Winners of 2015 DIII Outdoor Region Awards Announced

By Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA

May 19, 2015

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2015 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Each of the regions, which are the same as those used during the Division III cross country season, honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes and the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches. Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches.

QUICK LINKS TO AWARDS
Men	Women
Track Athletes of the Year	Track Athletes of the Year
Field Athletes of the Year	Field Athletes of the Year
Head Coaches of the Year	Head Coaches of the Year
Assistant Coaches of the Year	Assistant Coaches of the Year

Many of the honored athletes and coaches will be in competition at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships set for this weekend, May 21-23, in Canton, New York, hosted by Saint Lawrence.
More information about the meet can be found at the USTFCCCA’s National Championships Central page.

Men’s Track Athletes

ATLANTIC REGION – Austin Becker — Buffalo State
Becker—a redshirt sophomore from Broadalbin, New York—ran 1:49.74 for 800 meters, a new Buffalo State school record. He won the National Athlete of the Week award for that performance at the Allegheny Gator Invitational, a week after running 1:50.98 to win and break the meet record at the SUNYAC championships. He has the top 800 time heading into the NCAA championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Eli Horton — Central (Iowa)
Horton won his fourth straight Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1500 meter title, and doubled back with a leg on the winning 4×800 meter relay there. He’ll be contesting the 5000 meters at the NCAA championships; his 14:11.28 is the fastest 5k in DIII this year. Horton is a senior from Runnels, Iowa.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Nick Boyce – Wabash
The senior from Indianapolis broke the NCAC 1500 meter record and helped the Little Giants to a team conference title. He could have qualified for nationals in the steeplechase and 5000, but elected to race the steeple only, where his 9:08.12 is ranked eleventh.
MIDEAST REGION – Charlie Marquardt – Haverford
Marquardt has the fastest Division III 1500 time in 2015; that 3:43.84 makes him the eighth fastest DIII performer ever. The junior from Pasadena, California is the Centennial Conference champion in the 1500 and 800 and was named the conference track athlete of the year. He also has a top-ten nationally ranked 5k time, but will only run the 1500 at NCAAs.
MIDWEST REGION – Thurgood Dennis – UW-Eau Claire
Dennis’s 10.12 100 meters at the WIAC championships—with some assistance from a 4.9 meters per second tailwind—is the fastest DIII all-conditions performance ever. His wind legal 10.47 100 leads DIII this year and 21.35 200 is ranked fourth. The senior is entered in both of those events and the 4×100 and 4×400 meter relays at the NCAA championships.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Terrence Gibson — Worcester State
Gibson didn’t start his outdoor season until April 18, but he more than made up for lost time. The senior is unbeaten in the 110 meter hurdles this year, topping out at 14.09 seconds at the ECAC championships. That’s the second fastest time on the DIII performance list by 0.02 seconds. He’s from Rockland, Massachusetts.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Jeremy Phillips – Rhodes
Phillips, a senior from Norwell, Massachusetts, qualified for the NCAA championships in the 100 meters with a time of 10.56 seconds. That’s tied for the seventh fastest time in DIII this year, and a new school record. Phillips scored thirty-six points in open events—winning the 100, 200, and long jump plus third in the triple jump—and ran a leg on the winning 4×100 meter relay at the SAA championships.
WEST REGION – Darren Centi – Redlands
Centi is entered in the 200 and 400 at the NCAA championships, and has the nation’s fastest 400 meter time (47.16) and the West Region’s fastest 200 time (21.50). The latter is a Redlands school record. He won both events at the SCIAC meet and was named the conference track athlete of the year for it; he’s a senior from Auburn, California.

Women’s Track Athletes

ATLANTIC REGION – Adriana Wright — Lehman Wright, a sophomore from St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, followed up her record-breaking indoor campaign with a similarly historic outdoor regular season. She ran 13.64 in the 100-meter hurdles for the No. 2 time in NCAA Division III history and just .04 off the record, and she went 11.72 at 100 meters to move to No. 7 all time. She won both events, as well as the 200, at her conference meet.
CENTRAL REGION – Tricia Serres — Luther Serres, a junior from Platteville, Wisconsin, was named the IIAC Championships Most Valuable Track Performer with a pair of wins at 1500 and 5000 meters, in addition to anchoring the runner-up 4×800. She enters the NCAA Championships as the top seed at 1500 meters in 4:25.56, and is No. 2 at 5000 meters in 16:28.62.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Sara Johnson — Ohio Wesleyan Johnson, a junior from Dublin, Ohio, enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 3 seed in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.01. She won the event at the NCAC Championships, in addition to finishing runner-up at 100 meters and third at 200, and running a leg of the winning 4×100 relay.
MIDEAST REGION – Frances Loeb — Johns Hopkins Loeb, a senior from Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, finished the regular season as the fastest woman in Division III at 10,000 meters in 34:42.63, making her the only sub-35 woman of the 2015 regular season. She’s also No. 3 in the country at 5000 meters, and No. 11 at 1500 meters. She will contest the 5000 and 10,000 at NCAAs.
MIDWEST REGION – Meg Heafy — UW-La Crosse Heafy, a junior from Reedsville, Wisconsin, set the WIAC Conference and school record at 100 meters in 11.58 en route to winning the Championships. Her time places her No. 2 all-time on the NCAA DIII list. She also finished runner-up at 200 meters and anchored the runner-up 4×100 relay team. She is currently ranked No. 1 at 100 meters, No. 2 in the 200, and the Eagles’ 4×100 team is No. 2 nationally.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Maryann Gong — MIT
Gong, a sophomore from Livermore, California, enters the NCAA Championships No. 3 at 1500 meters and No. 8 at 5000 meters. She swept those events at the New England Division III Championships, won the 1500 at the NEWMAC Championships, and finished runner-up at 1500 at the NEICAAA Championships.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Hannah Chappell-Dick — Eastern Mennonite Chappel-Dick, a junior from Bluffton, Ohio, was busy at the ODAC Championships, winning at 800 and 1500 meters, finishing fourth in the high jump, and running a leg of the school-record 4×400 relay team. At 2:09.37 over 800 meters, she’s not only the top ranked woman in the region, she’s No. 2 across all of Division III. That’s the event she’ll contest at NCAAs.
WEST REGION – Melissa Skiba — Cal Lutheran
No one has been faster than Skiba over 5000 meters this year. The senior from Simi Valley, California, ran 16:17.87 earlier this year for the top spot on the NCAA qualifying list by 11 seconds, and the No. 5 spot on the all-time DIII list. She claimed both the 1500 and 5000 races at the SCIAC Championships to earn SCIAC Female Athlete of the Year honors.

Men’s Field Athletes

ATLANTIC REGION – Pat Weinert — SUNY Oneonta
Weinert launched the hammer 64.28 meters (210-11) out of his home ring, which makes him the eighth best hammer performer in DIII history and the SUNYAC record holder. He’s ranked second in the event and will contest it at the NCAA championships. He also has top-three regional marks in the shot put and discus. Weinert is a senior from Schenevus, New York.
CENTRAL REGION – Colt Feltes — Wartburg
Feltes won the shot put, discus, and hammer at the IIAC championships for thirty points and the conference field athlete of the meet. He’s competing in all three events at the NCAA championships, where he comes in ranked second in the shot (18.38m), sixth in the discus (52.85m), and twelfth in the hammer (58.49m). Feltes is a senior from Delhi, Iowa.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Marcus Dozier — DePauw
Dozier—a junior from South Bend, Indiana—is ranked in the top six in both the shot put and discus ahead of the NCAA championship meet. He won both events at the NCAC championships and was named the conference field athlete of the year for it; his 16.95m shot put is a DePauw school record.
MIDEAST REGION – Gibby Graves — Haverford
Graves is the first Centennial Conference athlete to ever win the long jump, triple jump, and high jump at one conference championship meet. The senior did so with three personal bests—7.07m in the long jump, 13.95m in the triple, and 2.06m in the high—and was named conference field athlete of the year for the feat. He’s from Chappaqua, New York.
MIDWEST REGION – Luke Winder — North Central (Ill.)
Winder, only a freshman, is already one of the best DIII pole vaulters ever. His 5.45m (17-10½) clearance at North Central’s Gregory Final Qualifier makes him the No. 4 performer in division history. He’s the CCIW champion and meet record holder in the event; his only losses this year were to two Division I athletes at the Drake Relays. Winder is from Joliet, Illinois.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Jamie Ruginski — Southern Maine
Ruginski’s 15.61m (51-2¾) triple jump won the Maine state championship, broke school and meet records, and is still the DIII-leading mark. He also has the fourth best long jump in DIII this year and will be contesting both jumps at the NCAA championships. A senior from Buxton, Maine, Ruginski won the triple jump at Open New Englands, DIII New Englands, ECACs, and the Alliance Conference meet.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Evan Truman — Lynchburg
Truman, a sophomore from Richmond, is the Division III national leader in the long jump. He leapt 7.67m (25-2) at the Virginia Grand Prix and will contest the event at the national championships. Truman competed in six events at the ODAC championships, winning the long jump and running a leg on the winning 4×100 meter relay in addition to contesting the 4×4, 100, 200, and triple jump.
WEST REGION – Joseph Green — Whitworth
Heading into NCAAs, Green’s 5.20 (17-0¾) pole vault is tied for No. 3 in the division and stands alone as the best mark in the West Region. Green, the Northwest Conference winner, is unbeaten against DIII vault competition this outdoor season. He’s a senior from Cashmere, Washington.

Women’s Field Athletes

ATLANTIC REGION – Divya Biswal — St. Lawrence Biswal, a senior from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, enters the NCAA Championships – held on her home track – as the No. 2 seed in the triple jump and No. 7 in the long jump. She’s undefeated against NCAA DIII competition this year in those events, including wins at the Liberty League, NYSCTC and ECAC Championships. She was named Outstanding Performer of the Championships in the Liberty League and NYSCTC.
CENTRAL REGION – Amelia Campbell — Carleton Campbell, a junior from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, was named the Field Athlete of the Meet at the MIAC Championships after scoring 28 total points, including a win in the heptathlon, a runner-up finish in the long jump, and a fifth-place showing in the javelin. Her winning 4970 in the heptathlon seeds her No. 2 heading into the NCAA Championships.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Aedin Brennan — Denison Brennan, a junior from Fairport, New York, was named the NCAC Field Athlete of the Year after scoring 32 points in the field events at the conference championships. She won the heptathlon and triple jump – events in which she’ll be competing at NCAAs as the No. 5 and No. 6 seed, respectively – was runner-up in the long jump and fifth in the javelin. Her winning triple jump of 12.08m broke the NCAC record.
MIDEAST REGION – Osazenoriuwa Ebose — Swarthmore Ebose, a senior from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, moved to No. 9 on the all-time Division III shot put list with a heave of 49-8¼ (15.14m) to win the Centennial Conference Championships. She is the top seed in that event as one of only two women to surpass 15 meters this season, and is No. 9 on the discus list – an event in which she also claimed the Centennial title.
MIDWEST REGION – Allie Boudreau — Illinois Wesleyan Boudreau, a senior from Deerfield, Illinois, enters the NCAA Championships as the top seed in the heptathlon at 5065 points, making her the only 5000+ scorer so far this DIII season. That score, which was achieved at the Drake Relays, moved her to No. 8 on the all-time DIII list. At the CCIW Championships she scored 37 points in five events, including wins in the heptathlon and javelin.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Cimran Virdi — MIT
Virdi, a junior from Walnut Creek, California, became the first NCAA DIII woman to break the 14-feet barrier in the pole vault, clearing exactly that height (4.27m) at the New England Championships. Her undefeated season includes victories at the NEWMAC, New England DIII, NEICAA and ECAC DIII Championships. She is the top seed at NCAAs by 22 centimeters.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Whitney Simmons — UT Tyler
Simmons, a sophomore from White Oak, Texas, enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 4 seed in the hammer throw at 185-0 (56.38m), an event in which she led the South/Southeast by more than eight meters. She won the ASC title in the hammer throw and broke the meet record en route to scoring 22 points and helping UT-Tyler to a team title.
WEST REGION – Allie Hadley — Cal Lutheran
Hadley, a junior from Bothell, Washington, enters the NCAA Championships as the nation’s top NCAA DIII javelin thrower at 160-5 (48.89m). That mark is nearly three feet clear of No. 2 on the national list, and moved her up to No. 6 on the all-time DIII javelin list.

Men’s Head Coaches

ATLANTIC REGION – Ed Jaskulski — Brockport
Jaskulski, in his 13th year at the helm, led his team to its highest-ever national team ranking in mid-May at No. 10. Brockport captured the SUNYAC title with 204½ points with five event titles. His team came back the following weekend to take the ECAC DIII Championships title with 72 points. Throughout the season his athletes achieved seven top-20 national rankings in their respective events with five breaking school records and one conference record. Brockport finished the season No. 1 in the Atlantic Region and has six qualifiers to the NCAA Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Joe Dunham — Central (Iowa)
Dunham, in his seventh year leading the Dutch, has a crew that is ranked No. 17 in the country with four qualifiers heading to the NCAA Championships and finished the regular season No. 1 in the region. The leader of the IIAC team champs this season, coach was named as the conference’s Coach of the Year.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Clyde Morgan — Wabash
Morgan’s team finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the region and enter the NCAA meet ranked 21st in the nation with eight entries. The Little Giants won the NCAC Championship and have eight athletes who are in the top 20 in the nation. Morgan is in his eighth season as head of the program.
MIDEAST REGION – Vince Touey — Widener
Touey, in his 27th year with the Pride, has a squad ranked No. 19 nationally and move to the NCAA meet with eight entries. The team finished first in the region.
MIDWEST REGION – Don Augustine — St. Norbert
Augustine led St. Norbert to its first-ever Midwest Conference title as the crew scored a school-record 185 points with three event winders. The Green Knights are going to the NCAA meet with the most NCAA qualifiers in school history — three with a relay and two entries into the decathlon. Augustine is in his eighth year leading the program.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Halston Taylor – MIT
Taylor’s Engineers finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the region and they go into the NCAA meet with five entries. MIT won the DIII New England crown, a NEWMAC title, finished fourth at the ECAC meet, and tied for eighth at the all-division New England Championships. Taylor is in his 23rd year with MIT.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Shane Stevens — Bridgewater (Va.)
Stevens led the Eagles to its first ODAC Championship since 2008. With 154 points and five event titles, Bridgewater placed 22 ahead of nearest rival Lynchburg. This Stevens’ 31st year leading the program.
WEST REGION – Toby Schwarz — Whitworth
Schwarz, in his 19th year leading the Pirates, led his team to a Northwest Conference title and was voted the league’s Coach of the Year. The team is ranked 13th nationally, seventh in the Dual Meet Rankings and finished the regular season No. 2 in the West Region. Whitworth has seven entries into the NCAA meet, including five in throwing events.

Women’s Head Coaches

ATLANTIC REGION – Derick Adamson — Rowan
Adamson, in his seventh year, led his squad to a final regular-season ranking of No. 1 in the region and head into the NCAA Championships ranked No. 14 nationally with 10 entries. The Profs won the NJAC conference crown and CTC title this season. Adamson is in his seventh year leading the program.
CENTRAL REGION – Dan Schofer — Cornell College
Schofer, in his ninth year at the helm, leads a squad of five to the NCAA Championships. The Rams scored a school record 117 1/3 points at the Midwest Conference meet with 45 points coming from the Schofer-coached distance events.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Kris Boey — Ohio Wesleyan
Boey’s Battling Bishops claimed the North Coast Athletic Conference crown this season and will lead four entries into the NCAA Championships. Seven school and four conference records were recorded by his squad this year. Thirteen from his team finished the regular season ranked in the national top 50 in their respective events.
MIDEAST REGION – Christopher Wadas — Misericordia
Wadas, leading the Cougars in his tenth season, led his squad to its first MAC outdoor championship – claiming the title by 70 points. He was voted the MAC Coach of the Year.
MIDWEST REGION – Ryan Chapman — Aurora
In his seventh year leading Aurora, Chapman led the Spartans to 324½ points to win the NACC crown. The team has enjoyed its first top-25 national ranking this year and is entering the NCAA Championships with seven entries and ranked 19th nationally.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Brian Chabot — WPI
Chabot’s Engineers went undefeated during the dual-meet season, finished a program-best second at the NEWMAC Championship, and eighth at the ECAC meet – the squad’s best finish since 2004. He will lead WPI to the NCAA meet with four entries. Chabot is in his seventh year leading the program.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Robert Shankman – Rhodes
Rhodes, led by Shankman in his 25th year, will go into the NCAA meet with six entries, ranked No. 15 in the country. The Lynx claimed the SAA crown this season as 28 All-Conference performers were named for Rhodes.
WEST REGION – Glenn Stewart — Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Stewart is in the midst of his first season leading the program. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach at the beginning of the school year and to Head Coach in the middle of the season and will led the Athenas to the NCAA meet with ten entries and as the No. 10 team in the country. The team finished the regular season No. 1 in the region and as undefeated Champions of the SCIAC as they won eight of their dual meets by over 50 points and scored 292 points in the overall championships.

Men’s Assistant Coaches

ATLANTIC REGION – Eric Flores — RPI
Flores, in just his second year at Rensselaer, guided the RPI throwers to 1-2 finishes in every throwing event at the Liberty League Championships, which helped the Engineers to a team conference title. Tyler Yeastedt will compete in the discus and hammer at the upcoming NCAA championships, while Devan Hayes will join him in the hammer.
CENTRAL REGION – Melissa Norton — Wartburg
Norton coached Colt Feltes to IIAC field athlete of the meet honors after he swept the shot put, discus, and hammer there. Ahead of NCAAs, where Feltes is contesting all three events, he’s ranked second in the shot put, sixth in the discus, and twelfth in the hammer. He’ll be joined at nationals by teammate Andy Bellamy in the shot put. This is Norton’s eleventh year coaching the throwers at Wartburg.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Roger Busch — Wabash
Busch, the distance coach at Wabash, saw Little Giants take up at least half of the eight scoring places in each of the 1500, steeplechase, and 5k at the NCAC championship meet. Three Wabash men will be racing in the distances at NCAAs: Fabian House in the 5k and Adam Togami and Nick Boyce in the steeplechase. This is Busch’s ninth year at Wabash.
MIDEAST REGION – James O’Brien — Lebanon Valley O’Brien, in his seventh year guiding distance runners at Lebanon Valley, coached Michael Harnish to Male Runner of the Year honors at the MAC Championships. Harnish enters the NCAA Championships at No. 6 in the 1500, and is joined by No. 15 teammate Andrew Goelz.
MIDWEST REGION – Eric Schueffner — UW-Whitewater Schueffner, in his sixth season coaching the jumps, combined events and middle distance at UW-Whitewater, guided his jumpers to 45 team points at the WIAC Championships en route to a runner-up team finish.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Nick Davis — MIT Davis, in his second year coaching the jumps at MIT, played a significant role in the Engineers claiming NEWMAC and New England DIII team titles. His athletes won the triple jump and long jump at NEWMACs, with an additional runner-up high jump finish. At New England DIIIs, his athletes took four of the top six spots in the triple jump. He has two triple jumpers competing at NCAAs this weekend.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Denver Davis — Bridgewater (Va.)
Davis’ jumpers led the effort in winning the ODAC Championship, scoring 53 of the team’s 154 points. Davis’ jumpers earned five All-ODAC honors and claimed titles in the high jump and triple jump. Davis has been with the program for five years.
WEST REGION – Tyler Yamaguchi — Occidental
Team members coached by Yamaguchi contributed 67 points to Occidental’s team score of 133 at the SCIAC Championships. His sprints crew won two individual SCIAC and six entries, including both relays, will be representing Occidental at the National Championships. This is Yamaguchi’s eighth year with the program.

Women’s Assistant Coaches

ATLANTIC REGION – Michael Woods — SUNY Geneseo
Woods—in his twenty-third and final year as the distance coach at Geneseo—had his distance runners play a major part in the Knights’ first SUNYAC team title since 2010. The distances contributed 82 out of their 154.5 winning total, including a win in the steeplechase and runner-up finishes in the steeple, 10k, 5k, and 1500. Ashton Hughes will race the 10k at the NCAA championships and Jacquelin Huben and Sara Rosenzweig will compete in the steeple there.
CENTRAL REGION – Rich Maleniak — St. Thomas (Minn.)
Maleniak, the third-year distance coach at St. Thomas, has three women headed to this year’s national meet. They include Gabrielle Pepin in the 10k, Emily Gapinski in the 1500, and third-ranked Kayla Goeman in the 800. Gapinski and Goeman won those events at the MIAC championships, and each ran a leg on the DMR that won its section at the Drake Relays.
GREAT LAKES REGION – Andrew Bloom — Ohio Wesleyan
Bloom, in his first year coaching the Bishops’ jumpers and hurdlers, has Sara Johnson ranked third in the nation in the 100 hurdles and Emily Brown ranked eleventh in the long jump heading into nationals. Those two broke school and conference records en route to helping their team to a seventh straight conference title.
MIDEAST REGION – Lauren Lucci — Swarthmore Lucci, in her second year coaching throwers at Swarthmore, guided Ebose Osazenoriuwa to No. 1 in the shot put and No. 8 in the discus for Mideast Field Athlete of the Year honors. Beyond Ebose, her athletes scored 35 team points at the Centennial Conference Championships for more than a third of the team’s total points. School records in the shot put, discus and javelin fell under her watch.
MIDWEST REGION – Lisa Becharas — Illinois Wesleyan Becharas – in her third year guiding combined event athletes, javelin throwers and high jumpers – coached her athletes to success across the board in 2015. At the CCIW Championships, her athletes finished 1-2-3 in the javelin, 1-2 in the heptathlon and won the high jump for a total of 61 points. She guided Allie Boudreau to Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year honors with the No. 1 heptathlon score in DIII this season.
NEW ENGLAND REGION – Todd Linder — MIT Linder, in his seventh year coaching the throws at MIT, and his throwers were a big reason why MIT swept the NEWMAC, New England DIII and ECAC DIII team titles. His athletes won all four throwing events at both the NEWMAC and New England DIII Championships. He will have three athletes competing at the NCAA Championships, including the No. 6 javelin thrower and the No. 9 hammer thrower.
SOUTH/SOUTHEAST REGION – Chris Stonestreet — UT Tyler
Stonestreet’s sprinters and throwers helped lead the Patriots to a dominating American Southwest Conference championship. His athletes scored 126 points at the league meet and won six event titles with two meet records. Third-year coach Stonestreet will lead three from his squad at the NCAA meet this weekend.
WEST REGION – Joe VanHoomissen — Whitworth
VanHoomissen guided the Whitworth throwers to 63 points in helping the Pirates to the Northwest Conference title. His crew swept the throws titles at the league meet and four qualified for the events to this weekend’s NCAA meet. He is in his fifth year with the program.