Regional Awards for Division I Outdoor Track & Field Unveiled for 2014

Regional Awards for Division I Outdoor Track & Field Unveiled for 2014

By Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA
June 8, 2014

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Monday 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 I 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 I Outdoor Track & Field Championships set for this upcoming week, June 11-14, in Eugene, Ore., at Oregon. The meet will be available on ESPN3 and ESPNU, and more information can be found at the USTFCCCA’s National Championships Central page.
MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION – Raheem Mostert – Purdue
Mostert, a junior from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Championships after winning at 100 and 200 meters and running legs of the runner-up 4×100 and fourth-place 4×400 relay teams. He qualified to the NCAA Championships final site in all three of his events from the East Prelims, including as the second-fastest at 100 meters and a school-record 4×100. He will also contest the 200 meters at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Brycen Spratling – Pittsburgh
Spratling, a senior from Webster, N.Y., advanced to the NCAA Championships final site as the top seed from the East Prelims at 400 meters with a school-record run of 45.09 – good for No. 3 among collegians this season. He also won individual titles at 400 meters at the ACC Championships and at 200 meters at the IC4A Championships, and he anchored the Panthers’ 4×400 relay to a Penn Relays win. He will contest both the 400 meters and the 4×400 relay at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Michael Stigler – Kansas
Stigler, a junior from Canyon, Texas, wont eight of nine 400-meter hurdles races in which he competed in 2014. Included among those wins were his third-straight Big 12 title, and Texas, Kansas and Drake Relays titles. His Division I-leading 49.35 was among four top-nine times on the Division I descending order list. In addition to the 400-meter hurdles, he will also compete in the 4×400 relay at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Anthony Rotich — UTEP
Rotich, a junior from Nairobi, Kenya, undefeated and ranked No. 1 among collegians in 2014 in his signature 3000-meter steeplechase event. His 8:30.54 win at the Payton Jordan Invitational was good for the collegiate lead, and he won High Point Scorer honors at the Conference-USA Championships with wins in the steeplechase, 1500 meters and 5000 meters events. He will look to defend his steeplechase national title at the NCAA Championships.
NORTHEAST REGION – John Prizzi — New Hampshire
Prizzi, a junior from Wycoff, N.J., was the America East 3000-meter steeplechase champion for the second year in a row. His 8:42.20 showing at the East Prelims was the fourth fastest of the meet and the eighth best of the 2014 collegiate season.
SOUTH REGION – Dedric Dukes — Florida
Dukes, a junior from Miami, Fla., became just the ninth collegian to run a wind-legal ,sub-20-second time at 200 meters with a 19.97 win at the Florida Relays – good for the world lead. He further made history as a member of the No. 2 all-time 4×400 relay team and the No. 4 all-time 4×100 relay team. He scored 11 points for Florida at the SEC Championships in individual events. He is scheduled to contest the 200 meters and 4×100 relay.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Deon Lendore — Texas A&M
Lendore, a junior from Arima in Trinidad & Tobago, broke Curtis Mills’ 45-year-old Texas A&M record at 400 meters with a collegiate leading 44.36 to win the SEC Championships title. He moved up to No. 8 on the all-time collegiate performers list with the result, and is the only collegian to have recorded a sub-45 performance – a feat he has accomplished twice. He was a part of SEC Championships records as a the anchor of the winning 4×100 and 4×400 relays. He will contest each of those three events at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Elvyonn Bailey — Western Kentucky
Bailey, a senior from Riverside, Calif., was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Sun Belt Championships after scoring 24 points with two individual titles at 200 and 400 meters. He led the Hiltoppers 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams to berths into the NCAA Championships final site as the anchor leg on both relays.
WEST REGION – Aleec Harris — Southern California
Harris, a senior from Atlanta, Ga., became the collegiate leader in the 110-meter hurdles with a wind-legal 13.18 at the West Prelims to become the fastest collegiate hurdler since 1979. He moved up to No. 2 on the all-time collegiate performers list and No. 3 on the 2014 world performers list with the effort, which set the all-time Pac-12 record. His season also included a Mt. SAC Relays win and a Pac-12 title, and times better than 13.55 in all but one meet this season. He will contest both the 110-meter hurdles and the 4×100 relay at the NCAA Championships.

MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION – Matthias Tayala — Kent State
Tayala, a junior from McDonald, Ohio, broke the 42-year-old hammer throw school record previously held by Olympian Al Schoterman with a heave of 236-7 to rank third in the nation. Headlined by a title in the hammer throw at the Mid-American Conference Championships, he scored 23 points for the Golden Flashes. He will contest the hammer throw at NCAAs.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Corey Crawford – Rutgers
Crawford, a junior from Oakland, N.J., has numerous long jump titles to his credit in 2014, including wins at the Penn Relays and the IC4A Championships. He enters the NCAA Championships final site as the second seed in the long jump after posting the East Prelims’ second-farthest jump at 25-6 (7.77m).
MIDWEST REGION – Nick Miller — Oklahoma State
Miller, a junior from Carlisle, United Kingdom, enters the NCAA Championships final site as the collegiate leader in the hammer throw after winning the Big 12 title with a heave of 244-0 (74.30m). He has surpassed the 70-meter barrier at five different meets and has launched multiple 70-meter-plus marks at several of them – including four times at the Big 12 Championships. Only five other throwers have thrown 70 feet or farther during the 2014 collegiate season.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Kole Weldon — Texas Tech
Weldon, a junior from Jacksboro, Texas, was the High Point Scorer at the Big 12 Championships with 24 points between three runner-up throws finishes en route to leading his Red Raiders to the team title. He broke the Red Raiders’ school record in the shot put with a mark of 64-6½ (19.67m) and will contest the shot put and discus at the NCAA Championships.
NORTHEAST REGION – Stephen Mozia — Cornell
Mozia, a junior from Hackensack, N.J., established himself as one of the nation’s best all-around throwers in 2014. He will compete at the NCAA Championships in both the shot put and the discus, and is one of just two men ranked among the top 10 collegians in both events for 2014. He set a career-best in the discus (206-0/20.38m) and a season’s best in the shot put (66-10½/20.38m).
SOUTH REGION – Ricky Robertson — Mississippi
Robertson, a senior from Hernando, Miss., was named the SEC Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year following a regular season that saw him ranked in the top five nationally in both the high jump and the triple jump. He won the SEC high jump title, finished runner-up in the triple jump and was fourth in the long jump to earn the SEC Commissioner’s Trophy as the high-point scorer at the SEC Championships.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Ryan Crouser — Texas
Crouser, a junior from Boring, Ore., set meet and school records at the Big 12 Championships in the shot put and the discus. He became the first collegiate man since Ryan Whiting of Arizona State in 2010 to surpass 70 feet in the shot put with a winning throw of 70-2¼ (21.39m), and heaved a personal best in the discus of 209-8 (63.90m). He has won 13 consecutive shot put events dating back to 2013. He enters the NCAA Championships as the collegiate leader in the shot put and No. 7 in the discus.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Andrew Evans — Kentucky
Evans, a senior from Portage, Mich., moved to No. 5 on the all-time collegiate list in the discus with a heave of 217-9 (66.37m) to move ahead of defending national champion Julian Wruck of UCLA both on the official all-time list and the 2014 list. He claimed the SEC title in the discus and qualified in the event to the NCAA Championships.
WEST REGION – Nick Ross — Arizona
Ross, a senior from Murrieta, Calif., finished the 2014 regular season undefeated in high jump competition. The collegiate leader at 7-6½ (2.30m), Ross claimed his third Pac-12 title in the event, putting him in company with Dick Fosbury as the only two men to accomplish the feat. He will contest the event at the NCAA Championships.

WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION – Erin Finn — Michigan
Finn, a first-year collegian from West Bloomfield, Mich., was named the Athlete of the Championships, Athlete of the Year and Freshman of the Year for the Big Ten for her performance during the 2014 outdoor season. She broke the Big Ten meet records both at 5000 and 10,000 meters, and posted a season’s best 5000 meters in 15:26.08 at the Mt. SAC Relays. She will compete at 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Emily Lipari — Villanova
Lipari, a senior from Greenvale, N.Y., was undefeated at both 800 and 1500 meters during the 2014 outdoor campaign. She was named Penn Relays Athlete of the Meet after anchoring her Villanova squads to come-from-behind wins in the 4×1500 and distance medley relays and anchoring another win in the 4×800. She earned Big East title at 800 meters and in the 4×800 relay. She will compete at 1500 meters at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Katy Moen — Iowa State
Moen, a junior from Fairbank, Iowa, closed the 2014 outdoor regular season with three consecutive victories, including two titles at the Big 12 Championships. She won Big 12 titles at both 5000 and 10,000 meters before taking the top spot in the West Prelims at 10,000 meters. She ran personal bests at 1500 (4:22.51), 5000 meters (15:56.53) and 10,000 meters (33:56.80). She will compete at both 5000 and 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Shalaya Kipp — Colorado
Kipp, a senior from Salt Lake City, Utah, won her second career 3000-meter steeplechase title at the Pac-12 Championships after running a collegiate-leading 9:39.12 to win the Payton Jordan Invitational. She won her heat at the West Prelims and will look to reclaim her national title from 2012 at the NCAA Championships.
NORTHEAST REGION – Abbey D’Agostino — Dartmouth
D’Agostino, a senior from Topsfield, Mass., was the Ivy League Championships Outstanding Performer after becoming the first woman to claim victories at 3000, 5000 and 10,000 meters at the same championship meet or even in a career. She anchored her Dartmouth 4×1500 squad at the Penn Relays with a meet-best 4:08 split. She will look to win her third straight title at 5000 meters at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTH REGION – Elinor Kirk – UAB
Kirk, a senior from Swansea, Wales (United Kingdom), made the most of her first career race at 10,000 meters with a 32:17.05 at the Stanford Invitational to move to No 8 on the all-time performers list. At the Conference-USA Championships she set meet records at 1500 and 5000 meters to earn Performer of the Meet Honors, and she set a school record at 5000 meters in 15:42.13 at the Mt. SAC Relays. She will run both at 5000 and 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Sharika Nelvis — Arkansas State
Nelvis, a senior from Memphis, Tenn., was named the Sun Belt’s Female Athlete of the Year and its Most Outstanding Performer at the Championships following a 38-point, two-title performance. She won individual titles in the 100-meter hurdles and at both 100 and 200 meters, the latter two in school records. She went on to take the top spot in the West Prelims at both 100 meters and in the 100-meters hurdles, in which she holds the nation’s second-fastest time.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Kendra Harrison — Kentucky
Harrison, a junior from Clayton, N.C., claimed both the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles titles at the SEC Championships, the latter in a collegiate-leading time of 54.76. She is also ranked No. 3 in the 100-meter hurdles in a windy 12.68, and will contest both hurdles events at the NCAA Championships.
WEST REGION – Jenna Prandini — Oregon
Prandini, a sophomore from Fresno, Calif, became the first woman since 1999 to win three individual Pac-12 titles in the same meet with wins both at 100 and 200 meters, as well as in the long jump, to go along with a runner-up finish in the 4×100 relay. She is ranked among the top five in the nation in each of the three individual events, and is one of just three women who will contest three individual events at the NCAA Championships.

WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION – Brooke Pleger — Bowling Green
Pleger, a junior from Saline, Mich., broke the Mid-American Conference Championship record in the hammer throw and now owns each of the top-10 marks in school history. Her personal best of 223-0 (67.97m) at the Toledo Invitational ranked her No. 2 in the nation, and the only meet in which she didn’t finish with the top mark was a runner-up showing at the NCAA West Prelims. She will contest the event at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Julia Ratcliffe — Princeton
Ratcliffe, a sophomore from Hamilton, New Zealand, became the No. 5 hammer thrower in collegiate history with an Ivy League-record mark of 230-7 (70.28m) to win the Larry Ellis Invitational. Her undefeated season included wins at the Penn Relays, the IVY League Championships and the ECAC Championships. She will contest the event at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Sami Spenner — Omaha
Spenner, a senior from Columbus, Neb., is one of only two women to surpass 6000 points in the heptathlon with a mark of 6003. She set school records in four events, and scored 51 individual points at the Summit League Championships. Wins in the heptathlon, the long jump and the triple jump led her to Summit League Field Event MVP honors.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Kayla Kovar — Southern Utah
Kovar, a senior from Ridgecrest, Calif., is one of just three women who qualified to the NCAA Championships final site in three different individual events – the shot put, discus and hammer throw. She won the Big Sky shot put title and finished runner-up in both the hammer and discus throws.
NORTHEAST REGION – Allison Barwise — Boston University
Barwise, a senior from Orange, Conn., was the Patriot League champion in the high jump and the heptathlon in school- and Patriot League-record fashion, and she also set the Boston U record in the javelin. With five competitions in the high jump at 1.84m or higher, she was named the Patriot League Field Athlete of the Year
SOUTH REGION – Kendell Williams — Georgia
Williams, a first-year collegian, broke the all-time American Junior record in the heptathlon and set the 2014 collegiate lead with a 6018 score at the Bulldog Heptathlon. She won the SEC Championships with a score of 5877. Her 13.06 in the 100-meter hurdles set Georgia’s school record in the event. She will contest the heptathlon at NCAAs
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Shelbi Vaughan — Texas A&M
Vaughan, a sophomore from Mansfield, Texas, threw the discus farther than any other collegiate woman in 15 years with a heave of 208-8 to win the SEC Championships. The mark put her at No. 6 on the all-time collegiate list. Her SEC title was among seven meets this season in which she finished undefeated against collegians. She will contest the event at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Jessica Ramsey — Western Kentucky
Ramsey, a senior from Boynton Beach, Fla., won three different events – the shot put, discus and hammer throw – to score 30 points at the Sun Belt Conference Championships. The effort earned her Most Outstanding Field Performer of the meet. She is one of just three women to have qualified to the NCAA Championships final site with entries into the shot put, discus and hammer throw.
WEST REGION – Shanieka Thomas — San Diego State
Thomas, a senior from St. Andrew, Jamaica, will look to defend her outdoor triple jump title at the NCAA Championships final site following an undefeated regular season in her signature event. She won the Mountain West title in the triple jump with a leap of 44-9½ (13.65m) and ran a leg of the runner-up 4×100 team. She will contest her signature event at the NCAA Championships after posting the top mark at the West Prelims.

MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION — Lonnie Greene — Purdue
In just his second year as head coach with the Boilermakers, he led the team to a four-spot improvement in finish at the Big Ten Championships and had the league’s Track Athlete of the Year in addition to three event titles. Purdue qualified 12 individuals and two relays to the NCAA Prelim Rounds, advancing seven to Eugene.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Marcus O’Sullivan — Villanova
Villanova claimed their first Big East Conference outdoor crown since 1986 this season. Four advanced to Eugene in the mid-distance and distance events along with a long jumper, the highest total for the Wildcats in 12 years. Eight qualifiers went to the NCAA prelim rounds. O’Sullivan is in his 16th year at the school.
MIDWEST REGION — Mike Turk — Illinois
Turk, in his eighth year at the helm, guided the Illini to its highest team finish in 20 years at the Big Ten Championships, scoring 109 points. Three Illini were crowned conference champions, as Stephon Pamilton and Vanier Joseph defended their titles while Joe McAsey captured his first Big Ten title. Illinois advanced five to Eugene for the NCAA finals and finished the season ranked No. 2 in the region.
MOUNTAIN REGION — Wes Kittley — Texas Tech
Kittley guided Texas Tech to its second Big 12 Championship in program history as his squad scored a program-best 160½ points and won the conference title by 35½ points over nearest-challenger Texas. The Red Raiders became the first Big 12 team since Colorado in 2008 — and only among current members — to win a conference title on its home track. In addition, the team became the first in Big 12 history to go 1-2-3 in the high jump at the league meet and scored points in 19 of 21.
NORTHEAST REGION — Nathan Taylor — Cornell
Taylor led the Cornell team to the top of the final USTFCCCA Northeast Region index for the seventh consecutive year. In addition to winning the HEPS championship over a very strong Princeton team, they qualified both relays and 16 individual men to the NCAA preliminaries in 14 events. Ivy League Record holders Montez Blair, Stephen Mozia, and Max Hairston qualified for the NCAA finals in Eugene. Taylor is in his 15th year at the school.
SOUTH REGION — Mike Holloway — Florida
Holloway in his 12th year as head men’s coach for the Gators, leads 13 qualifiers to Eugene for the NCAA finals. The Gator men finished in the SEC’s top three for the fifth time in six years and had two SEC champs in the shot put (Stipe Zunic) and triple jump (Marquis Dendy). As sprints and relays coach, mentored UF’s 4×1 relay to the American Collegiate Record at the Texas Relays (38.29) and the No. 2 all-time collegiate 4×4 relay (2:59.73) at the Florida Relays.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Pat Henry — Texas A&M
Henry, in his tenth year with the program, led the Texas Aggies to its first-ever SEC Outdoor team title, scoring 155 points to defeat three-time defending champion Arkansas (116½). A&M became the first SEC school to ever win titles in 100, 200, 400, 110H, 400H, 4×100 and 4×400 in the same conference meet, totaling 98 points in those seven events. SEC Championship meet records were toppled in the 4×1 (38.50) and 4×4 (3:01.19). The team qualified 14 athletes, 19 entries in 14 events for the NCAA prelim rounds and eight athletes in 12 events for the finals in Eugene.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Erik Jenkins — Western Kentucky
Jenkins, in his seventh year at the helm, led the Hilltoppers to one of its best seasons in recent history. Ranked as high as 26th in the USTFCCCA National Rankings, WKU finished fourth in the final Southeast Region index behind only Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina. The program qualified nine individuals and two relays for the NCAA prelims and seven for the final rounds in Eugene. The crew won five events at the Sun Belt Conference Championships to finish second overall.
WEST REGION — Robert Johnson — Oregon
Oregon’s 21 entries to the NCAA finals ranks as the most of any school in the country as the Ducks carry a No. 1 national ranking heading into the season finale. The Ducks are one of two teams to be represented in every event area for the national finals. Johnson, in his second year as the leader and ninth year overall with the program, led the Ducks to their eighth-consecutive Pac-12 Championship.

MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION — Sterling Roberts — Eastern Michigan
In his second year at the school as assistant with sprints, relays, hurdles, and horizontal jumps, he helped his squad MAC titles in five events and produced eight NCAA prelim qualifiers. Eastern Michigan has a triple jumper and the team’s 4×400 relay qualified for the NCAA finals.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Kevin Kelly — Penn State
Kelly, in his second year at the school as a jumps and combined-event assistant, had athletes score in every event in which he has athletes, accounting for 38 of the program’s 78 points at the Big Ten meet. In addition, Steve Waithe won the league’s triple jump title. Kelly qualified three for the NCAA final rounds – including two triple jumpers and a decathlete.
MIDWEST REGION — Billy Maxwell — Nebraska
The Huskers earned eight bids for the NCAA finals under Maxwell’s coaching, including four in the 400 meter hurdles and two relays. Five Huskers rank in the top-21 nationally in the 400 meter hurdles, while the 4×400-meter relay is sixth. At the Big Ten meet, Miles Ukaoma won the 400 meter hurdles and the 4×400 relay also finished first. Ukaoma posted the top time in the nation at the NCAA West Preliminaries (49.34), also ranking as the No. 15 time in the world and second all-time at Nebraska. Maxwell is in his 19th year at the school and serves as a sprints, hurdles, and relays assistant.
MOUNTAIN REGION — James Thomas — Texas Tech
Thomas, in his second year as a jumps and combined events coach, was heavily responsible for Tech’s Big 12 Championship run, leading jumpers and decathletes to 52½ points at the league meet. The conference meet was highlighted by a 1-2-3 sweep of the high jump. Two of his athletes have cleared 7-3 or higher this season, including JaCorian Duffield who has cleared 7-5¼, ranking in the top three of the NCAA this season.
NORTHEAST REGION — Megan Johnson — Cornell
In her fourth year at Cornell as a throws assistant coach, Johnson helped the Big Red to an Ivy League HEPS title. Stephen Mozia set the Ivy League record in the discus this year (206-0/62.80m) and has thrown the shot (66-10½/20.38m). Mozia is qualified in both events for the NCAA finals.
Years: 4
SOUTH REGION — Doug Reynolds — Alabama
Reynolds, in his third year as throws coach with the Crimson Tide, will send four male throwers to the NCAA finals. Hayden Reed (discus) and Elias Hakansson (hammer) both finished second at the SEC Championships. Charodd Richardson (hammer) placed sixth at SECs. Reed’s discus mark (63.74m/209-1) at from the league meet ranks No. 8 in the nation, No. 1 by a freshman, and No. 2 in school history. Hakansson is ranked fifth nationally with a school record hammer throw of 71.38m (234-2). Kyle Felpel (19.06m/62-6.5) is the No. 2-ranked freshman in the shot put.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Michael Ford — Baylor
Ford, in his 13th year at Baylor, assisting in sprints and hurdles, guided freshman Trayvon Bromell to one of the country’s best seasons. Under Ford, Bromell has clocked a wind-legal, co-World Junior Record 10.01 in the 100 meters and a wind-aided 9.77 which is third-best in NCAA history regardless of wind to win the Big 12 title. Besides Bromell, Ford has helped Everett Walker back from injury to qualify for the NCAA finals in both the 100 and 200 meters. Ford’s hurdler, Bryce Grace, will be at NCAAs as well. Both Walker, 200 meters, and Grace, 110 meter hurdles, were second at Big 12 meet. Ford’s 4×1 relay also qualified for Eugene.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Andrew Ninow — Kentucky
Ninow, in his second year at Kentucky, led Andrew Evans and Raymond Dykstra to SEC championships in the discus and javelin, respectively. Evans’ nation leading throw of 217-9 (66.37m) was the fifth best in NCAA history, and Dykstra’s throw of 250-10 (76.45m) ranks second in the nation and will be the top seed at NCAAs. Ninow also coached Brad Szypka, the Southeast Region’s top shot putter, who has recorded a toss of 65-1½ (19.85m).
WEST REGION — Andy Powell — Oregon
Powell, in his ninth year as the men’s distance coach at Oregon, qualified 19 entries into the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds and 11 men’s distance and middle-distance entries to the NCAA Championships, seven more than any program in the country. Oregon has entries at the NCAA Championships in every distance event, including four entries in the 5,000 meters. Powell coaches three athletes in the top 10 in the NCAA this year at 1,500m, including Edward Cheserek, whose 3:36.60 is the ninth all-time in collegiate history.

WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION — Bill Lawson — Kent State
Lawson, in his ninth year at Kent State, was named the MAC Women’s Coach of the Year after his program scored 132 points, winning six events, at the league meet. The Golden Flashes have four individual qualifiers, in six events, for the NCAA finals in Eugene. Lawson earned Coach of the Year accolades for the fifth consecutive time and has led Kent State to five straight outdoor MAC titles. His team broke four school records this season and has eight marks that rank in the top 50 nationally.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Beth Alford-Sullivan – Penn State
Alford-Sullivan, in her 15th year at the helm, was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Her team won the league meet by 33½ points and had five win conference titles. The team finished the season ranked first in the Mid-Atlantic Region by over 500 points and currently sit No. 11 in the Country. Nine women are qualified for the NCAA finals in ten events.
MIDWEST REGION — Ryun Godfrey — North Dakota State
In his 15th year at NDSU, Godfrey led his program to its seventh-straight Summit League outdoor team title, winning 10 of 12 running events. The school has qualified four entries for the NCAA finals in Eugene, including the 4×4 squad that ranks 14th in the country. NDSU sent 12 to the NCAA prelim rounds.
MOUNTAIN REGION — Wes Kittley — Texas Tech
Kittley, in his 15th year leading the Red Raider women, had a squad that finished the season ranked No. 1 in the region. The team placed third at the Big 12 meet with 109½ points. Starting with 21 entries for the NCAA preliminaries, Texas Tech moved eight qualifiers to Eugene for the NCAA finals.
NORTHEAST REGION — Jason Saretsky — Harvard
The Harvard women, led by eighth-year coach Saretsky, won the Ivy League title for the first time since 1990 and scored the ninth-most points in conference history. The Crimson also had 13 All-Ivy selections, including four athletes and one relay squad on the first team. The Crimson is sending a program-record four women to the NCAA finals from the school-record 16 sent to the NCAA prelims. Harvard women set nine school records in NCAA events during the 2014 season.
SOUTH REGION — Wayne Norton — Georgia
Norton, coach of the Bulldogs in his 15th year, has nine qualifiers for the NCAA finals, including national leaders Kendell Williams (heptathlon) and Leontia Kallenou (high jump) and two others (Chanice Porter, long jump; Megan Malasarte, 800m) who have the second-best marks nationally in their events this year. Three won SEC titles with wins in the hammer, heptathlon and high jump.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Lance Harter – Arkansas (co-winner)
Harter, in his 24th year with the Lady Razorbacks, led the squad to the SEC Outdoor title, its first since 2004 and was named the league’s Coach of the Year. He guided three to league titles with Diane Robison (5000 meters), Dominique Scott (10,000 meters) & Grace Heymsfield (steeplechase). In addition, the team cruised to a 1-2-3 finish in the 5000 meters to clinch in the SEC Title. The team has qualified for the NCAA finals, the second most qualifiers in the nation.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Mario Sategna – Texas (co-winner)
Sategna, in his first year as women’s head coach at Texas, has his team in contention for the program’s 1st national title in nine years after cruising to Big 12 crown by more than 35 points. The team won eight of the 21 events at the league meet, including a college record in 400 meters and a meet record in the pole vault. The squad has produced 16 qualifiers in 12 events for the NCAA finals, tied for the secondmost in the nation.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Curt Kraft — East Carolina
2014 Outdoor and Indoor Conference USA Coach of the Year 2014 Outdoor and Indoor CUSA Women’s Team Champions 10 School Records were broken in 2014 Outdoor Season 2014 Penn Relays Field Athlete of meet (Tynita Butts) CUSA Outdoor Championship: 6 CUSA Titles in CUSA Outdoor Championship Kayla Padgett-High Point Scorer Field Performer of Meet (Kayla Padgett) 20 Qualifiers to NCAA East Regionals 10 NCAA Qualifiers to Eugene-most in program history … Quals: 10 … Coaches: Sprints/Hurdles … Years: 9 years
WEST REGION — Caryl Smith Gilbert — Southern California
In her first year at the helm at USC, Smith Gilbert led the Women of Troy to a second-place showing at the Pac-12 Championships as her athletes won a league-best seven event titles. USC enters the NCAA finals ranked No. 13 in the country and has 11 entries into the NCAA finals.

WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES REGION — Alan Turner — Notre Dame
Turner’s sprinters scored 69 of Notre Dame’s 96 points in an ACC runner-up finish, their first year in the conference. The Irish won two individual event titles at the league meet. Notre Dame secured eight entries for the NCAA prelims and moved four to the NCAA prelims in Eugene. Also this season, sophomore Margaret Bamgbose set the Notre Dame record in the 400 at 51.75. In addition, the 4×200 relay and Jade Barber were 2014 Drake Relays champions.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Randy Bungard — Penn State
Bungard, in his second year as sprints, hurdles, and relays assistant, had athletes win three Big Ten titles (Mahagony Jones in the 200, Kiah Seymour in the 400 hurdles, and the 4×4 relay). His athletes scored 67 points at the league meet, scoring in every sprint event he coaches. He has five athletes qualified for the NCAA prelims in six events.
MIDWEST REGION — Carrie Lane — Nebraska
Lane, in her third year as throws coach at Nebraska, has led the Huskers to three NCAA finals bids, including two in the shot put. She coached Annie Jackson to a personal-best 55-0 (16.76) in the shot put, Carlie Pinkelman to a personal-best 53-2 ¾ (16.22) in the shot put, and Maggie Malone to a personal-best 181-8 (55.37) in the javelin. Jackson is 15th nationally, Pinkelman is 27th and Malone is seventh. Malone earned the Big Ten title in the javelin and Jackson earned the discus crown as the Husker throwers earned 43 points at the Big Ten Championships.
MOUNTAIN REGION — Lacena Golding-Clarke — UTEP
Golding-Clarke, in her second year at UTEP, coached Jallycia Pearson to a Conference USA title in the heptathlon with a score of 5,576, ranking No. 1 in the league and No. 11 nationally. She broke the Miner school record and the C-USA meet record. UTEP finished second at the Conference USA meet.
NORTHEAST REGION — Mark Coogan — Dartmouth
Coogan, in his fourth year as Dartmouth distance coach, has two athletes headed to the NCAA finals in the 5000 meters — Abbey D’Agostino and Dana Giordano — and had four entries in the NCAA prelims. The duo of D’Agostino and Giordano earned Heps titles in the 1500, 3K, 5K and 10K, while Sarah Delozier was second in the steeplechase at the league meet. His group accounted for 57 of second-place Dartmouth’s 149 points at the Ivy meet.
SOUTH REGION — Petros Kyprianou — Georgia
Kyprianou, in his sixth year at Georgia, has qualified four for the NCAA finals in the heptathlon and high jump. Freshman Kendell Williams set the American junior record in the heptathlon with a score of 6,018 points this season while later also winning the SEC title. Leontia Kallenou leads nation in the high jump with the Cyprus national record mark of 6-3½ (1.92m), won her first SEC outdoor title and has won all four of her competitions this season.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Tonja Buford-Bailey — Texas
In her first year at Texas, Buford-Bailey led the Texas women’s sprint program to a total of 95 of 149 team points for the Longhorn’s Big 12 title, which included 6 of 8 finals qualifiers in the women’s 200 meters and a top-three sweep of the women’s 400m. Sophomore Courtney Okolo sprung a collegiate record performance of 50.03 in the 400 meters at the Big 12 meet. For the No. 1-ranked Texas squad, the Longhorns have nine qualified for the NCAA finals in sprint-and-hurdle events.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Ashley Duncan — Western Kentucky
Duncan’s throwers had a productive year for the Hilltoppers. For the second-year coach, she guided Jessica Ramsey to qualification in three events for the NCAA finals (shot put, discus, and hammer). Her throwers contributed 56 of the 173 points amassed by the team to secure first place in the Sun Belt Championship.
WEST REGION — Curtis Taylor — Oregon
Taylor, in his first year with UO, coached athletes to 41 points in the women’s sprints and hurdles to help the Ducks win their sixth-consecutive Pac-12 Championship. He coached Pac-12 Athlete of the Meet Jenna Prandini to wins in the 100 and 200. Prandini, who is ranked second nationally in the 100 and third nationally in the 200, is undefeated in individual events on the track this season. With seven sprints, hurdles, and relays entries into the NCAA Championship, Oregon is tied for the fifth most among all teams.