events in Des Moines. One school record was set and four men totaled six rankings in the top five nationally. The Wildcats completed the regular season ranked third in the West Region.
Men's Assistant Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Jeff Huntoon - Indiana
Indiana’s sprints and jumps coach will send five athletes and a relay to the NCAA finals site in Des Moines for the seventh-ranked Hoosiers. Huntoon is the coach of high jumpers Drouin and King that took first and second at the Big Ten Championships. Kind Butler was the winner of the 200 meters at the Big Ten meet and enters the NCAA finals as the No. 3 seed. Huntoon also has two triple jumps entered in Des Moines. His athletes scored 64 of Indiana’s 115 points for third place at the Big Ten meet.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Chris Johnson - Penn State
Johnson coaches Penn State’s sprints, hurdles, and relays. The Nittany Lions 4x400 relay qualified for the NCAA finals site with a school-record clocking of 3:03.57 at the East preliminary. Gehret won the 400 meters at the Big Ten Championships and took second in the 200. His squad won the sprint medley and was second in the 4x400 relay at the Penn Relays.
MIDWEST REGION - Erik Whitsitt - Illinois State
Whitsitt is the throws coach at Illinois State and his crew accumulated 41 of team’s 90 points at the Missouri Valley Championships. Tim Glover was the Missouri Valley javelin champ and has thrown the collegiate-leading mark in the event this season. Whitsitt had two move on to Des Moines in throwing events and had three participate in four events at the preliminary rounds.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Scott Steffan - Air Force
Steffan is the Air Force Academy’s vertical jumps coach. He had pole vaulters claim five of the top seven and high jumpers with three of the top four spots at the Mountain West Championships, helping the Falcons to the Mountain West title. Simmons was the pole vault conference champ with a meet record 18-1¾ (5.53m). He advanced three pole vaulters and two high jumpers to the finals site in Des Moines.
NORTHEAST REGION - Annette Acuff - Binghamton
Acuff coached Erik van Ingen to a 3:38.06 clocking in the 1500 meters which ranks as the NCAA’s No. 3 seed and is an Olympic Trials “A” standard. Binghamton’s DMR finished third at the Penn Relays and the squad’s distance runners scored 62 points at the America East Championships. Acuff qualified three runners to the NCAA’s preliminary rounds.
SOUTH REGION - Ken Harnden - Florida State
Harnden is Florida State’s director of sprints, hurdles, and relays. He qualified eight individuals and the 4x100 relay for the NCAA preliminary rounds and he boasts four finals site qualifiers. FSU owns the top qualifiers in the 100, 200, and 4x100 for the finals site and the Seminoles swept the top two spots at the ACC Championship in the 100, 200, and 4x100 relay. Florida State combined for 66 of 149 points for the runner-up showing in the league meet.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Mario Sategna - Texas
Sategna is Texas’ field event coach and the Longhorns scored 96 points in those events at the Big 12 Championships. Four Big 12 Champs were produced from Sategna’s tutelage including event champs in the decathlon, long jump, shot put, and triple jump. He advanced seven to the finals site in Des Moines and has three individuals rank in the top two nationally in the decathlon (Murphy), shot put (Thormaehlen) and long jump (Goodwin).
SOUTHEAST REGION - Abigi Id-Deen - George Mason
Id-Deen is responsible for George Mason’s sprinters, jumpers, and hurdles. GMU won the CAA Championship this spring as his crew scored 164 of 267 of the team’s points for the league title. Id-Deen coached 11 for the NCAA’s preliminary rounds and advanced three to the finals site in Des Moines. David Verburg was the top qualifier out of the East in the 400 meters with a time of 45.08.
WEST REGION - Jason Dunn - Stanford
Dunn, the Cardinal distance coach, led Chris Derrick to the Pac-12 title in the 5000 meters and an American collegiate record in the 10,000 meters. Stanford has qualified three for the NCAA finals site in the 10,000 meters along with one in the 5000 meters and one in the steeplechase.
Women's Track Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Christina Manning - Ohio State
The senior ran season best marks of 11.43 for the 100 meters, a wind-aided 12.57 in the 100-meter hurdles, which is the NCAA’s No. 1 seed, and 23.27 in the 200 meters. At the Big Ten championships, the Waldorf, Md. native won titles in the 100 meters, 100-meter hurdles and as part of the 4x100-meter relay while also placing second in the 200 meters.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Emily Infeld - Georgetown
The junior entered the East Prelims with the third-fastest time nationally in the 1500 meters (4:12.44). The University Heights, Ohio, native qualified for the NCAA Finals in the 1500 meters with the third seed after finishing second in the event at the Big East Championships. Infield also holds the seventh-fastest time in the 5000 meters with a time of 15:34.26.
MIDWEST REGION - Diamond Dixon - Kansas
Undefeated in the 400 meters this season, Dixon ranks second on the NCAA descending order list with a time of 51.09. The sophomore won the Big 12 title in the 400 meters and as part of the 4x400 relay team that ranks first (3:28.10) on the descending order list. Dixon hails from Houston, Texas.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Shalaya Kipp - Colorado
Kipp ran the top time in the steeplechase, and second-fastest in the U.S. this year when she ran 9:43.09 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite. The junior won the Pac-12 title in the event and also finished fifth in the 5000 meters with a time of 16:23.32. The Salt Lake City, Utah, native followed up that performance at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships, winning her heat and the event, in 9:58.38.
NORTHEAST REGION - Abbey D'Agostino - Dartmouth
The sophomore sits 12th on the descending order list in the 1500 with a time of 4:16.15 to win the Ivy League Championships in school-record fashion. The Heptagonal Championships Athlete of the Meet also won the 3K in a Meet Record time of 9:24.64. The Topsfield, Mass., native enters the NCAA Finals with the top seed in the 5000 – her school record setting time of 15:23.35.
SOUTH REGION - Genevieve LaCaze - Florida
The Queensland, Australia, native was the first female athlete to be the SEC Champion in the steeplechase, 1500 meters and 5000 meters in the same meet. She was named the SEC Female Co-Athlete of the Year and awarded the SEC Commissioner’s Trophy for her feat. Her season bests include 2:07.70 in the 800, 4:13.44 for the 1500, 16:26.38 for the 5000 and 9:55.44 for the steeplechase. LaCaze qualified for the steeplechase for the NCAA final site.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Kimberlyn Duncan - LSU
The junior broke the SEC Championships meet record in the 100 meters with a personal best time of 10.96, and also won the 200 meters and 4x100-meter relay titles at the meet. The Most Outstanding Performer at the Texas Relays ranks first in the nation in the 100 meters and 200 meters. The Katy, Texas, native broke her own low-altitude collegiate record in the 200 meters with a personal-best 22.22 at the NCAA East Prelims.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Marlena Wesh - Clemson
The top qualifier out of the East Prelim in the 400 meters has a best of 51.43 to sit third on the NCAA descending order list. The ACC Most Valuable Performer won the 400 meters with a meet record, contributed to two relay titles and finished runner-up in 200 (23.06). The junior hails from Virginia Beach, Va.
WEST REGION - English Gardner - Oregon
The sophomore ranks second nationally in the 100 meters (wind-aided 11.00) and third in the 200 meters (22.82) after winning Pac-12 titles in both events earlier this season, as well as competing with the Pac-12 victories 4x100-meter. The Voorhees, N.J., native will compete at the NCAA Finals in the 4x100-meter relay and 100 meters.
Women's Field Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Jessica Flax - Wisconsin
A senior from Pearland, Texas, Flax claimed the Big Ten title in the heptathlon this season, scoring 5,772 points as part of a 1-2-3 Badger sweep of the event. She ranks fifth in the collegiate ranks this season in the event as was the Mt. SAC runner-up in the heptathlon.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Kiani Profit - Maryland
Profit, a senior from Pasadena, Calif., was the ACC Champion in the heptathlon with a school-record score of 5,695 points. Profit enters the NCAA Championships as the seventh-seed in the heptathlon.
MIDWEST REGION - Jeneva McCall - Southern Illinois
A senior from Dolton, Ill., McCall qualified for the NCAA final site in the shot put, discus, and hammer and was one of only two athletes to qualify in three individual events for Des Moines. She enters as the No. 1 seed in the discus, having claimed a best this season of 195-0 (59.45m) and has the second-best throw among collegians in the hammer with a best of 227-8 (69.39m). McCall was the Missouri Valley Conference Champion in the shot, hammer, and discus. McCall is also on The Bowerman Watch List.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Paige Blackburn - Air Force
Blackburn, a senior from Soldotna, Alaska, was the Mountain West Champion with the javelin, scoring 21 points at the conference meet with an added runner-up showing with the discus. Blackburn participated at the NCAA preliminary rounds in the discus and javelin.
NORTHEAST REGION - Allison Barwise - Boston University
A junior from Orange, Conn., Barwise ranks second among all collegians in the high jump with a best this season of 6-1½ (1.87m). Barwise was the America East Conference Championship MVP and High Point Scorer, having won the high jump and heptathlon. She won the league’s heptathlon with a meet-record score of 5,276 and also scored at the conference championships in the long jump and javelin.
SOUTH REGION - Morgann Leleux - Georgia
Leleux, a freshman from New Iberia, La., won the SEC crown in the pole vault with a clearance of 14-6¾ (4.44m) which ranks in the top ten among Americans this year. She won three competitions this season and was runner-up at the Drake Relays in the vault.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Whitney Gipson - TCU
A senior from Newark, Texas, Gipson ranks third among all collegians this year with a best in the long jump of 21-10¾ (6.67m). She won the Mountain West conference title in the event and is currently on the The Bowerman Watch List.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Tynita Butts - East Carolina
Butts, a sophomore from Alexandria, Va., has the second-best high jump mark in the collegiate ranks this season, having cleared 6-1½ (1.87m) – an Olympic “A” standard. Butts was the Conference USA Champion in the high jump and placed sixth at the league championships in the long jump.
WEST REGION - Brianne Theisen - Oregon
A senior from Humboldt, Saskatchewan, is the collegiate leader in the heptathlon, having scored the third-best score in collegiate history (6,353) to win the Pac-12 title. Theisen also recorded a clearance in the high jump of 6-0 (1.83m) which among the top ten in the collegiate ranks this season. Theisen is also on The Bowerman Watch List.
Women's Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Karen Dennis - Ohio State
Dennis’ Lady Buckeyes finished first at the Big Ten championships. Dennis primarily coaches the sprints and hurdles and her sprinters finished 1-2-3-5 in the 100 meters at conference championships. Additionally, the Lady Buckeyes claimed three other conference titles – 100 hurdles, hammer and 4x100 relay. Two school records and two meet records broken at conference championships. Dennis coached the Big Ten Athlete of the Year and Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships. Ranked No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region, Ohio State will have seven entries in the NCAA Championship Final Rounds.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Joseph Compagni - Monmouth
In his 15th season guiding the Men’s & Women’s programs at Monmouth, Compagni’s Lady Hawks claimed the Northeast Conference title for the fourth-straight year. Monmouth was selected NEC Coaching Staff of the Year. The Hawks had four qualifiers in three events for NCAA East Preliminary Rounds. Compagni’s team had its highest finish in school history at ECACs (15th). Monmouth completed the regular season ranked 14th in region.
MIDWEST REGION - Stanley Redwine - Kansas
The Jayhawks were the Big 12 Conference runners-up with 129½ points and were led by seven event champions. Redwine, now in his 11th season at KU, coaches standout Diamond Dixon among others in the sprints and middle distance groups. Kansas had 12 women athletes advance to NCAA Final Rounds in 12 events which is sixth-most of all teams competing. Kansas enters Des Moines with the leading 4x400 relay and a No. 2 national team ranking.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Wes Kittley - Texas Tech
The Red Raiders enter Des Moines with a No. 22 national ranking and have eight entries including ninth-ranked Rose Tanui in the 10K. Kittley’s team finished the regular season with a No. 1 ranking in the Mountain Region. The Red Raiders finished fifth in the Big 12 Conference Championship meet.
NORTHEAST REGION - Rich Bowman - Cornell
Bowman now in his 31st season, led Cornell to the Heps title with 158 points, powered by five first team All-Ivy selections four second team All-Ivy selections. The Big Red were ranked No. 1 in the Northeast Region throughout the outdoor season, placed third at the outdoor ECAC Championships, and sent an Ivy League-best 13 women to the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in eight different events. Thirty five women qualified for the outdoor ECAC Championships. Katie Kellner (10K) and Genna Hartung (Steeple) advanced to the NCAA Final Rounds in Des Moines.
SOUTH REGION - Caryl Smith Gilbert - UCF
In just her fifth season at the helm of the UCF program, Smith was named C-USA Coach of the Year after leading UCF to C-USA title. The Knights claimed nine conference event titles and 18 all-conference honors. Smith guided a school-record number (14) of athletes to the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds. UCF boasted a nation-best four entries in both long jump and 100 meters at East Prelims. The Knights will send six athletes to NCAA Final Rounds in Des Moines and three to US Olympic Trials. UCF completed the regular season ranked 4th in the South Region.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Dennis Shaver - LSU
Shaver was named the SEC Women's Coach of the Year after leading his Lady Tigers to the SEC Championship. In his eighth year at the helm, Shaver coached the Lady Tigers to a No. 1 national ranking, personally coaching the sprint and hurdle group that includes SEC Champions junior Kimberlyn Duncan (100M, 200M) and sophomore Jasmin Stowers (100H). He also coached LSU to a sweep of SEC titles in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. LSU will have 16 NCAA semifinalists in Des Moines, second highest among women programs.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Lawrence Johnson - Clemson
Johnson guided Clemson to the ACC title. He personally coaches sprints, hurdles & jumps primarily including the ACC Most Valuable Performers Marlena Wesh (track) and April Sinkler (field). The Lady Tigers won nine out of 21 events at the conference meet. Clemson will have nine individuals and both relays in the NCAA Final Rounds, for a total of 13 entries. The team is ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 5 nationally.
WEST REGION - Robert Johnson - Oregon
Johnson helped lead Oregon to the Pac-12 title. The Lady Ducks have 19 entries competing in Des Moines, the most among all women’s programs. The Lady Ducks are ranked No. 1 in the West Region and No. 3 nationally.
Women's Assistant Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION - Nate Davis - Wisconsin
Davis, Wisconsin’s sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-events coach had five advance to the NCAA finals site in Des Moines. He coached a 1-2-3 sweep of the Big Ten heptathlon and has the first squad in the NCAA since 2001 to advance three to the NCAA Championships in the heptathlon. Akinniyi was the lone Division I athlete to participate in four events in the NCAA Championships. Davis’ athletes scored 36 of Wisconsin’s 78 points at the Big Ten Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION - Chris Miltenberg - Georgetown
Miltenberg oversees the middle-distance and distance programs at Georgetown. The Hoyas will send seven to the finals site, four of which come from distance events.
MIDWEST REGION - Wayne Pate - Kansas
Pate’s athletes scored 35 of Kansas’ points at the Big 12 Championships as part of a runner-up showing. Pate, the jumps coach at Kansas, coaches Geubelle who is the collegiate leader in the triple jump. Simpson is in the national top three in the long jump.
MOUNTAIN REGION - Paul Pilkington - Weber State
At the Big Sky Championship, Pilkington’s runners placed first and third in the 1500, 1-2-5-6 in the 5000, 1-3-7-8 in 10000, and 1-3-7-8 in the steeplechase, scoring 78 points at the Championship. Five distance runners qualified for the first round of the NCAA's. Coach Pilkington's runners have the fifth-best time in the steeplechase, sixth-best in the 10000, 21st-best in the 1500 and 24th best in the 5000 heading into the NCAA final site.
NORTHEAST REGION - Mark Coogan - Dartmouth
Coogan, Dartmouth distance coach, will have two athletes at the NCAA’s final site. Abbey D’Agostino clocked 15:23 in the 5000 earlier this season as one of the top ten marks in collegiate history. D’Agostino was voted the Most Outstanding Performer at the Ivy League Championships. At the Heps, Coogan’s squad scored 53 of the team’s 89 points.
SOUTH REGION - Karen Harvey - Florida State
Harvey, FSU’s distance coach, qualified ten individuals for the NCAA East Preliminaries, including a national-best six in the 1500 meters. Her runners accounted for 43 of the team’s 75 points at the ACC Championships where they produced a conference champion in the 5000 meters.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Rolando Greene - Arkansas
Greene has two entries in the 400 meters, two in the 100 hurdles, and one in the heptathlon for the NCAA finals site along with the 4x100 and 4x400. Greene coached the SEC Champion in the 400 meters and the second-place 4x400 relay. At the Drake Relays, Arkansas won the 4x200 and sprint medley relays in record time.
SOUTHEAST REGION - Timothy Hall - Clemson
Hall helped Clemson to the ACC title as coach of the sprints and relays. He had individual ACC champs in the 100, 200, 400, and 4x100 relay and assisted with the champions of the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles. He coaches seven of Clemson’s nine NCAA finals site qualifiers as well as the 4x100 and 4x400 relays that qualified. Earlier in the season, Clemson ascended to No. 1 in the country for the first time in school history.
WEST REGION - Dan Lange - Southern California
Lange, USC’s throws coach, qualified five for the NCAA finals site in Des Moines, including three hammer throwers. At the Pac-12 Championships, USC placed 1-2-5 in the hammer, fourth in the javelin, sixth in the discus, and sixth in the shot put.
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Tom Lewis
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
Communications Manager
1100 Poydras St., Suite 1750
New Orleans, LA 70163
(O) 504-599-8904 (F) 504-599-8909
Email: tom@ustfccca.org
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