USTFCCCA News & Notes
USTFCCCA Announces Division II Outdoor Track & Field Regional Honorees
NEW ORLEANS – Defending NCAA champions Katie Wilson of Wayne State College, Aaron Braun of Adams State College, Joe Kindred of Saint Augustine’s College, and coach Don Hood of Abilene Christian University are among the 64 recipients of the NCAA Division II Regional Athlete and Coach of the Year honors for the 2009 outdoor track & field season, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Monday.
Wilson, the Central Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year, is the defending NCAA champion in the shot put, and she has the second-best entering mark in that event this year. She will have a busy weekend at this year’s Championships as she is scheduled to compete in the shot put, discus, and hammer.
Braun, the Central Region Men’s Track Athlete of the Year, will look to defend his 1500 meter title at the 2009 NCAA Championships. He enters the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships with the best times in NCAA Division II in both the 1500 meters and 5000 meters.
Kindred, the Atlantic Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year, is the defending champion in the high jump, and he will again compete in that event in 2009. He will also look to improve upon his 2008 second-place finish in the long jump and third place finish in the triple jump, as he is scheduled to compete in all three events again in 2009.
With Hood at the helm of the Abilene Christian program, the Wildcats are ready to defend their 2008 NCAA Division II Men’s Outdoor Track & Field team championship. Hood’s Wildcats have 25 individual entries and two relays that will compete at the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships. Hood is the South Central Region Men’s Head Coach of the Year.
The 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place May 21 through May 23, 2009 in San Angelo, Texas at Angelo State University.
The USTFCCCA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year
WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Priscilla Jennings – Millersville University
Jennings was named the PSAC Championship Track Athlete of the Meet after winning both the 800 and 1500 meter races. In winning the 1500 meters, she broke a meet record that had stood for 25 years. She automatically qualified for the Division II Outdoor Championships in three events, and has the top ranked time in the 5,000 meters this season at 16:29.05.
CENTRAL REGION – Michelle Williams – Adams State College
Williams has the fastest 400 meter qualifier this year at 53.49, which is a new Adams State school record. She also is ranked 8th in the 200 meter dash at 23.99 entering the NCAA Championships. She was the RMAC Champion in the 200 and 400 meters and was on the winning 4×400 meter relay team.
EAST REGION – Shannon Gagne – University of New Haven
Gagne, a sophomore from Meriden, Conn., has qualified in two track events for the Division II Outdoor Championships. She currently holds the tenth-fastest time in the 100 meters at 11.83 and the 13th-fastest time in the 200 meters at 24.23. She was the Northeast-10 Champion in both the 100 and 200 meters and was named Northeast-10 Women’s Athlete of the Week five times during the 2009 outdoor season.
MIDWEST REGION – Mary Ballinger – University of Southern Indiana
Ballinger earned 1st Team All-GLVC honors after winning the 3000 meter steeplechase and the 1500 meters at the GLVC Championships. She was twice named GLVC Female Athlete of the Week and shattered the USI record in the steeplechase. Her time in the steeple (10:26.73) is ranked first in Division II this season and is the ninth fastest all-time mark in Division II. She also had the tenth fastest qualifier in the 1500 meters this year (4:29.83).
SOUTH REGION – Petra McDonald – Benedict College
A senior from Nassau, Bahamas, McDonald is ranked 10th in the women’s 100 meter hurdles on the NCAA Division II performance list at 14.04. She has run 12.75 in the 100 meter dash this season and was on the 4×100 meter relay team that finished third overall at the SIAC Championship meet.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Samoy Hackett – Lincoln University of Missouri
Hackett, only a freshman, has the fastest times in both the 100 (11.38) and 200 (23.55) meters in NCAA Division II. Her time in the 100 meters is also the eighth fastest time in Division II history. She also runs on Lincoln’s top-ranked 4×100 meter relay team.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Tanya Zeferjahn – Queens University of Charlotte
Zeferjahn won the Conference Carolinas 10,000 meter title earlier this year. Her time in the event (35:36.23) is a new school record and is ranked tenth heading into the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
WEST REGION – Ashley Puga – Northwest Nazarene University
Puga has gone undefeated all year in the 1500 meters and has only lost once in the 800 meters. She owns the fastest time in Division II in the 800 meters at 2:05.23 and the second fastest time in the 1500 meters at 4:23.17. In addition, her 800 meter time is the sixth fastest ever recorded in NCAA Division II. Puga set school records in the 400 meters, 800 meters and 1500 meters this season and also broke the GNAC conference record in the 800 meters.
MEN’S TRACK ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Leford Green – Johnson C. Smith University
Green, a sophomore, has the top time in the NCAA in the 200 meters at 20.41 and the second fastest 400 meter time at 45.81. Green was the 2009 CIAA Champion in the 200 meters and the 400 meter hurdles, and he finished second in the 400 meters. He was named the 2009 CIAA Men’s Most Valuable Track Athlete and was part of the conference runner-up 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter relay teams.
CENTRAL REGION – Aaron Braun – Adams State College
Braun is the NCAA leader in the 1500 meters at 3:39.45 and in the 5,000 meters at 13:36.85. His 1500 time is the fourth-best all-time in Division II and his 5k time is the fifth-best all-time. He was the RMAC Champion in the 1500 meters, and he was named the Men’s RMAC Track Athlete of the Year and the RMAC Championship Athlete of the Meet.
EAST REGION – Kevin Downing – University of New Haven
Downing, a freshman, currently ranks fifth and 13th in the 200 meters (20.96) and 100 (10.46) meters, respectively. He was the 2009 Northeast-10 Outdoor Champion in the 100 meters and is ranked first in the East region in the 200 meters and third in the 100 meters.
MIDWEST REGION – Joe Horn – Ashland University
Horn is qualified in two events for the Division II Outdoor Championships: 200 meters and 400 meters. He ranks seventh in the 400 meters (46.73) and 21st in the 200 meters (21.25) headed into the NCAA Championships. He was named the GLIAC Track Athlete of the Meet after winning the 200 meters and finishing second in the 400 meters. Horn ran on Ashland’s GLIAC champion 4×100 meter relay squad and on its GLIAC runner-up 4×400 meter relay.
SOUTH REGION – Ricardo Lockette – Fort Valley State University
Lockette will have a busy weekend at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He heads into this weekend’s championships with Division II’s second-fastest time in the 100 meters (10.28) and the fourth-fastest time in the 200 meters (20.86). Lockette also runs a leg on the Wildcats’ top-ranked 4×100 meter relay and its fifth-ranked 4×400 meter relay. At the SIAC Championships, he won the 100m and ran on the winning 4×400 meter relay to help Fort Valley finish fourth in the team standings.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Dane Hyatt – Lincoln University of Missouri
Hyatt, a freshman from St. James, Jamaica, heads into the national championships with Division II’s third-best mark in the 400 meters at 46.19, and the 17th-best mark in the 200 meters. He also runs on the Tigers’ second-ranked 4×400 meter relay, which has a best time of 3:09.09.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Michael Crouch – Queens University of Charlotte
A sophomore from Yucca Valley, Calif., Crouch achieved NCAA automatic qualifying marks in the 1500, 5000, and 10,000 meters this season, but he will focus on the 1500 meters at this weekend’s NCAA Championships. At the Conference Carolinas meet, Crouch pulled off an unusual double with wins in the 10,000 meter run and as a member of the Royal’s 4×400 meter relay. He also reset Queens’ school records this year in the mile, 5000 meters, and 4×400 meter relay.
WEST REGION – Michael Wickman – California State University, Chico
Wickman leads all NCAA Division II competitors in the 800 meters at 1:49.38, and he is third on the list in the 1500 meters at 3:44.45. He was the CCAA Conference leader in both events all season long, and he won both events at the conference meet.
WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Maddy Outman – Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Outman was an automatic qualifier in the heptathlon after placing third in the event at the Penn Relays with a best of 4,975 points. She won the heptathlon and finished second in the long jump at the PSAC Championship meet. She was named the Most Valuable Athlete at the PSAC meet after scoring a total of 38 points.
CENTRAL REGION – Katie Wilson – Wayne State College (Nebraska)
Wilson is qualified for the Division II Outdoor Championships in three events and is currently ranked second nationally in the shot put at 49’ 8.5”, sixth in the discus at 159’ 5”, and ninth in the hammer at 174’ 6”. She was the NSIC Champion in both the shot put and discus setting a new meet record in the discus. Wilson finished second in the hammer at the NSIC meet and was the third highest point scorer at the championship meet.
EAST REGION – Lauren Raimondi – University of Massachusetts at Lowell
Raimondi has the sixth best high jump mark this year at 5’ 8”. She was the Northeast-10 and New England high jump champion, and she has cleared 5’ 7” three times this spring. She was named the Northeast-10 Conference Meet MVP earlier this outdoor season.
MIDWEST REGION – Tara Cooper – Ashland University
A sophomore from Circleville, Ohio, Cooper has qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in three events: the discus, hammer, and shot put. She scored 24 points at the GLIAC Conference meet and was named the GLIAC Field Event Athlete of the Meet.
SOUTH REGION – Melinda Bastian – Benedict College
Bastian, a junior from Nassau, Bahamas, was named the SIAC Conference Women’s Field Most Valuable Performer after winning two individual events (javelin, heptathlon) at the conference meet. She also finished second in the shot put and fourth in both the high jump and triple jump at the meet. Her throw in the javelin (154’) is currently ranked third in Division II.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Aisha Adams – Angelo State University
Adams heads into the Division II Outdoor National Championships qualified in four events. Two of those events, the high jump and heptathlon, she is ranked first. She is currently ranked second in the long jump and third in the triple jump. Adams was instrumental in helping Angelo State win the Lone Star Conference meet scoring 44.5 points.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Ariel Woodard-Stephens – Mount Olive College
Woodard-Stephens qualified for the Division II Outdoor Championships after leaping 39’ 1.75” in the triple jump. She was ranked tenth overall in Division II. She won the triple jump at the Lenoir-Rhyne Southeast Regional Championship and was named 1st Team All-Conference Carolinas in the triple jump.
WEST REGION – Danielle Thu – University of California, San Diego
Thu has the best mark in the hammer this year in NCAA Division II with a toss of 189’ 6”. The mark is also the second-furthest throw by a NCAA Division II athlete in the last three years. Thu was the CCAA conference champion in the event this year.
MEN’S FIELD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Joe Kindred – Saint Augustine’s College
Kindred, a senior from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, is qualified in three events for the Division II Outdoor Championships: the high jump, long jump and triple jump. He has the best high jump mark in Division II at 7’ 5” and is ranked second in the long (24’ 9.75”) and triple jumps (52’ 3.75”). He was the CIAA Conference Champion in all three events and was named the CIAA Men’s Most Valuable Field Event Athlete.
CENTRAL REGION – Matt Gersick – Adams State College
A senior from Pueblo West, Colorado, Gersick qualified in two events for the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships: shot put (59’) and discus throw (186’). He was the RMAC Champion in the shot put, runner-up in the discus, and finished third in the hammer.
EAST REGION – Sutton Underwood – Southern Connecticut State University
Underwood currently ranks sixth in NCAA Division II in the pole vault with a best clearance of 17’ 0.75”. He was the Northeast-10 champion in the pole vault, and he finished fourth at the New England Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Bryant Wilson – Grand Valley State University
Wilson owns the best pole vault mark in NCAA Division II by over a foot at 18’ 0.5”. He was the GLIAC champion in the event, setting a new school and GLIAC conference record. His leap also qualified him for the USATF Championships, becoming the first track athlete in GVSU school history to qualify for the meet. He is tied for eighth on the men’s NCAA Division II all-time list.
SOUTH REGION – Felipe Ortiz – University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Ortiz holds Division II’s top mark in the javelin this season at 225’ 3” (68.67m), with nearly a two-meter edge on the next best mark of the season. The sophomore, who finished second at last year’s Championships in the javelin, will look to capture the gold at the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Josh Honeycutt – Emporia State University
One of the top jumpers in the country, Honeycutt enters this weekend’s championships with Division II’s best mark in the triple jump at 53’ 9” and the sixth-best mark in the long jump at 24’ 4.25”. He won the MIAA Outdoor title in the triple jump and finished second in the long jump to help ESU to a third-place team finish. Honeycutt is a sophomore from Iola, Kan.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Jonathan Arthur – Lees-McRae College
Arthur, a junior from Pine Level, North Carolina, qualified for this weekend’s national championships with an automatic mark in the pole vault of 16’ 8” (5.05m), tied for ninth-best in Division II. Arthur reset the Bobcat school record in the pole vault this season, and he won both Conference Carolinas and Division II Southeast Region titles in the event.
WEST REGION – David Registe – University of Alaska Anchorage
Defending long jump champion Registe has the best long jump in Division II this season at 25’ 10.75”. Registe is the GNAC Conference record holder in the event. He is one of nine athletes set to compete for Alaska Anchorage at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACHES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Dave Labor – Slippery Rock University
Labor coaches the sprints and hurdles for Slippery Rock. His athletes swept the top two spots in the 200 meters and the 400 meter hurdles at the PSAC Conference meet. Labor also coached the runner-up in both the 100 meters and the 400 meters and coached the winning 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter relay teams.
CENTRAL REGION – Brenda Fuller – Northern State University
Fuller is responsible for coaching the throws at Northern State. She coached a 2009 indoor All-American in the women’s weight and has three qualifiers for the Division II Outdoor Championships. Fuller coaches Amanda Madden who has the third-best hammer throw in Division II this season at 186’ 3”.
EAST REGION – William Sutherland – Southern Connecticut State University
Sutherland is responsible for coaching the throwers at SCSU. He guided Yvonne Perkins to a New England Championship in the shot put and to a runner-up finish in the discus at the meet. Sutherland’s throwers picked up 53 points for SCSU, leading the team to a runner-up finish.
MIDWEST REGION – Lou Andreadis – Grand Valley State University
Andreadis is the pole vault and multi-events coach for Grand Valley. Outdoors, his vaulters swept the GLIAC women’s pole vault places first through fourth, with Diana Noonan setting a new GLIAC record. His heptathletes finished first, third, and seventh at the conference meet as well. Four of his vaulters are qualified for the national meet, led by Noonan whose jump of 13’ 9” is currently third on the all-time NCAA Division II list.
SOUTH REGION – Soyini Thompson-Murray – University of Alabama in Huntsville
Thompson-Murray coaches the sprints at UAH and has qualified one individual student-athlete and one relay for the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Heading into the championships, the Blazers’ 4×400 meter relay is ranked 11th (3:48.65) and her sprinter, Latrice Johnson, is ranked 12th in the 100 meters at 11.84.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Tom Dibbern – Angelo State University
Dibbern’s athletes hit nine automatic and seven provisional qualifying marks during the 2009 Division II outdoor season. He is responsible for coaching the multis, jumps, javelin, and 100 meter hurdles. Combined, Dibbern-coached athletes scored 137 points and won four individual conference titles at the Lone Star Conference Championships.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Clive Caesar – Clayton State University
Caesar oversaw the development of the women’s 4×400 meter relay team that ran a provisional time of 3:50.29 this year, breaking the school record by nearly six seconds. Caesar has worked with several athletes who have set new personal and career bests this outdoor season.
WEST REGION – Kendra Reimer – California State University, Los Angeles
Reimer coaches the multis, jumps, sprints, and throws for the Golden Eagles. Four of her athletes have earned NCAA qualifying marks, including a 4×400 meter relay. Three athletes qualified for the indoor championships of which two earned All-American honors. Reimer coached the CCAA Newcomer of the Year and CCAA Champions in the 200 meters, the long jump, and the triple jump.
MEN’S ASSISTANT COACHES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Chris Merli – East Stroudsburg University
Merli is in charge of coaching the sprints, jumps, and hurdles at ESU. This year he coached student-athletes to two automatic qualifying marks in individual events and a provisional qualifying mark in the 4×100 meter relay. Merli is in his 12th year at East Stroudsburg.
CENTRAL REGION – Matt Kolb – Minnesota State University
Kolb is responsible for coaching the pole vaulters at Minnesota State. His vaulters took second, third, and seventh at the NSIC Indoor Conference Championships and first at the NSIC Outdoor Championships. Freshman Dan Novak finished second at the indoor national meet in the pole vault, and senior Ben Mauch will represent the men’s vault crew at the Division II Outdoor Championships.
EAST REGION – Mike Ekstrand – University of Massachusetts at Lowell
Ekstrand has been instrumental in mentoring quarter-milers Doug Caves and Andrew Grange. Both Caves (46.77) and Grange (46.91) are qualified for the Division II Outdoor Championships. Ekstrand also coaches the men’s 4×400 meter relay team that ranks sixth (3:10.90) on the outdoor entry list. Indoors, Ekstrand coached the top three 400 meter runners in New England and his 4×400 meter relay team finished fifth overall to pick up indoor All-American honors.
MIDWEST REGION – Bryan Schiding – Missouri University of Science & Technology
Schiding’s athletes combined to score 128 points indoors and 131.5 points outdoors to help Missouri S&T sweep the indoor and outdoor conference titles. Outdoors, he coached student-athletes to conference titles in the pole vault, long jump, and the decathlon. Three of his athletes will represent Missouri S&T at the national meet. Indoors, three of his vaulters earned All-American honors.
SOUTH REGION – Soyini Thompson-Murray – University of Alabama in Huntsville
Sixth-year assistant coach Thompson-Murray has had a big hand in the Chargers’ success this season. As sprints coach, Thompson-Murray led her charges to new school records in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 4×100 meters, 4×400 meters, and long jump events. Her student-athletes also played a key role in UAH winning its first-ever Division II South Region Championship.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Brian Mantooth – Pittsburg State University
As throws coach for Pittsburg State, Mantooth has had a huge impact on the Gorillas’ team success. Pittsburg State will be represented at the national championships by two student-athletes who between them cover all four throwing events. Indoors, Mantooth coached student-athletes to four NCAA qualifying marks, and Brian Allen earned two All-America honors. Outdoors, the Gorillas earned six NCAA qualifying marks and scored 70 points at the MIAA Championships to lead Pittsburg State to a second-place team finish.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Jason Davis – Lees-McRae College
Davis, in his fourth year as an assistant coach at Lees-McRae, coaches the Bobcats’ field events. Davis coached two student-athletes to qualifying marks in the pole vault during the outdoor season, and he coached the Conference Carolinas champions in the hammer, discus, and pole vault. His student-athletes also earned six all-conference honors and broke two school records.
WEST REGION – Gary Towne – California State University, Chico
Towne is responsible for coaching the Chico State distance runners. He coaches the top ranked runner in the 800 meters in Michael Wickman. In addition to Wickman, who is qualified in two events (800 and 1500 meters), seven other student-athletes will represent Chico State at the Division II Outdoor Championships in the distance events.
WOMEN’S HEAD COACHES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – John Papa – Slippery Rock University
Papa guided Slippery Rock to its fourth straight PSAC Conference title outdoors and a No. 1 regional ranking. Slippery Rock has eight individual entries and one relay qualified for the National Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Damon Martin – Adams State College
Martin led the Grizzlies to a record sixth-straight RMAC Outdoor title this year, in the process earning RMAC Coach of the Year honors. Martin’s squad has 13 individual entries and two relays set for the national meet.
EAST REGION – Gary Gardner – University of Massachusetts at Lowell
Fourth-year head coach Gardner led the Umass Lowell River Hawks to their fourth Northeast-10 Conference title in the last seven years, as the River Hawks compiled a total of 196 points to win the championship. Umass Lowell also finished eighth at the New England Championships – the highest finish of any NCAA Division II program at the Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Jerry Baltes – Grand Valley State University
It’s no coincidence that GVSU’s record of success parallels the tenure of head coach Baltes. Now in his tenth season, Baltes guided his Lakers to their tenth-straight GLIAC Conference Championship, winning by over 100 points. Baltes’ team has 23 entries for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
SOUTH REGION – David Cain – University of Alabama in Huntsville
Cain guided his women’s team to the Division II South Region Championship, the school’s third straight South Region title. Cain has one student-athlete and one relay qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – James Reid – Angelo State University
Reid coached the ASU women’s team to a Lone Star Conference record in points scored (331) in winning the women’s team championship. Angelo State has 23 entries and one relay set for the championship meet.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Kevin Vees – Limestone College
Vees, in his fourth year at Limestone, guided the Saints to the Conference Carolinas championship. For his efforts, Vees was named the Conference Carolinas Women’s Head Coach of the Year. Limestone won the meet with 158 points, 30 of which came from Anisha Barbee, the conference’s Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.
WEST REGION – Darcy Ahner – University of California, San Diego
Ahner guided the Tritons to a No. 2 overall ranking in the Division II Dual Meet Rankings, and to their fifth straight CCAA title. She had eight individual CCAA champions plus two relay championships. UC San Diego has 13 individual entries and two relays in the national meet.
MEN’S HEAD COACHES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION – Joe Koch – East Stroudsburg University
Koch coached his ESU men to a second place finish at the PSAC Championships with a score of 137 points, the most ever in school history. Koch’s ESU team has six qualifiers and one relay set for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Koch is in his 23rd year overall at the university.
CENTRAL REGION – Damon Martin – Adams State College
Martin led the Grizzlies to their third straight men’s RMAC title. He was named the men’s RMAC Coach of the Year and has 19 individual entries for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Three Adams State student-athletes lead NCAA Division II in four different events.
EAST REGION – Jack Maloney – Southern Connecticut State University
Maloney guided the Owls to their sixth-straight Northeast-10 Conference outdoor title, earning Northeast-10 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year honors in the process. He has three individuals and one relay team qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Maloney is in his ninth year as head coach at Southern Connecticut State.
MIDWEST REGION – Jud Logan – Ashland University
Logan’s Eagles have 12 individuals and two relays qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Logan led Ashland to its second-straight men’s GLIAC Championship earlier this outdoor season and also won the GLIAC Men’s Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year.
SOUTH REGION – David Cain, University of Alabama in Huntsville
Cain has led the Chargers to a banner season in 2009. Under his tutelage, the UAH men broke school records in eight track events and five field events during the course of the outdoor season. The Chargers also won their first-ever Division II South Region Championship this year, with a winning margin of 19 points. Cain is in his eighth season as UAH’s head coach.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Don Hood – Abilene Christian University
In his third year at the helm of the ACU program, Hood led the Wildcats to their 17th-straight Lone Star Conference title in outdoor track & field. ACU dominated the LSC, winning 15 of 21 events and earning the team title by 100 points. The Wildcats will be represented at the National Championships with 25 individual entries and 2 relays.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Ley Fletcher – Lees-McRae College
First-year Lees-McRae head coach Fletcher brought immediate success to the Bobcat program. Fletcher earned Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honors in leading Lees-McRae to the team title by a margin of over 100 points. Six Bobcats earned individual titles at the Conference Carolinas meet. The Bobcats also set four school records this season and qualified two student-athletes for the national championships.
WEST REGION – Michael Freiss – University of Alaska Anchorage
Freiss’s Seawolves have qualified nine men for the Division II Outdoor Championships, including four men qualified in the top five of their respective event. The nine men selected for the championships is a new Alaska Anchorage school record. Friess is in his 19th year at Alaska Anchorage.