Award History
NCAA DI OTF Regional AwardsDivision I Regional Award Winners Announced
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Monday the 73 award winners of USTFCCCA Regional Awards for the 2011 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season. Most of those honored will be on hand for the final rounds of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to take place later this week, June 8-11, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Men’s Track Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – De’Sean Turner – Indiana
Turner, a junior from Indianapolis, Ind., advanced to Des Moines with the fifth-fastest time on the season in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Earlier this season, Turner won the Big Ten championship in the steeplechase. His season-best mark of 8:39.40 is third-best in IU history. Turner has not finished lower than second in a steeplechase competition this spring.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Casimir Loxsom – Penn State
The New Haven, Conn., sophomore has quickly earned a place in the Penn State record books this season. The Big Ten champion at 800 meters ranks as the second-fastest in that event in PSU history. Loxsom also helped reset Penn State records in the 4×400-meter relay and the sprint medley relay, the latter set in a winning effort at the prestigious Penn Relays. Loxsom ranks sixth in the two-lap event headed into this week’s Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Mookie Salaam – Oklahoma
Salaam swept the short sprint titles at the 2011 Big 12 Championships, with winning efforts in both the 100 meters and 200 meters. His winning time in the 200 meters of 20.05 is the fastest time recorded by a collegian in the event this season. Salaam will look to cap an undefeated collegiate campaign this week as he has advanced to the Final Championships Competition in both the 100 meters and 200 meters. Salaam is a junior from Edmond, Okla.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Miles Batty – BYU
Batty, a junior, heads into this week’s Championships with the fastest time on the season in the 1500 meters at 3:36.25. That time is good enough to rank fifth-best all-time among collegians. Earlier this season, he won the Mountain West Conference title in the 1500 meters and finished sixth in the 800 meters to help lead BYU to the men’s team title. Batty is from Sandy, Utah.
NORTHEAST REGION – Leonard Korir – Iona
Korir will compete in the long-distance double at this week’s NCAA Championships, as he has advanced to the event finals in both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. His season-best time of 27:29.40 in the 10,000 meters bested the previous Iona school record by more than a minute and ranks second nationally on the season. He also showed mid-distance range this season in winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title in the 1,500 meters and helping Iona finish second in the 4×800-meter relay. Korir is a senior from Iten, Kenya.
SOUTH REGION – Kirani James – Alabama
James, a sophomore from Gouyave, Grenada, heads into this week’s NCAA Championships with an undefeated record in the 400 meters on the line. The 2011 Southeastern Conference champion in the event has a season-best time of 44.86 that ranks second nationally. James also runs on Alabama’s 4×400-meter relay squad that has advanced to the Final Championships Competition in the event after clocking a season-best time of 3:06.68 in the first round.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Barrett Nugent – LSU
The Maurice, La., junior heads into this week’s NCAA Championships with the season’s fastest time in the 110-meter hurdles under any conditions, a windy 13.19. That time is fast enough to earn Nugent a tie as the second-fastest sprint-hurdler in NCAA history under all conditions. Nugent won the 2011 Southeastern Conference championship in the 110-meter hurdles, and he has finished no worse than second in sprint-hurdle finals during the outdoor season.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Sam Chelanga – Liberty
Chelanga will pull double-duty for Liberty at this weekend’s NCAA Championships as he has qualified to compete in both the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters. Chelanga won his preliminary round heat in both events to set up a dual run in Des Moines. Including those heat wins, he is now 4-0 on the outdoor season, and his time in the 10,000 meters is the third-fastest recorded this season. Chelanga is a senior from Nairobi, Kenya.
WEST REGION – Elliot Heath – Stanford
Heath enters this weekend’s Final Championships Competition with the fastest time on the season in the 5,000 meters and the thirteenth-fastest time in the 10,000 meters. A senior from Winona, Minn., Heath scored in both events at the recent Pacific-10 Conference Championships. His season-best time of 13:26.14 in the 5,000 meters is less than two seconds shy of the all-time top 10 performance list for American collegians in the event.
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Michael Hartfield – Ohio State
Hartfield, a junior from Manchester, Conn., was the Big Ten’s Field Athlete of the Year and the conference’s Athlete of the Championship Meet after finishing as the league’s long jump champ and as runner-up in the triple jump. Hartfield qualified for the final round of the NCAA Championships in the long jump and holds a wind-aided season’s best of 26-1 (7.94m) in the event. Hartfield also holds a national top-25 season’s best in the triple jump with a best of 52-1¾ (15.89m).
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Dwight Barbiasz – Maryland
Barbiasz, a junior from Milford, N.H., was the ACC Champion in the high jump and enters the final round of the NCAA Championships as a five-seed, having cleared a season’s best of 7-3¾ (2.23m) at the UCF Invitational. Barbiasz ranks second all-time in Maryland history in the event.
MIDWEST REGION – Erik Kynard – Kansas State
Kynard, a sophomore from Toledo, Ohio, has went the season undefeated by collegians in the high jump and holds the collegiate-leading jump heading to Des Moines with a clear of 7-7 (2.31m) in winning at the Drake Relays. The mark also ranks No. 3 in the world for the 2011 outdoor season. Kynard won the Big 12 title with a leap of 7-5¼ (2.27m).
MOUNTAIN REGION – Julian Wruck – Texas Tech
Wruck, a sophomore from Brisbane, Australia, is the nation’s leader in the discus by over seven feet after marking his Texas Tech school record toss of 208-1 (63.42m) in winning his first Big 12 crown in the event. Wruck has claimed performances of over 200 feet on two occasions and he will be competing in his second-straight NCAA championship.
NORTHEAST REGION – Robert Golabek – Buffalo
Golabek, a senior from Hamburg, N.Y., was the MAC champ with the shot, marking 62-11¼ (19.18m) to win by more than seven feet. Golabek enters the national championships as the No. 4 seed, having claimed a season’s best of 63-8¼ (19.41m) in the qualifying rounds in Bloomington, Ind. Golabek was the Texas Relays champ with the shot and was second at the Penn Relays.
SOUTH REGION – Will Claye – Florida
Claye, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., enters the final rounds of the NCAA meet as the top seed in the triple jump as ranked second in the long jump. Claye won SEC titles in both events, the first to do since 2004, with season’s best, notching a jump of 27-2½ (8.29m) in the long and a wind-aided best of 56-6¾ (17.24m) in the triple. Claye currently ranks third in the world and is the American leader in the long jump and has the third-best wind-assisted triple jump mark on the planet this year.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Marquise Goodwin – Texas
Goodwin, a sophomore from Garland, Texas, won the Big 12 long jump crown with a collegiate personal best of 26-9¾ (8.17m), the fourth-best jump in Texas history. Goodwin was the west’s top qualifier for the NCAA finals and enters as the defending champ and No. 4 seed among 2011 bests.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Marcel Lomnicky – Virginia Tech
Lomnicky, a senior from Nitra, Slovakia, leads the collegiate ranks in the hammer by over 12 feet, having thrown to a season’s best and all-time ACC record of 248-10 (75.84m) in winning a third league title in the event. Lomnicky is undefeated in the event this year and claimed the Florida Relays crown.
WEST REGION – Colin Dunbar – Long Beach State
A senior from Santa Barbara, Calif., was named the Big West Conference’s Field Athlete of the Year after scoring 28 points at the league meet, an effort that helped produce a team title for the 49ers. Dunbar reached the NCAA’s finals in both the discus and hammer. Dunbar qualified for the discus via a season’s best of 180-1 (54.90m) in the preliminary round and sits as the eighth seed in the hammer, having produced a best of 223-6 (68.12m) in winning the league crown. Dunbar was the first in Big West history to score in all four throwing events at the league meet.
Men’s Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Dennis Mitchell – Akron
Mitchell led his team to the Mid-American Conference team title earning MAC Coach of the Year honors. He coached Johansson to the MAC Decathlon title, earning MAC Most Outstanding Field Performance with his effort. He also coached the MAC pole vault campion.
Akron finished the season ranked No. 5 in the region and has four entries at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Fred Samara – Princeton
Samara led the Tigers to the Ivy League Championship with a record score of 198. At the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, their 4×400 team set an all time league record of 3:05.86. In addition, they have NCAA final qualifiers in the hammer, pole vault, 800 meters, steeplechase, and 5000 meters. Princeton ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
MIDWEST REGION – Larry Wieczorek – Iowa
Wieczorek’s Iowa team claimed its first Big Ten Championship title in 44 years after scoring 110½ of their 125½ points on the final day of competition. Wieczorek was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Mark Robison – BYU
Robison guided the Cougars to the Mountain West Conference title with 212 points, winning seven of 21 events. The Cougars have eight qualifiers for the NCAA Championships from a broad range of events including the pole vault, shot put, discus, high jump, 1,500 meters, 800 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase. BYU won MWC title for the 12th time in a row and are ranked tenth nationally. BYU finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the region in the latest USTFCCCA rankings.
NORTHEAST REGION – Nathan Taylor – Cornell
Cornell was the top ranked team in the Northeast Region all season with 44 individuals, in 20 of 21 events, qualified for the IC4A meet. The Big Red scored 187 points at the Ivy League Championships, finishing second by 11 points. Ten athletes qualified for the NCAA’s first round and four qualified for the championship’s finals, including Dannemiller in the steeple, Huber in the decathlon, Jones in the triple jump and Edelman in the 10k. Taylor coaches the jumps and combined events.
SOUTH REGION – Mike Holloway – Florida
Holloway led Florida to a second-place finish at the SEC Championships with 140 points. The Gators had five individual conference champions and 17 qualifiers for the NCAA finals. Holloway directly coaches the sprints group that won the SEC title in 100 meters and 4×100 relay. The Gators boast the top 100-meter athlete in the nation, No. 9 in the 400 meters and the top-rated 4×100 during regular season (38.53). Florida finished the season ranked No. 1 in the South and is currently No. 2 nationally.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Pat Henry – Texas A&M
Henry’s Aggies were the Big 12 Champions, scoring a league-record 175 points, and lead all teams with 19 entries at the final round of NCAA Championships. The team is ranked No. 1 in country heading into final rounds.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Dave Cianelli – Virginia Tech
The Hokie men finished a strong second at the ACC Outdoor Championships with 153½ points. Virginia Tech achieved four ACC individual titles and 13 All-ACC selections. The Hokies qualified 24 athletes to NCAA East Preliminary round and a school record 14 qualifiers to the NCAA finals in Des Moines, which is third most of any team nationally. Cianelli’s men are currently ranked eighth in USTFCCCA National Team rankings.
WEST REGION – Fred Harvey – Arizona
Harvey helped guide the Wildcat men to a runner-up finish at the Pac-10 Championships. UA had 15 men qualified to compete at NCAA West Prelims with eight advancing to finals. The Wildcats are ranked 12th nationally heading into final rounds of NCAAs and finished the season ranked third regionally.
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Ed Beathea – Ohio State
In his fourth year with the Buckeyes, Beathea assisted the young team to a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and No. 2-regional ranking. As the sprint, hurdles and jumps coach, Beathea mentored two individual Big Ten champions (400 meters and long jump) and the winning 4×400 team. Both individuals and the relay team will compete at the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Steve Dolan – Princeton
Dolan’s distance runners won four events and finished runner-up in the 800 to help the team set an all time high score at the Heps. After sending eight entries to the East Prelims, four advanced to the NCAA Championships – 800m, 5K and steeplechase. Princeton’s 4xMile team won a Penn Relays title for the seven-year Tiger coach.
MIDWEST REGION – Joey Woody – Iowa
Woody’s sprinters and hurdlers scored 85 points at the Big Ten Championship to help Iowa win the team Title. In his fifth year at Iowa, Woody had 10 West Prelim qualifying performances and has three athletes qualified in four events for the NCAA Championships and the 4×400-relay team.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Dion Miller – Texas Tech
Miller, who coaches sprints and hurdles for the fifth-ranked team, advanced two 400-meter hurdlers (seeded 2-3), three 110-meter hurdlers, one athlete in the 400m, and a 4×400 relay team to the NCAA’s final rounds. In his fifth year with the Red Raiders, he led athletes to both hurdle titles at the Big 12 Championships.
NORTHEAST REGION – James Garnham – Buffalo
In his ninth season as UB’s throws coach, Garnham had six athletes qualify for the East Prelims, with three moving onto the final round in four events. At the MAC Championships, his athletes won five events, set three meet records and two conference records while scoring 69 points.
SOUTH REGION – Dick Booth – Florida
Working with the Florida jumpers for the second year, Booth advanced three athletes in five qualifying positions to the NCAA Championships. Booth mentored Claye to SEC long jump and triple jump titles, earning SEC Field Athlete of the Year honors. Overall, his athletes scored 37 of Florida’s 140 points at the SEC Championships. As a team, the Gators enter the championships ranked second in the nation.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Mario Sategna – Texas
Longhorn field event athletes earned 11 All-Big 12 honors while helping the team finish second overall. In his eighth season with Texas, Sategna advanced seven athletes to the NCAA Championships, and the Longhorns enter the final rounds of the championships ranked ninth nationally.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Greg Jack – Virginia Tech
In his tenth season working at Virginia Tech, Jack coaches the top two men nationally in the hammer throw. Among the 37 points scored by his athletes at the ACC Championships, hammer throwers swept the top three places and another won the javelin. All four of those athletes will compete at the NCAA Championships as the Hokies strive for a top-ten team finish.
WEST REGION – Jason Dunn – Stanford
Dunn has four athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 10K, two in the 5K, and two in the steeplechase. Those eight qualifying marks are the most distance entries of any program. His distance runners helped Stanford to a fifth-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships by scoring 51 points. As a team, Stanford is currently ranked 11th in the country.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Christina Manning – Ohio State
Manning earned 2011 Big Ten Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships honors after winning the 100 meters and the 100-meter hurdles and running a leg on the winning 4×100-meter relay. She has qualified to compete in both the 100-meter hurdles and the 4×100-meter relay in Des Moines. Manning helped the Buckeyes break a school record with their season-best time of 43.93 in the 4×100-meter relay, and her best time of 12.86 in the 100-meter hurdles is second in school history. Manning is a junior from Waldorf, Md.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Sheila Reid – Villanova
Reid won BIG EAST crowns in both the 1,500 meters and the 5,000 meters, and she has qualified to compete in both events in Des Moines this week. Reid’s season-best time of 4:11.85 in the 1,500 meters ranks third nationally headed into this weekend’s Championships. Reid is a junior from Newmarket, Ontario.
MIDWEST REGION – Diamond Dixon – Kansas
Dixon, a freshman from El Paso, Texas, earned Big 12 Outstanding Freshman of the Year honors after winning the conference title in the 400 meters in a school-record time of 51.55. That time also ties for the fastest recorded during the 2011 Outdoor campaign by a collegian. Dixon also competes as a member of Kansas’s 4×400-meter relay, which has advanced to the national semifinals and recorded the second-fastest time in school history in the event.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Amanda Mergaert – Utah
The sophomore from Shelby Township, Mich. is peaking at just the right time as she recorded her fastest time of the season in the West 1,500-meter quarterfinals. Her time of 4:16.57 was also a new school record. Mergaert earned a pair of third place finishes in the metric mile at both the Mountain West Conference championships and the Drake Relays. She also helped the Utes win a 2011 Drake Relays title as a member of their distance medley relay squad.
NORTHEAST REGION – Kate Grace – Yale
Grace, a senior, finished the regular season undefeated over the 800-meter and 1,500-meter distances, including conference championships in both events. The Eastern College Athletic Conference 1,500-meter champion will focus on the 800 meters at this week’s NCAA Championships. She ran a season-best time of 2:03.41 in her quarter-final to lead all competitors from the East preliminary championship site. Grace is from Santa Monica, Calif.
SOUTH REGION – Ti’erra Brown – Miami (Fla.)
The senior from Hampton, Va., is the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference champion in the 100-meter hurdles and the ACC runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles. Brown will compete in both events at this week’s NCAA Championships. Her season-best times of 12.94 seconds and 56.25 seconds both rank sixth among qualifying competitors in each event, and she has not finished lower than second in a hurdle final this season.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Jeneba Tarmoh – Texas A&M
Tarmoh earned Big 12 Performer of the Year and High-Point Scorer honors after winning conference titles in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and as a member of the Aggies’ winning 4×100-meter relay. She will look to continue that success this weekend, as she has qualified to compete in all three events. Tarmoh’s wind-aided 10.94 seconds in the 100 meters ties for the tenth-fastest performance all-time under all conditions. She is a junior from San Jose, Calif.
SOUTHEAST REGION – LaKya Brookins – South Carolina
Brookins has a wind-aided season-best time of 11.02 in the 100 meters, which ranks third in the NCAA and fifth in the world under all conditions this season. She earned runner-up honors in the event at both the Penn Relays and the Southeastern Conference Championships. The senior from Seneca, S.C. heads into Des Moines having won her quarter-final heat in the 100 meters and looking to challenge for top honors in the event.
WEST REGION – (co-winners)
Jordan Hasay – Oregon
Hasay won 2011 Pacific-10 Conference titles in both the 1,500 meters and the 5,000 meters, and she will challenge for NCAA titles in both events this week. She has the fastest time of the season in the 1,500 meters at 4:10.28 and the second-fastest time of the season in the 5,000 meters. Her 1,500-meter time ranks tenth all-time among American collegiate performers. Hasay is a sophomore from Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Lea Wallace – Sacramento State
Wallace heads into this week’s NCAA Championships with more than just an undefeated collegiate season in the 800 meters on the line. She is a dual mid-distance threat, as the senior from Napa, Calif. is the only female qualified to Des Moines in both the 800 and the 1,500 meters, and she has the second-fastest times of the season in both races. Earlier this season, Wallace won Big Sky Conference titles in both events and as a member of Sacramento State’s 4×400-meter relay.
Women’s Field Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Beth Rohl – Michigan State
Rohl, a sophomore from New Buffalo, Mich., qualified for the NCAA finals and was the Big Ten’s champion in both the discus and hammer this season. Rohl was named the league’s Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships for the efforts. Rohl enters Des Moines as the seventh-best discus thrower in the field this season with a mark of 183-6 (55.94m).
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Chelsea Carrier – West Virginia
Carrier, a senior from Buckhannon, W.Va., holds the collegiate second-best score of the season in the heptathlon with 5,927 points, scored in winning at the Texas Relays. Carrier became the first Mountaineer to win the Big East title in the long jump. In addition to being in the national final of the heptathlon, Carrier advanced to Des Moines in the 100-meter hurdles.
MIDWEST REGION – Mara Griva – Nebraska
Griva, a freshman from Ventspils, Latvia, claimed Big 12 titles in the long and triple jumps, matching the same effort from the indoor season. Griva enters the final rounds as the top seed in the long jump via a wind-aided leap of 21-11¾ (6.70m), a mark accomplished in winning the league title in the event. Griva’s season best in the triple jump also came at the Big 12 meet with a mark of 45-3¾ (13.81m), good for third in nation this season.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Ifeatu Okafor – Texas Tech
Okafor, a sophomore from Houston, Texas, enters the NCAA final rounds as the second seed in the shot put, having marked a personal-best and school record 58-3¾ (17.77m) in claiming her first Big 12 title this season. Okafor won four events this outdoor season and will make her first appearance in the NCAA’s final rounds.
NORTHEAST REGION – Rebecca O’Brien – Buffalo
O’Brien, a sophomore from Cumberland, Maine, broke MAC all-time and championship-meet records in the shot put and discus to win league titles in both events. O’Brien marked personal bests of 56-6 (17.22m) with the shot and 193-8 (59.04m) with the discus at the league meet and qualified for the NCAA’s final rounds in both events. O’Brien is the national No. 2 seed in the discus heading to Des Moines.
SOUTH REGION – Kimberly Williams – Florida State
Williams, a senior from Kingston, Jamaica, again qualified for the finals of the NCAA Championships in both the long and triple jumps. Williams holds the top-seeded triple jump mark in the field with a wind-aided 46-9 (14.25m) captured in winning the Texas Relays crown. Williams won ACC titles in both jumping events, including a fourth all-time outdoor league crown in the triple jump.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Tina Sutej – Arkansas
Sutej, a junior from Ljubljana, Slovenia, claimed a collegiate record in the pole vault with an SEC-winning clearance of 15-1½ (4.61m). Sutej, who also reset the indoor collegiate record earlier in 2011, was named the SEC Field Athlete of the Year. Sutej enters the NCAA’s final rounds as the collegiate leader by more than seven inches.
SOUTHEAST REGION – April Sinkler – Clemson
Sinkler, a junior from Stafford, Va., is the only athlete, man or woman, to qualify for the NCAA’s final rounds in three events. Sinkler will compete in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump and claimed new Clemson school records in the high and long this season. Sinkler was the ACC champ in the high jump, runner-up in the long jump, and scored in the triple to help the Tigers to an ACC team crown and was named the league meet’s Most Valuable Performer.
WEST REGION – Anna Jelmini – Arizona State
Jelmini, a freshman from Bakersfield, Calif., qualified for the NCAA’s final in both the shot put and discus and enters the meet as the No. 1 seed in the discus, having claimed a season’s best of 198-7 (60.54m). Jelmini was the Pac-10 Champion in the discus and finished fourth in the league meet in the shot put. Jelmini, undefeated to collegiate competition this season in the discus, is the only in the collegiate ranks to toss the disc over 60 meters and has done so five times this outdoor season.
Women’s Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Karen Dennis – Ohio State
Karen Dennis was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year after winning the outdoor league title for first time. Dennis helped the Buckeyes to six individual titles and 100 total points on the final day of competition. OSU has five NCAA finals-site qualifiers. The team finished the season ranked No. 1 in the region and is currently ranked 22nd nationally.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Sean Cleary – West Virginia
The Mountaineers qualified a school-best seven individuals in eight events for NCAA Championships. Kate Harrison had the top performance in the 10,000 at the East preliminary round, and Sarah-Anne Brault finished sixth in the event. Cleary led the Mountaineers to school-best second place finish at BIG EAST Championships, ten points out of first. The staff was named Big East Conference Coaching Staff of the Year, had five individual conference titles and scored points in 13 of 21 events.
MIDWEST REGION – Steve Rainbolt – Wichita State
Rainbolt led the Shockers to the Missouri Valley Conference title and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He had six women and a relay squad (total of ten events) qualify for NCAA West Preliminary round.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Patrick Shane – BYU
Shane led the Cougars to an impressive 63-point team victory in the Mountain West Conference Championships scoring 191 points. Six athletes from BYU have qualified for the National Championships, including three distance runners, Shane’s coaching specialty. Shane was also named MWC Coach of the Year.
NORTHEAST REGION – Bill Morgan – Connecticut
Morgan’s Huskies competed to a third-place finish in the Big East and second-place in the ECAC. Morgan led the Huskies to regional leading performances with the most top-three performances in the region (10); top-ten performances (20); most regional qualifiers (11); and most national qualifiers from the region with (4). UConn finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in the Northeast Region.
SOUTH REGION – Caryl Smith Gilbert – UCF
Smith Gilbert led UCF to a Conference USA Championship and was named C-USA Coach of the Year. A school-record 12 student-athletes made it to the NCAA East Preliminary Round. UCF athletes have broken and rebroken 16 different school records in 2011. Smith Gilbert coached the C-USA Performer of the Year (Jackie Coward), Top Freshman and High Point Scorer (Aurieyall Scott) of the Meet as well as five individual champions and two relay championships. The team is ranked 24th nationally.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Dennis Shaver – LSU
Shaver was named SEC Coach of the Year after he led the Lady Tigers to the SEC championship with 30-point victory. LSU had three sprinters and hurdlers win individual SEC championships. Shaver also coached Lady Tigers to the SEC crown in 4×100-meter relay. LSU’s sprinters and hurdlers accounted for nine All-SEC honors at conference meet.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Lawrence Johnson – Clemson
Johnson led Clemson to the ACC team championship. The Tigers are currently ranked sixth nationally heading into the final rounds of the NCAA Championships. Johnson coached athletes to NCAA qualification in 10 individual events and one relay. The team scored a program-record 202 points and won the ACC championship by 69½ points. Johnson coached ACC Meet MVP athletes Kendrick and April Sinkler.
WEST REGION – Fred Harvey – Arizona
Harvey took UA women up to being a top-ten power, peaking at No. 5 this season. The team finished just four and a half points shy of winning the PAC-10 title, finishing with 150 points. Harvey had women qualify in 17 of 20 events at NCAA West prelims (total of 23 women), eight of which and one relay advanced to NCAA’s finals. Harvey is personally responsible for coaching LaTisha Holden to her first NCAA Championship finals of her career as a senior in the 100-meter hurdles.
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – John Newell – Michigan State
At the Big Ten Championships, Newell’s throwers won two individual titles, set two school records, broke two facility records and earned the first dual honor of Big Ten Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships. In his fourth year with the Spartans, Newell had four East Preliminary qualifiers and had advance to the NCAA Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION – Chris Miltenberg – Georgetown
All five of Georgetown’s final round qualifiers fall under the tutelage of Miltenberg – three in the 1,500m (most of any program), one in the 5K and one in the 800m. The second year coach saw athletes win the Penn Relays DMR and finish runner-up in the 4x800m and 4×1500 relays.
MIDWEST REGION – Dana Boone – Oklahoma
Boone’s sprinters and jumpers scored 46½ points at the Big 12 Championships to help Oklahoma to their highest team finish of third. In her sixth year with the Sooners, Boone has four athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships in five different events. As a team, Oklahoma enters the championships ranked fifth in the country.
MOUNTAIN REGION – Cliff Felkins – Texas Tech
Felkins has two Red Raiders competing at the NCAA Championships – two in the shot put and one in the discus. Okafor won the Big 12 Championships in the shot put with the second-best throw in the NCAA for the coach in his eleventh season.
NORTHEAST REGION – James Garnham – Buffalo
Under Garnham’s guidance, UB athletes swept the Mid American Conference throwing events setting MAC records with each victory. In his ninth season with Buffalo, Garnham has three athletes ranked among the top 11 competing at the NCAA’s finals.
SOUTH REGION – Adrian Ghioroaie – Southern Miss
In just his first season with the Golden Eagles, Ghioroaie has three different jumpers among the top ten nationally. His jumpers scored 43 of the team’s 69 points at the C-USA Championships and have helped USM leap up the national rankings to the 20th position.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION – Rolando Greene – Arkansas
As the sprints, hurdles and multi-events coach for the fourth ranked Razorbacks, Greene had athletes win the SEC heptathlon and 4x400m relay. At the NCAA Championships, Greene will have three athletes competing in the 400, two in the hurdle events, one in the heptathlon, and has the second-ranked 4×400 relay team.
SOUTHEAST REGION – Kevin Jermyn – Duke
In his 11th season with the Blue Devils, Jermyn had 12 middle-distance/distance runners compete at the East Prelims, with four woman advancing to the NCAA Championships finals in three events. Jermyn coached the Penn Relays Champion 4×800 team to the fastest time in world this year.
WEST REGION – Craig Carter – Arizona
Carter’s throwers tallied 63 of Arizona’s 150 team points in a runner-up finish at the Pac-10 Championships, with athletes finishing 1-2-3-5-6 in the shot put and 2-3-4-6 in the discus. In his fifth season with the Wildcats, Carter has three woman qualified for the shot put finals and one in the discus. As a team, Arizona is currently ranked ninth in the nation.