NCAA DII XC Regional Athletes & Coaches of the Year for 2016 Season

By Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA

November 8, 2016

NEW ORLEANS – Region Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2016 NCAA Division II Cross Country season were announced Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), as voted on by the Division’s coaches.
More information on each of the winners can be found below.
QUICK LINKS
MEN: Region Athletes of the Year | Region Coaches of the Year
WOMEN: Region Athletes of the Year | Region Coaches of the Year
Award History: Athlete | Coach
The NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will be contested November 19 in Saint Leo, Florida. The meet will be broadcast live online via NCAA.com.

MEN’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATLANTIC REGION: ADDISON MONROE, LOCK HAVEN
Monroe, a junior from Lewistown, Pennsylvania, won the Atlantic Region individual title in 32:23.6. He also claimed the title at the PSAC Championships.
CENTRAL REGION: VINCENT KIPROP, MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Kiprop, a sophomore from Kericho, Kenya, won the Central Region individual title in 29:33.7. Earlier in the season, he also won the title at the MIAA Championships.
EAST REGION: LEAKEY KIPKOSGEI, AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
Kipkosgei, a sophomore from Kapsabet, Kenya, won the East Region individual title in 31:05.3. He also won the Northeast-10 individual title earlier in the season.
MIDWEST REGION: JAMES NGANDU, TIFFIN
Ngandu, a senior from Nairobi, Kenya, won the Midwest Region individual title in 30:13. His regional title added to a 2016 season that also included the GLIAC crown.
SOUTH REGION: ALFRED CHELANGA, SHORTER
Chelanga, a sophomore, won the South Region individual title in 31:23.3. Earlier in the season, he claimed the Gulf South Conference title.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION: SYDNEY GIDABUDAY, ADAMS STATE
Gidabuday, a sophomore from Orange, California, won the South Central Region individual title in 31:27.8. He also erned the individual title at the RMAC Championships.
SOUTHEAST REGION: ADAM CRAIG, MOUNT OLIVE
Craig, junior from Lauder, Scotland, won the Southeast Region individual title in 29:49.1. He finished runner-up at the Conference Carolinas Championships.
WEST REGION: WILLIAM REYES, CHICO STATE
Reyes, a senior from Elk Grove, California, won the West Region individual title in 29:45.2. He also took the individual crown at the CCAA Championships.

WOMEN’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

ATLANTIC REGION: CASEY NORTON, SHIPPENSBURG
Norton, a senior from Granville Summit, Pennsylvania, won the Atlantic Region individual title in 22:20.3. She also won the PSAC Championships earlier in the postseason.
CENTRAL REGION: ALEXIS ZEIS, U-MARY
Zeis, a junior from Bismarck, North Dakota, won the Central Region individual title in 19:43.9. She finished second at the NSIC Championships earlier in the postseason.
EAST REGION: NICOLE BOROFSKI, STONEHILL
Borofski, a senior from Plymouth, Massachusetts, won the East Region individual title in 20:57.5. She was also the Northeast-10 Conference champion.
MIDWEST REGION: JESSICA REEVES, SOUTHERN INDIANA
Reeves, a senior from Midland, Michigan, won the Midwest Region individual title in 20:08. She took second at the GLVC Championships earlier in the postseason.
SOUTH REGION: COLETT RAMPF, SAINT LEO
Rampf, a junior from Premnitz, Germany, won the South Region individual title in 21:54.6. She also won the Sunshine State Conference title earlier in the postseason.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION: MERCY ROTICH, EASTERN NEW MEXICO
Rotich, a junior from Kenya, won the South Central Region individual title in 21:46.5. She finished second at the Lone Star Conference Championships earlier this postseason.
SOUTHEAST REGION: LEAH HANLE, MOUNT OLIVE
Hanle, a freshman from Litchenstein, Germany, won the Southeast Region individual title in 21:03.7. She won the Conference Carolina championship earlier this postseason.
WEST REGION: LAURA ACEVES, CAL STATE BERNARDINO
Aceves, a senior from El Monte, California, won the West Region individual title in 20:56.0. She won the CCAA title earlier this postseason.

MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

ATLANTIC REGION: MIKE COX, CONCORD
Cox, in his eighth season leading the Concord cross country program, led his men to their first-ever NCAA Championships bid. His Mountain Lions finished fourth in the Atlantic Region team standings with 156 points. Concord also claimed the Mountain East Conference team title.
CENTRAL REGION: TRACY HELLMAN, AUGUSTANA (S.D.)
Hellman, in his 17th year leading the Augustana (S.D.) program, led his Vikings to the Central Region team title with 65 points. They also claimed the team title at the NSIC Championships.
EAST REGION: LEO MAYO, AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
Mayo, in his 11th season at the helm of the American International program, guided his men to the East Region team title with 49 points. His men also won the Northeast-10 team title.
MIDWEST REGION: JERRY BALTES, GRAND VALLEY STATE
Baltes, in his 18th season leading the GVSU program, coached his men to the Midwest Region Midwest team title with 45 points. The Lakers also claimed the GLIAC team title.
SOUTH REGION: CALEB MORGAN, LEE (TENN.)
Morgan, in his third year leading Lee (Tenn.), led his men to the program’s first South Region team title with 52 points. His men also won the Gulf South Conference team title.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION: CHRIS SIEMERS, COLORADO MINES
Siemers, in his fifth year as the head coach at Colorado Mines, coached his men to the South Central Region team title with 36 points. The Orediggers also claimed the RMAC Championships team title.
SOUTHEAST REGION: MATT VAN LIEROP, MOUNT OLIVE
Van Lierop, in his eighth season in charge of the Mount Olive program, led his men to the Southeast Region team title with 57 points. His men also claimed the Conference Carolinas team title.
WEST REGION: GARY TOWNE, CHICO STATE
Towne, in his 21st year leading the Chico State men, led his team to the West Region team title with 45 points. His men also claimed the CCAA Championships team title earlier in the season

WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

ATLANTIC REGION: STEVE SPENCE, SHIPPENSBURG
Spence, in his 18th year as head coach of the Raiders, led his women to the Atlantic Region team title with 57 points. His team also won the PSAC Championship earlier this postseason.
CENTRAL REGION: DENNIS NEWELL, U-MARY
Newell, in his 10th year as head coach of the Marauders, led his women to the Central Region team title with 60 points. Earlier this postseason, U-Mary won the NSIC Championship under Newell’s direction.
EAST REGION: KAREN BOEN, STONEHILL
Boen, in her 19th year as head coach of the Skyhawks, led her women to the East Region team title with 48 points. Earlier this postseason, Stonehill bested 15 teams to win the Northeast-10 Championship.
MIDWEST REGION: JEFF BOLENDER, CEDARVILLE
Bolender, in his eighth year as head coach of the Yellow Jackets, led his team to its first-ever NCAA DII Championships appearance with a runner-up finish in the Midwest Region team standings with 103 points. Cedarville won the G-MAC title earlier this postseason.
SOUTH REGION: KENT REIBER, SAINT LEO
Reiber, in his first year as head coach of the Lions, guided his women to a runner-up finish in the South Region team standings with 95 points. Earlier this postseason, Saint Leo captured the Sunshine State Conference title.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION: DAMON MARTIN, ADAMS STATE
Martin, in his 27th year as head coach of the Grizzlies, led his team to yet another South Central Region team title with 43 points. Earlier this postseason, Adams State won the RMAC title as well.
SOUTHEAST REGION: JULIA MARQUARDT, MONTEVALLO
Marquart, in her third year with the Falcons, led them to the Southeast Region team title with 41 points. Montevallo nearly swept the Peach Belt Conference meet a few week earlier in a winning effort.
WEST REGION: GARY TOWNE, CHICO STATE
Towne, in his 21st year as head coach of the Wildcats, led his team to the West Region team title with 70 points. His team also won the CCAA title a few weeks earlier.