DI Outdoor Track & Field USTFCCCA Region Award Winners Announced

June 3, 2013

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 2013 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 Eugene, Ore., June 5-8. The meet will be broadcast on ESPNU and online on ESPN3 throughout the weekend beginning Thursday.

MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Terrence Somerville – Cincinnati
Somerville, a senior from Akron, Ohio, has lost only one race this year, that coming at the Jesse Owens Invitational. He was Big East Champion in the 110 hurdles in 13.41w (+4.7m/s) and had the fastest time at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in 13.37w (+2.3m/s). Both of his times broke the University of Cincinnati school record set by 2008 Olympic silver medalist David Payne in 2004

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Casimir Loxsom – Penn State
Loxsom, a senior from New Haven, Conn., is an NCAA finals qualifier at 800 meters for the fourth-straight year after posting the East Prelims’ fastest time at 1:47.12 and in the 4×400 relay. He finished runner-up in the Big Ten 800 meters, and has run a season’s best 1:46.77 in the 800 — the third fastest performance in Division I in 2013. Loxsom was named Penn Relays Track Athlete of the Meet as a member of Penn Relays winning 4×800 and DMR in 9:24.68, the 2013 NCAA leader and 6th fastest program in NCAA history.

MIDWEST REGION – Justin Austin – Iowa
A senior from Milwaukee, Wis., Austin was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year and the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Championships after claiming conference titles at 100 and 200 meters and in the 4×100 relay. He has qualified to the NCAA finals in all three of those events with season’s bests of 10.22 (twice) at 100 meters and 20.53 (+1.2m/s).

MOUNTAIN REGION – Diego Estrada – Northern Arizona
A senior from Salinas, Calif., Estrada ran fastest outdoor 5000 meters time in past 35 years and the second-fastest in NCAA history at Payton Jordan Invite in 13:15.33. He won 10th and 11th Big Sky individual titles and earned Big Sky Co-MVP honors w/ wins in 1500m & 5000m, and ran the fourth-fastest 1500 meters time in school history at 3:41.93 at the Mt. SAC Relays He is ranked No. 1 at 5000 meters, sixth at 10,000, and 21st at 1500 on the TFRRS national list.

NORTHEAST REGION – Eric Jenkins – Northeastern
A junior from Portsmouth, N.H., Jenkins ranks second in the nation at 5000 meter in 13:18.57, the seventh-fastest time in outdoor in-season collegiate history. He is the 2013 CAA Champion at 800 and 1500 meters, and the New England Champion in the 5000-meter run. Jenkins qualified for the NCAA Finals at 5000 meters after a second place finish overall at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in 14:05.25.

SOUTH REGION – Isiah Young – Mississippi
Young, a senior from Junction City, Kan., won his second-straight SEC title at 200 meters in 20.20 (+0.9m/s)and was the SEC runner-up at 100 meters in 10.14 (+0.5m/s) en route to earning SEC Commissioner’s Trophy for most points at the league meet, and was voted SEC Men’s Runner of the Year by the league coaches. He ran 9.99Q (+0.3m/s) at the NCAA East prelims to qualify as the only collegian sub-10 this season, as well as qualifying at 200 meters.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Charles Silmon – TCU
A senior from Waco, Texas, Silmon qualified to the NCAA Finals as the West Prelim’s top seed at both 100 and 200 meters and as part of the 4×100 relay. He posted personal records at 100 meters in 10.03 (+1.7m/s) and at 200 meters in 20.23 (+0.6m/s) at the West Prelims. His 100 meters time ranks No. 2 in the NCAA and No. 7 in the world.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Spencer Adams – Clemson
A senior from Charlotte, N.C., Adams is an NCAA Finals qualifier for fourth straight season in the 110 hurdles, only the third male athlete in Clemson history to accomplish that feat. He will enter as No. 2 seed in Eugene with season’s best time of 13.40 (-0.2m/s). Adams is the ACC Champion in the 110 hurdles for the first time in his career.

WEST REGION – Bryshon Nellum – Southern California
Nellum, a senior from Los Angeles, Calif., ran an NCAA-leading time at 400 meters in 44.76 and the third-fastest at 200 in 22.23 (+1.5m/s) for Pac-12 titles in both events, becoming only the second Pac-12 male ever to do so, en route to Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Meet honors. His 200 time is seventh all-time in the Pac-12 and the fastest in the Pac-12 since 2000. He will compete at the NCAA Finals at 200 and 400 meters.



WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Jade Barber – Notre Dame
Barber, a sophomore from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, has qualified into the NCAA Finals ranked with the No. 3 100 hurdles time from the preliminary rounds at 13.00 (+0.7m/s). She has only one loss this outdoor season in the event, finishing runner-up at the Stanford Invitational. She led Notre Dame to a 1-2 finish at the Big East Championships in the 100 hurdles in 13.08w (+3.9m/s). Led off the winning 4×100 relay at the Big East Championships and is also the lead-off leg on the 4×400 relay that finished with the top time in the East Prelims in 3:32.43.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Mahagony Jones – Penn State
A junior from Cleveland, Ohio, Jones is a three-event NCAA Finals qualifier at 100 and 200 meters, and the 4×400. She is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA at 100 meters in 11.33 (+2.0m/s), and has also run 23.15w (+3.0m/s) at 200. She scored a total of 21 points towards the Nittany Lions’ team title run at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships with an individual 100 meters title, runner-up honors at 200, and a third-place 4×400 showing.

MIDWEST REGION – Ashley Spencer – Illinois
A sophomore from Indianapolis, Ind., Spencer won Big Ten individual titles at 200 and 400 meters and in the 4×400 relay en route to being named Big Ten Athlete of the Year and Big Ten Athlete of the Championships. She has qualified to the NCAA Finals to defend her 400 meters title as she advanced to NCAA Finals after running the eighth best time in the world in a collegiate-leading 50.88 at the West Prelims, making her the only collegian to run faster than 51 seconds this season.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Emma Coburn – Colorado
A senior from Crested Butte, Colo., Coburn ran the second-fastest 3000 steeplechase record in collegiate history in a 9:28.26 win at the Payton Jordan Invitational, and recorded the fifth-fastest 1500 meters in collegiate history in 4:06.87 at the Oxy High Performance Meet. She has not lost a collegiate race this season, including a Pac-12 Championship in the steeplechase and the fastest steeple time from the West Prelims.

NORTHEAST REGION – Abbey D’Agostino – Dartmouth
A senior from Topsfield, Mass., D’Agostino is undefeated in individual races during 2013 outdoor track season and has qualified for the NCAA Finals at 5000 meters. Ran 15:11.35 for 5,000 meters in a Mt. SAC Relays win for the third-best in-season performance in collegiate history. She claimed Ivy League titles at 1500 meters in 4:11.94 and 3000 meters in 9:21.79, and won the 800 in 2:08.11 at the New Balance Boston Twilight Meet.

SOUTH REGION – Aurieyall Scott – UCF
A junior from Greenbelt, Md., Scott won Conference USA titles at 200 meters and in the 4×100 relay, and finished runner-up at 100 meters en route to C-USA High Point Scorer of the Meet honors. She advanced as the East Prelim’s top qualifier at both 100 meters in 11.05w (+3.8m/s) and 200 meters in 22.35 (+1.3m/s), as well as in the 4×100 relay.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Regina George – Arkansas
George, a senior from Chicago, Ill., is a two-time SEC champion in 2013 with titles at 400 meters in 51.74 and as the anchor of the 4×400 relay. She set a school record and has No. 2 time in the country with performance of 51.00 at NCAA West Preliminary. George anchored Arkansas to school-record time of 3:28.42 in the 4×400 at the Texas Relays.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Brianna Rollins – Clemson
Rollins, a junior from Miami, Fla., holds the collegiate lead in the 100 hurdles with a wind-aided 12.54w (+2.1m/s) and a wind-legal 12.68 (-1.5m/s), which places her sixth on the all-time collegiate performer list and third in the world for 2013. She is undefeated in the 100 hurdles, including an ACC Championship in the event. Rollins also claimed ACC titles at 200 meters and in the 4×100 relay. She has qualified to the NCAA Finals in the 100 hurdles and the 4×100 relay.

WEST REGION – Kori Carter – Stanford
Carter, a junior from Claremont, Calif., has established herself as a breakout star, twice running world-leading 400 hurdles times while three times beating Olympic finalist Georganne Moline of Arizona. Carter won Pac-12 titles in the 400 hurdles in 54.21, the No. 2 in-season time in collegiate history, and the 100 hurdles in 12.76 (+0.1m/s), and ran a 50.9 anchor split on Stanford’s NCAA Finals-bound 4×400. Her performance in the 400 hurdles ranks No. 3 in the world and No. 1 in the U.S., while in the 100H, she’s No. 8 in the world and No. 2 in Division I.



MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Derek Drouin – Indiana
A senior from Corunna, Ontario, Drouin continued his dominance of college high jumping this season, going undefeated in the event with wins at Texas Relays, Penn Relays and the Big Ten Championships. Drouin cleared a Big Ten, Penn Relays and Franklin Field record of 7-7¾ (2.33m), which ranked No. 2 in the world. He was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – James Plummer – Rutgers
A senior from South Toms River, N.J., Plummer won his third Big East Championship in the discus this spring with a new championship record 199-8 (60.85m). He won his third Penn Relays championship in the discus, in addition to his third IC4A discus championship. Qualified to the NCAA Finals with a personal best of 201-0 (61.27m).

MIDWEST REGION – Erik Kynard – Kansas State
Kynard, a senior from Toledo, Ohio, jumped a world-leading 7-8 (2.34m) to win the Mt. SAC Relays, tying his personal best and his school record. He won the Big 12 Conference Championships with a clearance of 7-6½ (2.30m). He has either won or tied for first in four of his five competitions this outdoor season.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Mark Jackson – UTEP
Jackson, a junior from Taylor, Texas, is ranked fourth in the nation in the triple jump after claiming the crown at Drake Relays with a personal best of 53-1½ (16.19m).He qualified to the NCAA Finals with a leap of 52-3¾ (15.94m), finishing sixth overall. Jackson scored 20 points at the C-USA Championships winning the triple jump, taking bronze at 100 meters and finishing fifth in the long jump.

NORTHEAST REGION – Montez Blair – Cornell
Montez, a junior from Camden, N.J., set a new Cornell record in the high jump at 7-4½ (2.24m). He won his second consecutive Ivy League title and has advanced to the NCAA FinalsHe currently ranks tied for fifth in the D1 and No. 4 all time in league history.

SOUTH REGION – Omar Craddock – Florida
Craddock, a senior from Killeen, Texas, advanced as the top seed to the NCAA Finals with a mark of 52-7½ (16.04m) to make the two-time NCAA Champion the only athlete at the East Prelims to surpass the 16-meter mark. He leaped a nation-leading 54-0 (16.46m) to win his second straight SEC Outdoor title in the men’s triple.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Sam Humphreys – Texas A&M
Humphreys, a senior from Laredo, Texas, set a javelin career best of 268-8 (81.90m) in producing the top mark from the NCAA preliminary rounds and the top collegiate mark of 2013, moving him to No. 7 on the all-time in-season collegiate list and improving his American and collegiate leading mark of 267-1 (81.40m) he set in his first outdoor meet in mid-March. He is undefeated through senior campaign, which includes a third Texas Relays title and a fourth consecutive conference title, winning the SEC Championship after three Big 12 titles.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Tomas Kruzliak – Virginia Tech
A freshman from Nitra, Slovakia, owned the top hammer throw in the Nation at 232-5 (70.84m) going into the NCAA preliminary meets, and enters the NCAA Finals as the No. 2 seed from the East He is the 2013 ACC Champion in the hammer throw and currently ranked No. 2 in the nation.

WEST REGION – Julian Wruck – UCLA
Wruck, a junior from Brisbane Queensland, Australia, has been dominant in the discus, having gone unbeaten all season with the top 24 disc throws of this season. Among those throws was a career best of 216-8 (66.05m) that ranks him the No. 4 in-season performer in collegiate history. He has recorded four other top-10 all-time throws this season.



WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Felisha Johnson – Indiana State
Johnson, a senior from Indianapolis, Ind., broke Indiana State’s shot put record three times this season, most recently at the NCAA East Prelims at 59-11¼ (18.27m), and ranks second in nation going into the NCAA Finals, where she will also compete in hammer throw. She won MVC titles in shot put and discus and was named Most Outstanding Women’s Field Athlete at MVC Championships.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Vanessa Jules – Marshall
Jules, a senior from Silver Springs, Md., won the Conference USA heptathlon title with a C-USA and school record point total of 5,807 which ranks second in the nation, and won the high jump C-USA title with a jump of 5-10 (1.78m). She set three school records in the heptathlon (5,807), the high jump (5-11½/1.82m), 100 meter hurdles (13.67, +0.1m/s).

MIDWEST REGION – Andrea Geubelle – Kansas
Geubelle, a senior from University Place, Wash., won all three of the triple jump events she competed in this outdoor season. She broke the KU record with her mark of 45-1¾ ( 13.85m) at the Georgia Tech Invite, a leap that is No. 2 in the NCAA. Her top long jump mark of the year of 21-5¼ (6.53m), ranks No. 5 in the nation. She won her second-straight Big 12 triple jump title and finished runner-up in the long jump.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Chari Hawkins – Utah State
A sophomore from Rexburg, Idaho, Hawkins set the Utah State high jump record with a clearance of 5-11¼ (1.81m), winning the high jump portion of the heptathlon at the WAC Championships with that height. She also set the school record in the heptathlon, scoring 5,441 points at the California Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays Combined Events. She will compete in the NCAA Finals in the high jump.

NORTHEAST REGION – Victoria Flowers – Connecticut
A senior from Providence, R.I., Flowers won Big East titles in both the hammer throw at 211-3 (64.40m) — a conference record — and the shot put at 53-5 (16.43m) en route tobeing named Outstanding Field Performer. At ECAC Championships she won the shot with mark of 54-5¼ (16.59m) and the hammer. She has qualified for NCAA Finals in both events.

SOUTH REGION – Erica Bougard – Mississippi State
Bougard, a sophomore from Byhalia, Miss., finished runner-up at the SEC Championships in both the heptathlon with a score of 5,786 and the long jump with a mark of 20-11¾ (6.39m). She will compete at the NCAA Finals in the heptathlon — an event in which she claimed a Texas Relays title — and the long jump after finishing second in the East Prelims.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Makeba Alcide – Arkansas
A senior from Castries, St. Lucia, Alcide is the SEC champion in heptathlon after scoring a collegiate-leading and school-record 5,968 points. She was named SEC Field Athlete of the Year. Her SEC heptathlon performance replaced her own nation-best score of 5,882 points. She is No. 1 in heptathlon and No. 2 in the high jump 6-2 (1.88m), which set the SEC Championships meet record.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Karimah Shepherd – NC State
A senior from Chesapeake, Va., Shepherd was the first ACC Champion in the women’s long jump in NC State history with a mark of 20-7¼ (6.28m). She qualified for the NCAA Finals in both the long jump and the triple jump, placing fourth in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump at the East Prelims.

WEST REGION – Brigetta Barrett – Arizona
Barrett, a senior from Wappingers Falls, N.Y., cleared an in-season collegiate-record 6-6¼ (1.99m) at the 2013 Pac-12 Championships on the way to winning her third-straight conference title. her mark is the top jump in the country this year, collegiate or professional, and ranks No. 2 in the world. She cleared 6-3¼ (1.91m) or better in four meets this year, and has won every collegiate competition this season.



MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – John McNichols – Indiana State
In his 30th season at Indiana State, McNichols’ team captured its third-straight Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships team title after winning five individual events. He placed 11 entrants into the NCAA East Prelims and advanced three to the NCAA Finals in the 110 hurdles, the steeplechase and the hammer throw.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Fred Samara – Princeton
In his 35th season, Samara’s Princeton team won the Ivy League Championship by 29 points over Northeast Region No. 1 ranked Cornell. Princeton finished the regular season as the top-ranked team in the Middle Atlantic Region. Princeton had NCAA Finals qualifiers in the 4×400 relay, 400 meter hurdles, 800 meters and two at 10,000 meters. During the 2013 season Damon McLean won the Penn Relays Triple Jump Championship and the 4×4 relay qualified for the Championship of America 4×400 relay.

MIDWEST REGION – Gary Pepin – Nebraska
Pepin, in his 33rd season with Nebraska, guided NU to a dominating win at the 2013 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Pepin was honored by his peers following the meet as the Big Ten Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year for guiding NU to its first men’s title in the Big Ten. He has most recently guided the Husker men to a ninth-place ranking in the latest USTFCCCA computer rankings with nine qualifiers to the NCAA Finals.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Ralph Lindeman – Air Force
In his 24th season at the Air Force Academy, Lindeman coached Air Force to its second straight Mountain West team title and was named the MW Coach of the Year. His men accounted for three conference titles and a program-best 22 all-MW selectionsas an event coach for the long jump, saw Blue Kearney earn a second-place finish as the program’s first all-MW selection in that event since 2004. Three qualified to the NCAA Finals from the Acacdemy.

NORTHEAST REGION – Nathan Taylor – Cornell
After Taylor, in his 15th season, guided to the team to an IC4A championship and the top ranking in the region all year, Cornell advanced 20 athletes in 16 different events to the first round of the NCAA Prelims and five entrants to the NCAA finals.

SOUTH REGION – Bob Braman – Florida State
In his 14th season at Florida State, Braman guided his team to the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s outdoor team title and was named ACC Men’s & Women’s Coach of the Year. He qualified 10 total entrants to the NCAA Finals, nine of the ten of which are seeded in the top 10 of their events. Specializing in distance events, three of his student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Finals.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Chris Bucknam – Arkansas
In his fifth season as the head coach of Arkansas, Bucknam led the Razorbacks to an SEC outdoor team title and 20 overall entries for NCAA Finals, and was named the SEC Outdoor Coach of the Year. Arkansas is the No. 2 team in the USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings entering the NCAA Finals. He oversees the Razorbacks’ distance runners who won two SEC titles at 800 and 5000 meters.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Dave Cianelli – Virginia Tech
In his 12th season at Virginia Tech, Cianelli’s team finished a strong runner-up to Florida State at the ACC Outdoor Championships. Virginia Tech is currently ranked No. 10 in the nation in the USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings with eight qualifiers to the NCAA Finals.

WEST REGION – Robert Johnson – Oregon
In his first year as head coach, Johnson led the Ducks to their seventh straight Pac-12 title. Oregon scored 149.5 points, with UCLA second at 108. The Ducks won just four individual events, but used great team depth for the win. Of the event wins, the Ducks won the Pac-12 4×400 relay for the first time since 1934. Other winners were Elijah Greer in the 800, Sam Crouser in the javelin and Dakotah Keys in the decathlon. More impressively, Oregon had 12 different top three finishers at the meet. The Ducks have 13 qualifiers to the NCAA Finals.



WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Angela Martin – Indiana State
Martin, in her 11th year at Indiana State, led the squad to a Missouri Valley Conference title. Twelve of her athletes qualified for the NCAA Preliminary rounds – the most in the past four years. Three advanced on the Eugene in four events including the school’s first sprinter in 17 years. It is the second straight year in which three or more Sycamores have reached the NCAA Finals.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Beth Alford-Sullivan – Penn State
Sullivan, in her 14th year coaching the Nittany Lion women, moved the team to a Big Ten title as was named the league’s coach of the year. Three athletes won individual event titles at the conference meet and Penn State advanced nine women in eight events to the NCAA Final Rounds. Penn State had 24 entries into the NCAA preliminaries – fifth most among all teams. Penn State enters the NCAA Finals ranked No. 24 in the nation.

MIDWEST REGION – Stanley Redwine – Kansas
Redwine’s Jayhawks were ranked No. 1 in the national rankings for eight of the 10 weeks this season and currently boast 13 athletes that rank in the top-10 in their respective events. The KU women claimed the program’s first Big 12 title after seeing eight Jayhawks win individual league crowns. Redwine coached Diamond Dixon to her third-straight Big 12 400-meter title, as well as KU’s 4×400-meter relay. Kansas also successfully advanced 13 entries to the upcoming NCAA Championships in Eugene. Redwine is in his 13th year at Kansas.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Brian Bedard – Colorado State
Bedard, in his 24th year at Colorado State, led his team to have two qualifiers for the NCAA Finals in Eugene after placing 14 in the preliminary rounds. His squad finished third in the Mountain West Conference Championships this season.

NORTHEAST REGION – Rich Bowman – Cornell
The Cornell women won the outdoor Heps for the second straight year, scoring 145 points under Bowman. The Big Red won four events and placed second in eight others and Victoria Imbesi was voted co-Outstanding Field Event Performer of the Meet. A program-best 13 women qualified individually for the NCAA Preliminary Round in eight events. Four women (Katie Kellner in the 10K, Rachel Sorna and Genna Hartung in the 3K Steeplechase and Victoria Imbesi in the Javelin) advanced to the NCAA Finals. Bowman is in his 32nd year at Cornell.

SOUTH REGION – Caryl Smith Gilbert – UCF
The Conference USA Coach of the Year, Smith Gilbert guided program to its first national top-10 USTFCCCA ranking and heads into Eugene ranked seventh nationally. She is the only coach to have three qualified for the NCAA Finals that ranks in the top 10 seeds in the 100 meters. Twelve school records were broke this season while the squad won its fourth-straight 100 meter title. Smith Gilbert is in her sixth year at the helm at UCF.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Pat Henry – Texas A&M
Texas A&M’s women led by Henry are ranked No. 2 heading into NCAA Championships by USTFCCCA. The Aggies lead with 16 entries to the national finals after having 29 entries for the NCAA West preliminary rounds. In its first year in a new league, Texas A&M won the SEC Championship team title with 117 points. The Aggies defeated Oregon in the Pepsi Team Invitational at Eugene earlier this season and A&M won 4×1, 4×2, shuttle hurdle relay, 100, 100 hurdles and long jump at the Penn Relays. Coach Henry is in his ninth year with the Aggies.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Shawn Cobey – Clemson
In his first year as interim head coach, Cobey led the Tigers to the ACC crown – their fourth straight. He coached five individuals for seven combined entries to Eugene. Seven won individual event titles at the ACC Championships this season as well. Clemson ranked 13th in the nation leading into the NCAA Finals.

WEST REGION – Fred Harvey – Arizona
Harvey, in his 11th year at Arizona, led the Wildcats to a runner-up finish at this year’s Pac-12 Championships. Arizona heads into the NCAA Finals ranked No. 6 in the nation and never ranked lower than seventh in the national rankings. In the 2013 outdoor season, a collegiate record was broken by Brigetta Barrett in the high jump with her clearance of 6-6¼ (1.99m). Arizona went into Austin for the NCAA Preliminaries with 26 entries, the third highest total nationally, and how head to Eugene with 12 entries, tied for fourth highest in the meet.



MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Alan Turner – Notre Dame
Under the guidance of third-year sprints, hurdles and relays coach Turner, Irish sprinters and hurdlers scored 50 of the 107½ points at the Big East Championships. Sophomore Chris Giesting won at 400 meters an ND record 45.90, and was also runner-up at 200 to earn co-track athlete of the meet. He coached NCAA Finals qualifiers at 400 meters and in the 4×400 relay, which set a school record at the Drake Relays.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – John Gondak – Penn State
In his seventh season as the Penn State middle-distance coach, he guided four NCAA Finals qualifiers including Mid-Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year Casimir Loxsom among three qualifiers at 800 meters and another at 1500. Coached two winning relays at Penn in the 4×800 and the DMR, which ran the sixth-fastest time in collegiate history, earning Loxsom Track Athlete of the Meet honors.

MIDWEST REGION – Joey Woody – Iowa
In his seventh season at Iowa coaching sprints, hurdles and relays, Woody’s student-athletes accounted for 53 points at the Big Ten Championship, coaching individual Big Ten Champions at 100 and 200 meters, and in the 400 hurdles and 4×100 relay. Midwest Region Track Athlete of the Year Justin Austin was named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year and the Championship. Under his guidance he advanced five entries to the NCAA Finals.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Scott Steffan – Air Force
In his sixth season coaching pole vault and high jump at the Air Force Academy, Steffan guided his program to the distinction of being the only team in the country with three different student-athletes to clear 18 feet in the pole vault, including two NCAA Finalists. His vaulters went 1-2-3-5-7 at the Mountain West Conference Championships, and his high jumpers went 2-3-4 for a total of 49 points en route to a team title.

NORTHEAST REGION – Megan Johnson – Cornell
In her third season coaching throws at Cornell, Johnson has guided All American Stephen Mozia to school records in the shot and discus with marks of 63-0 (19.20m) and 196-7 (59.91m). Mozia won the Penn Relays Championship of America in the shot and ranks in the top 10 nationally in both events. She has also directed NCAA finalist and school record holder Rob Robbins at 233-4 (71.11m). She has coached three entries to the NCAA Finals.

SOUTH REGION – Matt Kane – Alabama
In his second season at Alabama coaching sprints, Kane coached Diondre Batson to the SEC title at 100 meters as part of an undefeated season in the event in 2013, in which he also qualified for the NCAA Finals at 200 meters. He guided the 4×100 relay team to second place at the SEC championships and the top seed heading into the NCAA Finals. The Tide’s 4×400 relay team also qualified for the NCAA Final.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Sean Lonergan – Stephen F. Austin
Lonergan, in his fifth season coaching sprints, hurdles and relays at Stephen F. Austin, coached two NCAA Finals qualifiers at 400 meters and the 4×400 meter relays. His student-athletes scored 57 points at the Southland Conference Championship, including individual champions at 400 meters, and in the 110 hurdles, and the 4×400.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Tim Hall – Clemson
In his fifth season coaching sprints, hurdles and relays for Clemson, Hall is responsible for six of Clemson’s seven NCAA Finals qualifiers: three at 100 meters for only the second time in program history, two in the 110 hurdles and the 4×100 relay. He coached ACC Champion Spencer Adams in the 110 hurdles, the nation’s No. 2 seed in the event.

WEST REGION – John Henry Johnson – Southern California
In his nineteenth season as a sprints coach at USC, Johnson had his athletes go 1-2-3 at 200 meters and 1-2 at 100 meters at the Pac-12 Championships. Aaron Brown and BeeJay Lee both ran 10.07 tied for the third-fastest in school history and fourth in Pac-12 history. West Region Track Athlete of the Year Bryshon Nellum, Brown and Davonte Stewart swept the 200 with Nellum’s time of 20.23 the third-fastest in USC history, seventh-fastest on conference history and fastest in the Pac-12 since 2000. Johnson qualified three entrants to the NCAA Finals.



WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
GREAT LAKES REGION – Alan Turner – Notre Dame
Turner coaches sprints, hurdles, and relays for Notre Dame and he is in his third year at the school. His sprinters scored 77 of the 153 team points for the Irish’s capture of their second Big East team title in school history in which they won with a 50¼ point margin over UConn. Michelle Brown won three Big East titles. Notre Dame qualified four in sprinting events and a relay for Eugene.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Willie Johnson – Marshall
Johnson, Marshall’s sprints, hurdles, and jumps coach in his third year, coached ten individuals to the NCAA Preliminaries, a school-record. Two advanced to the NCAA Finals which is also a school-record. The Thundering Herd placed a best-ever fifth at Conference USA led by Outstanding Performance of the Meet recipient Vanessa Jules who won the heptathlon with a school record and C-USA record 5,807 points. He also coached three individuals and the 4×400 meter relay team to all-conference performances.

MIDWEST REGION – Wayne Pate – Kansas
Pate coached three of his athletes to Big 12 titles in 2013. His athletes combined for 52 of the team’s 158 points as KU claimed their first Big 12 team title. Pate pupil, Andrea Geubelle, did not lose a triple jump final this year, went on to claim her second-straight Big 12 crown in the event and qualify for the national meet in both the long jump and triple jump. Long jumper Francine Simpson and heptathlete Lindsay Vollmer also won Big 12 titles, with Vollmer also advancing to the NCAA meet. Pate has been at Kansas for six years.

MOUNTAIN REGION – Dion Miller – Texas Tech
Miller, Tech’s sprints, hurdles, and relays coach, is pivotal in the development of sprinter Cierra White who was the Big 12 100 meter champ and 200 meter runner-up this season. White also qualified for the NCAA Finals in the 100, 200, 4×100, and 4×400. Both Lady Raider relays qualified for the NCAA Finals for the fourth consecutive season. Miller is in his ninth year at Texas Tech.

NORTHEAST REGION – Artie Smith – Cornell
Smith, in his 14th year at Cornell, led distance runners to seven berths to the NCAA Preliminaries and three to the NCAA Finals. Katie Kellner was the top qualifier from the East region in the 10,000 meters and Rachel Sorna set a new Ivy Record in the steeplechase with a time of 9:50.39. At the outdoor Heps, Big Red distance runners scored 65 of the total points in the team victory.

SOUTH REGION – Karen Harvey – Florida State
Four Seminoles distance runners are bound for the NCAA Finals in Eugene, including sophomore Colleen Quigley, who is the No. 1 seed in steeplechase, Amanda Winslow and Linden Hall in the 1500, and Kayleigh Tyerman who is the No. 2 seed in the 10,000 meters. Winslow and Quigley also notched ACC titles this season in the 5000 meters and steeplechase, respectively. Harvey is in her seventh year at Florida State.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Vince Anderson – Texas A&M
Anderson, who coaches Texas A&M sprints, hurdles, and relays, helped lead the Aggies to an SEC title with 72 of 117 team points coming from his event areas. Anderson’s crew accounts for ten entries for the NCAA Finals, including four in the 100 meters, three in the 200, one in the 100 hurdles, and both relays. Also, A&M won the 4×100, 4×200, shuttle hurdle relay, 100 meters, and 100 hurdles at Penn Relays and captured the 4×100 title at the Texas Relays with a U.S.- and collegiate-leading 42.56 that tied the meet record. Anderson is in his ninth year with the Aggies.

SOUTHEAST REGION – Tim Vaught – Coastal Carolina
Vaught, who coaches sprints, jumps, hurdles, and combined events, at Coastal Carolina has both relays qualified for the NCAA Finals in Eugene. He coached four women to run under 14 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles this season. At the Big South Championships, his athletes in his event groups scored 166½ points. Vaught is in his fifth year at the school.

WEST REGION – Carjay Lyles – San Diego State
Lyles, in his fourth season with SDSU, helped the Aztecs claim their second Mountain West outdoor title and first since 2003. Four of his athletes qualified for the NCAA Finals in Eugene, including Shanieka Thomas who is the No. 1 seed in the triple jump and heptathletes Nicole Oudenaarden and Allison Reaser. Alex Evans qualified in the triple jump.




U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1750
New Orleans, LA 70163

Contact: Kyle Terwillegar
Communications Assistant
kyle@ustfccca.org
(504) 599-8905





This email was sent to 'kyle@ustfccca.org' from the USTFCCCA. If you wish to stop receiving email from us, you can simply remove yourself by visiting: @@unsubscribe_url@@

This email was sent to 'kyle@ustfccca.org' from USTFCCCA.org. If you wish to stop receiving email from us, you can simply remove yourself by visiting:@@unsubscribe_url@@







--

---

Kyle Terwillegar

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association

Communications Assistant

1100 Poydras St., Suite 1750

New Orleans, LA 70163

(O) 504-599-8905 (F) 504-599-8909

Email: kyle@ustfccca.org

Follow Us: twitter.com/USTFCCCA