THE CONNING TOWER by Keith Conning: NCAA Division I Regional Award Winners for 2016 Indoor Season

Courtesy USTFCCCA
By Kyle Terwillegar, USTFCCCA

March 4, 2016

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2016 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field season were announced Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Each of the nine regions – which are the same as those used during the 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. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

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 Indoor Track & Field Championships set for next week, March 11-12, in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Championships will be live on ESPN3, with a nationally broadcast tape-delayed showing on the Championships Sunday at 7pm ET on ESPN2.

MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Clayton Murphy, Akron
Murphy, a junior from New Paris, Ohio, is ranked No. 2 at 800 meters in 1:46.13 and ran 3:57.11 in the mile for the No. 7 time in the nation. He won both events at the MAC Championships, as well as anchoring winning 4×400 and distance medley relay teams, to earn Most Outstanding Track Performer honors. He will contest the 800 at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC – Brannon Kidder, Penn State
Kidder, a senior from Lancaster, Ohio, broke the collegiate 1000 meters record in 2:18.26, ranks No. 8 at 800 meters in 1:47.01 and anchored the No. 3 DMR with a 3:55 1600-meter split. He won the mile at the Big Ten Championships and anchored the winning DMR. He’ll put his individual undefeated record on the line over 800 meters at the NCAA Championships, and will also run the DMR.
MIDWEST – Joshua Thompson, Oklahoma State
Thompson, a redshirt sophomore from Moapa Valley, Nevada, won a pair of Big 12 titles to help lead his Cowboys to the conference’s team title. He anchored OSU’s distance medley relay to the collegiate leader in 9:26.60, which is the third-fastest collegiate time ever under all conditions. He’s ranked No. 18 in the mile this year, and will contest only distance medley relay at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN – Futsum Zienasellassie, Northern Arizona
Zienasellassie, a junior from Indianapolis, Indiana, is ranked top-10 nationally in the mile (5th) and 5000 meters (eighth). He won conference titles in the mile and 3000 meters and scored 20 points to lead all athletes. Zienasellassie will contest the 5000 at NCAAs.
NORTHEAST – Brendon Rodney, LIU Brooklyn
Rodney, a senior from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, owns the top time in the nation at 200 meters (20.46), which he set at the NEC Championships. That came a few weeks after he ran the third fastest time at that distance this season. Rodney will contest the 200 at NCAAs.
SOUTH – Christian Coleman, Tennessee
Coleman, a sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, won the SEC title at 60 meters and placed second in the 200 meters and as a member of the Volunteers’ 4×400 team. He is ranked second in the nation in the 60 and third in the 200 — both are events he will contest at NCAAs. Coleman was named the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Male National Athlete of the Week on February 16.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Ronnie Baker, TCU
Baker, a senior from Louisville, Ky., won the Big 12 60-meter title in a league- and school-record dash of 6.51 seconds. The time is the current collegiate leader, No. 2 in the world this year, and tied for No. 8 in collegiate history. Baker, currently on The Bowerman watch list, will compete in the 60 and 200 at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST – Tevin Hester, Clemson
Hester, a senior from Oxford, N.C., won the ACC title at 60 and 200 meters this season, repeating as the league’s 200 champ. He will compete in both events at the NCAA meet where he is seeded sixth and 11th, respectively.
WEST – Edward Cheserek, Oregon
Cheserek, a junior from Newark, N.J., is the collegiate leader in both the 3000 and 5000 while also holding the eighth-fastest time in the mile (3:57.38). Cheserek won the 5k at the Husky Classic with a personal best of 13:35.86. At the Millrose Games, the junior ran the second-fastest 3,000-meter time in NCAA history in 7:40.51, breaking Galen Rupp’s school record in the process.

WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Molly Seidel, Notre Dame
Seidel, a senior from Hartland, Wisconsin, is undefeated at both 3000 and 5000 meters this season heading into the NCAA Championships, into which she also qualified as a member of the ND distance medley relay. She ran 15:19.64 to win the ACC 5000-meter title, giving her the collegiate lead and the No. 4 spot on the all-time college performers list. She also claimed the 3000 meters ACC crown, and is ranked No. 2 in that event at 8:57.13.
MID-ATLANTIC – Angel Piccirillo, Villanova
Piccirillo, a senior from Homer City, Pennsylvania, broke the collegiate 1000 meters record in 2:40.82 to win the Big East title in the event. She finished the season at No. 8 in the mile among DI athletes and No. 9 at 3000 meters, both of which she will contest at the NCAA Championships. She is unbeaten this year in races over those three distances.
MIDWEST – Kaela Edwards, Oklahoma State
Edwards, a redshirt junior from Littleton, Colorado, is ranked top-seven in the nation in three individual events and is part of the No. 5 distance medley relay. She ran 4:32.14 in the mile for No. 2 in the nation, 2:03.60 over 800 meters for No. 5, and 9:06.27 at 3000 meters for No. 7. She won Big 12 titles at 1000 meters and in the mile, and will contest the mile and DMR at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN – Hannah Everson, Air Force
Everson, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, became just the second runner from Air Force to win a conference title after she won the 3000 meters. In doing so, she shattered her own Academy record by nearly 20 seconds. Everson will contest the 5000 meters at NCAAs, where she is the 16th seed.
NORTHEAST – Elinor Purrier, New Hampshire
Purrier, a sophomore from Montgomery, Vermont, is the top-ranked miler in the nation with a time of 4:29.71. That time also ranks her in the top-10 all-time (eighth). She will contest the mile at NCAAs and is the top seed by more than two seconds.
SOUTH – Felicia Brown, Tennessee
Brown, a senior from Lithonia, Georgia, won the 200-meter title at SECs with a world-leading time of 22.45. That time also stands as meet record and the third fastest time ever run by a collegian. Brown also stars in the 60 meters, where she is currently ranked fifth in the nation (7.23). She will contest both events at NCAAs.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Courtney Okolo, Texas
A senior from Carrollton, Texas, Okolo swept the 200 (22.79) and 400 (51.06) at the Big 12 Championships, scoring meet records in both events. She also led the Longhorns to the fourth-best 4×400 performance in collegiate history (3:34.36) with a 50.77-split anchor for the win at the Tyson Invitational in February.
SOUTHEAST – Erika Kemp, NC State
Kemp, a junior from Mount Holly, N.J., qualified for the NCAA meet in both the 3000 and 5000 meters. She enters both events as the No. 6 seed, having claimed a 9:06.07 at the Husky Classic in the 3k and a 15:45.46 at December’s BU Opener. She placed third at the ACC Championships in the 5000 meters.
WEST – Allie Ostrander, Boise State
Ostrander, a freshman from Kenai, Alaska, clocked in at 15:21.85 in the 5000 meters at the UW Invitational in January to claim a new school and Mountain West record which lists among the top-10 all-conditions times in collegiate history. She also enters the NCAA meet in the 3000 meters as the No. 1 seed via another school and league record, 8:54.27, set at the Husky Classic.

MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Purdue
Enekwechi, a redshirt senior from Laurelton, New York, was named the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Championships, He’s been the collegiate and world leader in the weight throw for all of 2016, headlined by a 23.89m (78-4½) mark in February. He won each of his six weight throw events this year, including the Big Ten title, and won four of six shot put events, including a Big Ten runner-up finish. He will contest both events at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC – Andrew Wells, Pittsburgh
Wells, a redshirt senior from Unionville, Ontario, won the ACC weight throw title with a winning heave of 21.92m (71-11) to put him at No. 7 in the country in the event. Throughout the season he broke his own school record on three separate occasions. He will compete in the weight throw at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST – Jared Belardo, Wichita State
Belardo, a freshman from Leavenworth, Kansas, won both the long jump and the triple jump at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships. His school-record 7.86m (25-9½) leap to win the long jump moved him to No. 9 in the nation, and his 15.84m (51-11¾) triple jump was a school record. He will compete in the long jump at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN – Bradley Adkins, Texas Tech
Adkins, a senior from Idalou, Texas, is the NCAA leader in the high jump, No. 2 in the USA and No. 18 in the world at 2.29m (7-6). That leap, which he did at the Tyson Invitational, also tied the school record. Adkins will contest the high jump at the upcoming NCAA meet.
NORTHEAST – Rudy Winkler, Cornell
Winkler, a sophomore from Sand Lake, New York, won The Heps title in the weight throw with a heave of 22.82m (74-10 ½). That throw also set a school record and is second all-time in the Ivy League. Winkler will contest the weight throw at the upcoming NCAA meet as the third seed.
SOUTH – Garrett Scantling, Georgia
Scantling, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., is the only athlete in the nation to have eclipsed the 6000-point barrier in the heptathlon this season — and he’s done it twice. He achieved that distinction at the Razorback Team Invitational and later in winning the SEC title.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Ryan Crouser, Texas
A senior from Boring, Ore., Crouser equaled the collegiate shot put record (21.73m/71-3½) in his final attempt at the Big 12 Championships, securing his eighth league shot put crown of his career. He’s claimed four throws of over 21 meters (68-10¾) this year and nine-of-the-10 longest among collegians this season.
SOUTHEAST – Jonathan Addison, NC State
Addison, a senior from Raleigh, N.C., has three times this year long jumped over the 26-foot barrier three times, surpassing the NC State record with a best of 26-9¾ (8.17m) at the VT Elite meet. He won the ACC crown and enters the NCAA meet as the collegiate leader in the event.
WEST – Eric Sloan, Southern California
Sloan, a junior from Stockton, Calif., helped his team to the MPSF title with victories in the long and triple jumps. He holds the collegiate lead in the triple by more than a foot with a best this season of 55-10½ (17.03m). He will compete in both jumps at the NCAA meet.

WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Kelsey Card, Wisconsin
Card, a redshirt senior from Plainview, Illinois, is the only woman in the country ranked top-10 both in the weight throw and the shot put. She’s the NCAA DI leader in the weight throw at 22.14m (72-7¾) and is No. 3 in the shot put at 17.85m (58-6¾), both of which are school records. She won the Big Ten titles in both events and will contest both at NCAAs.
MID-ATLANTIC – Rachel Fatherly, Penn State
Fatherly, a senior from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, broke the Penn State record in the shot put at 17.27m (56-8) for the No. 8 rank in the country. She finished runner-up in the event at the Big Ten Championships to go along with a fourth-place weight throw finish. She will contest the shot put at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST – Akela Jones, Kansas State
Jones, a senior from Saint Michael, Bridgetown in Barbados, won both the high jump and the long jump in collegiate-leading fashion to go along with a collegiate-leading pentathlon from earlier in the season. She jumped a Big 12 Championships record 6.75m (22-1¾) in the long jump, and tied the Big 12 Championships record in the high jump at 1.93m (6-4). She moved to No. 2 all-time among collegians in the pentathlon with a score of 4643. She will compete in the pentathlon and high jump at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN – Nickevea Wilson, UTEP
Wilson, a senior from Kingston, Jamaica, recently won her third consecutive C-USA title in the triple jump. However, it was earlier this season at the Don Kirby Invitational where she recorded a leap of 13.22m (43-4 ½) and qualified for NCAAs. She will contest the triple jump as the 11th seed in the event.
NORTHEAST – Kaitlin Whitehorn, Dartmouth
Whitehorn, a senior from Huntington, New York, won the high jump title at the Heptagonal Championships. She cleared 1.84m (6-0 ½) and is the 11th seed at the upcoming NCAA meet.
SOUTH – Raven Saunders, Mississippi
Saunders, a sophomore from Charleston, South Carolina, has had a season to remember. At the Iowa State Classic, Saunders broke the collegiate record in the shot put with a heave of 19.23m (63-1 ¼) and owns the best mark by a collegian regardless of venue. Saunders will contest the shot put at NCAAs and is the top seed by more than four feet.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Lexi Weeks, Arkansas
Weeks, a freshman from Cabot, Ark., is the co-collegiate leader in the pole vault with an American junior record clearance of 15-1 (4.60m). She is one of only five vaulters, and the first freshman, in collegiate history to have cleared 15 feet or more.
SOUTHEAST – Megan Clark, Duke
Clark, a senior from Fort Benning, Ga., is also a co-collegiate leader in the pole vault via an ACC record clearance of 15-1 (4.60m). Undefeated against collegiate competition this season, her ACC title win at 14-10 (4.52m) established a new league championships record.
WEST – Vesta Bell, UC Riverside
Bell, a redshirt senior from Vallejo, Calif., added eight feet to her personal best in the weight throw this season, marking a season’s best of 71-4¾ (21.76m). She enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 4 seed in the event.

MEN’S HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Dennis Mitchell, Akron
Mitchell, in his 21st year guiding the Akron program, led his Zips to their third MAC title in a row en route to being named MAC Men’s Coach of the Year. During the season his squad set five school records, including a pair from Clayton Murphy at 800 meters and in the mile.
MID-ATLANTIC – Marcus O’Sullivan, Villanova
O’Sullivan, in his 18th year at the helm of the Wildcats’ program, led his Nova men to their third consecutive BIG EAST team title with a record 208 points. His athletes won four individual titles to go along with a win in the 4×800 relay. He qualified two entries to the NCAA Championships, including No. 2 seed Patrick Tiernan at 3000 meters.
MIDWEST – Dave Smith, Oklahoma State
Smith, celebrating a decade in charge at Oklahoma State, coached his Cowboys to their second-ever Big 12 Indoor team title. His athletes won four individual titles at the conference championships to clinch the team win over Texas in the final event of the meet. His No. 16 squad will be represented at the NCAA Championships by a pair of entries.
MOUNTAIN – Ralph Lindeman, Air Force
Lindeman, in his 27th year as head coach of the Falcons, was recently named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year after leading Air Force to its second conference title. His athletes set five school records and he has three athletes ranked in the top-10 nationally. Lindeman will send four athletes to the upcoming NCAA meet.
NORTHEAST – Chris Fox, Syracuse
Under Fox’s tutelage, the Orange won its first ACC Indoor Track & Field Championship in program history and its first conference title since 1992. Fox, in his 11th year at Syracuse, will send five athletes to compete at the upcoming NCAA meet.
SOUTH – Andy Eggerth, Kennesaw State
Eggerth, in his sixth year leading the Owls, recently led his team to another Atlantic Sun Conference title. He mentored Bilal Abdullah to a top-3 national ranking in the long jump and the heptathlon. Abdullah will contest both of those events at the NCAA meet.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Chris Bucknam, Arkansas
Bucknam, leader of the Razorback program in his eighth year, led Arkansas to its 100th conference title with a victory at the 2016 SEC Indoor Championship. His runners scored in the mile, 3000, 5000 meters, along with the DMR at the league meet. Arkansas leads all programs with 12 entries into the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST – Erik Jenkins, Western Kentucky
Jenkins, in his ninth year at WKU, led his Hilltoppers to the Conference USA title where they amassed 135 points after winning six events and sweeping the top four spots in the 200. Emmanuel Dasor set a league and school record in the 400 at 46.21 for the C-USA crown. Dasor is entered in the 200 and 400 at the NCAA meet while Ventavius Sears will compete in the triple jump.
WEST – Caryl Smith Gilbert, Southern California
Smith Gilbert, in her third year leading the men’s program at USC, guided her squad to the MPSF crown where they won five of the events. They enter the NCAA meet with four entries, two in the long jump alone.

WOMEN’S HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – James Henry, Michigan
Henry, in his 32nd year in Ann Arbor, guided the Michigan women to their first Big Ten title in a decade. His women scored 109 points across 10 different events, coming from 13 athletes and a relay team with five event wins. HIs Wolverines have been ranked as highly as No. 6 in the nation this year – also the best in a decade – and will enter the NCAA Championships at No. 9 with five entries.
MID-ATLANTIC – Joe Compagni, Monmouth
Compagni, in his 21st year at Monmouth, led his Hawk women to their third MAAC team title in a row, and their fifth-consecutive indoor conference title overall. The Hawks scored 205 points to win by 72, scoring in all 16 events and earning titles in four. His Monmouth program will be represented at the ECAC Championships in 13 different events.
MIDWEST – Jeff Bovee, Illinois State
Bovee, in his second year at the helm at Illinois State, guided the Redbirds to their first Missouri Valley Conference indoor team title since 1997. With 121 points in a 10-point victory over pre-meet favorite Wichita State, his athletes won nine event titles and earned 19 All-MVC honors.
MOUNTAIN – Brian Bedard, Colorado State
Bedard, in his 26th year as head coach of the Rams, led them to their first Mountain West Conference title since 2006. His athletes nabbed six all-conference awards on the way to the championship. Bedard will coach three athletes at the upcoming NCAA meet.
NORTHEAST – Robyne Johnson, Boston University
Johnson, in her 11th year as head coach of the Terriers, led her squad to a Patriot League title. Her athletes broke five league records in the process and took home Track Athlete of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors.
Keith Conning: Robyne Johnson is a graduate of Berkeley High School. She still calls me Mr. Conning as I taught and coached at Berkeley High from 1973-1999.
SOUTH – Amy Deem – – Miami (Fla.)
Deem, in her 26th year as head coach of the Hurricanes, led them to their first ACC Indoor championship since 2006. Her athletes earned 14 All-ACC honors, with nine of those being first-team mention. Miami is currently ranked 16th in the latest USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings and will have six entries at the upcoming NCAA meet.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Lance Harter, Arkansas
Harter, in his 26th years coaching the Razorbacks, led Arkansas to its sixth-consecutive SEC team title. Harter’s runners picked up a gold in the distance medley relay, two silvers in the mile and 3000 and one bronze in the mile at the SEC meet. Arkansas will have 12 entries into the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST – John Weaver, Appalachian State
Weaver, in his 34th year coaching at his alma mater, guided Appalachian State to its first Sun Belt title in only its second year in the league. The squad nearly doubled the point production from last year’s sixth-place team with 101.5 points to defeat defending champion Texas State.
WEST – Robert Johnson, Oregon
Johnson, in his fourth season leading the Ducks, will bring a nation-best group of 16 entries to the NCAA Championships. His athletes have broken four school records in 2016, including Raevyn Rogers’ No. 2 all-time collegiate run at 800 meters. Oregon has 11 entries seeded top-10 nationally, two more than any other team in the country.

MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Kevin Sullivan, Michigan
Sullivan, in his second year coaching the distance events at Michigan, guided his athletes to 33 of the Wolverine’s 71 points in a fourth-place team effort. Mason Ferlic claimed the Big Ten 5000 meters title for Sullivan, headlining a day where Michigan scored in all five distance events on the schedule. Ferlic and the Wolverines’ distance medley relay will compete at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC – Lou Tomlinson, Rutgers
Tomlinson, in his 15th year coaching sprints and relays for the Scarlet Knights, mentored his athletes to 22 of the 40 points scored by Rutgers at the Big Ten Championships. Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year Izaiah Brown won the 400 meters conference crown in a 45.62 and Jermaine Griffith took second at 600 meters in 1:16.12, both for school records. Brown will compete at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST – Billy Maxwell, Nebraska
Maxwell, in his 21st year guiding the men’s sprints and hurdles in Lincoln, coached his athletes to 59 of the Huskers’ 116 points at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. His sprinters finished runner-up in the 60, 200, 60 meter hurdles and 4×400 relay as Nebraska won the Big Ten team title. He will have two entries compete at the NCAA Championships.
MOUNTAIN – Calvin Robinson, Texas Tech
Robinson, in his first year coaching sprints with the Red Raiders, mentored Chris Caldwell to a Big 12 title in the 60-meter hurdles. Caldwell is one of three entries Texas Tech will have at the upcoming NCAA meet under Robinson’s watch with the 400 and 4×400 team being the others. His athletes scored 37 of Texas Tech’s points at the Big 12 Championships.
NORTHEAST – Dave Hegland, Syracuse
Hegland, in his 11th year coaching sprints, hurdles and jumps with the Orange, helped guide the team to its first ACC Indoor title in program history and first indoor title since 1992. His athlete, Freddie Crittenden III, won the ACC title in the 60-meter hurdles and will compete at the upcoming NCAA meet as the eighth seed.
SOUTH – Ryan Vanhoy, Mississippi
Vanhoy, in his third year coaching distance with the Rebels, saw his athletes score 75 of Ole Miss’ school-record 80.5 points at SECs. The Rebels swept the mile, 3000 meters and won the 5000 meters. Two of his athletes qualified for the upcoming NCAA meet.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Tonja Buford-Bailey, Texas
Buford-Bailey, is in her third year at Texas with the sprint and relay squads. Her crew scored over 60 points at Big 12 meet as the 4×400 relay broke UT school record by two seconds, 3:04.41 at the Tyson Invitational. Zack Bilderback broke the school record in the 200 and 400 for conference crowns in both events.
SOUTHEAST – Alex Heacock, William and Mary
Throws coach in his second year, Heacock guided Brian Waterfield to the NCAA meet, marking the first national qualifier in William and Mary history in men’s throwing events. He coached his four men’s throwers to nine lifetime-bests this season, including a new school record for Waterfield in the weight and Taylor Frenia in the shot.
WEST – Andy Powell, Oregon
Powell, in his 10th year at Oregon, led his distance crew to six entries into the NCAA Championships, with Edward Cheserek leading the NCAA in both the 3000 and 5000. It was a record-setting year for the Ducks as both the 3000 (Cheserek, 7:40.51) and Mile (Blake Haney, 3:56.36) school records were broken. For the third straight year, the Oregon men head to the NCAA Championships represented in the Mile, 3,000, 5,000 and DMR.

WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR

GREAT LAKES – Mike McGuire, Michigan
McGuire, in his 27th year coaching Michigan’s mid-distance and distance events, guided his runners to 86 of the team’s 109 points as the Wolverines won the Big Ten team title for the first time since 2006. Erin Finn won at both 3000 and 5000 meters, his four 800-meter finalists scored 23 points and his three mile finalists combined for 19. He will have four entries competing at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC – Patrick Ebel, Penn State
Ebel, in his fourth season guiding the Penn State throwers, coached his shot putters to three of the top four individual finishes at the Big Ten Championships. National No. 8 Rachel Fatherly finished runner-up as one of three Nittany Lions to surpass 50 feet, and he also had two finalists in the Big Ten weight throw. Fatherly, the school record holder in the shot put, will compete at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST – Justin St. Clair, North Dakota State
St. Clair, in his fifth year coaching the NDSU throwers, assembled one of the deepest throwing corps in the nation. NDSU was the only program in the nation this year with four women marked farther than 48 feet in the shot put, and is one of only five schools with four women at 58 feet or farther in the weight throw. At the Summit League Championships, his weight throwers went 1-2-3-5-7 and his shot putters claimed 1-3-5-8.
MOUNTAIN – James Thomas, Texas Tech
Thomas, in his fourth year coaching jumps and combined events with the Red Raiders, mentored Viershanie Latham and Shanice Stewart to Big 12 titles in the triple jump and pentathlon, respectively. His athletes went 1-2-3 in the pentathlon, the first time that has ever happened in Big 12 history. Latham will compete at NCAAs in the triple jump.
NORTHEAST – Robert Hoppler, New Hampshire
Hoppier, in his 18th year coaching mid-distance and distance with the Wildcats, saw his athletes score 100 points at the conference championship. One of his prized pupils, Elinor Purrier, is currently ranked No. 1 nationally in the mile and is the eighth fastest time ever run by a collegian indoors (4:29.71).
SOUTH – Tim Hall, Tennessee
Hall, in his second year coaching sprints with the Volunteers, saw his women capture SEC titles in the 200 meters and 4×400. Under his tutelage, Felicia Brown ran a world-leading time in the 200 at the SEC Championships (22.45) and ranks as the third fastest by a collegian. Brown is also ranked in the top-5 in the 60 meters. In total, he has six NCAA qualifiers.
SOUTH CENTRAL – Tonja Buford-Bailey, Texas
Buford-Bailey coached her women’s sprints group to a dominant performance at the Big 12 Championship as multiple runners to the final in the 60, 200, 400 and hurdles, scoring 15+ points in all four events. Courtney Okolo ran a world-leading time in the 400, clocking a Big 12 meet record 51.06 prior to capturing another league record in the 200 (20.79). Her group has seven entries into the NCAA meet.
SOUTHEAST – Shawn Wilbourn, Duke
Wilbourn’s student-athletes scored 44 of the team’s 59 points at the ACC Championships in the combined events, pole vault, jumps, hurdles and sprints. In the process, Megan Clark and Karli Johonnot won individual ACC titles in the pole vault and pentathlon, respectively. For Wilbourn in his eighth year at Duke, his squad has four qualifiers to the NCAA Championships.
WEST – Curtis Taylor, Oregon
Taylor helped Oregon sprinters and hurdlers earn six entries to the upcoming NCAA Championships. Oregon sprinters Jasmine Todd and Hannah Cunliffe are 3-4 in the NCAA this season in the 60 while Sasha Wallace ranks third in the 60 hurdles, shattering her own school record with a time of 7.96. The performances from the Ducks’ sprinters and hurdlers played a major role in Oregon’s MPSF Championship and No. 1 ranking from the USTFCCCA. Taylor is in his third year at UO.

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Keith Conning: Curtis Taylor coached at Laney College in Oakland.