Top Head and Assistant Coaches Named for 2012 Division III Outdoor Season
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Friday the nation’s top leaders as voted by the coaches of NCAA’s Division III for the 2012 outdoor season. McMurry’s Barbara Crousen and Wartburg’s Marcus Newsom were named National Coaches of the Year while North Central’s Tim Winder and Illinois Wesleyan’s Greg Huffaker were named the top assistants of the division.
NATIONAL MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR: Barbara Crousen, McMurry
Crousen, in her 14th year at the helm at McMurry, led the WarHawks to their first NCAA team title since 2008. The squad scored 66 points with ten scorers to take the title, 17 ahead of nearest challenger UW-La Crosse. Senior Kevin Cunningham swept the 400 meters and 400 hurdles at the national meet and McMurry’s 4×400 relay took top honors. In addition, sophomore Paul Davis won the national crown in the shot put. McMurry also claimed the American Southwest Conference title this season.
Past Winners:
2012: Barbara Crousen, McMurry
2011: Frank Gramarosso, North Central (Ill.)
2010: Al Carius, North Central (Ill.)
2009: John Zupanc, UW-Oshkosh
2008: Paul Olsen, Augustana (Ill.)
NATIONAL WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg
Newsom, in his 14th year at Wartburg, coached his squad to one of the best performances in history this season. At the NCAA outdoor meet, Wartburg won the national title with a (current scoring method) meet-record 129 points and topping the field by a meet-record margin of 77 points. Of Wartburg’s 27 entries into the national meet, 20 earned scoring positions and five won national crowns. Freshman Alana Enabnit won NCAA titles in the 5000 and 10,000 meters. Senior Nevada Morrison won the 400 meters, her sister Skye won the long jump, and the duo paired to help the Knights to the 4×400 relay national crown.
At the IIAC Championships, Wartburg scored a meet-record 353 points.
Past Winners:
2012: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg
2011: Pat Ebel, UW-Oshkosh
2010: Chris Schumacher, Illinois Wesleyan
2009: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg
2008: Patrick Zarate, Texas Lutheran
NATIONAL MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: Tim Winder, North Central (Ill.)
Winder in his 19th year at North Central, qualified five to the NCAA Championships in the pole vault. His crew took the top three spots at the national championships as Peter Geraghty claimed top honors as the only to clear a meet-record height of 17-8½ (5.40m). Senior John Wood would take second place while junior Josh Winder claimed third. At the CCIW Championships, the Cardinals swept the top five positions in the vault to help NCC to the conference team title.
Past Winners:
2012: Tim Winder, North Central (Ill.)
2011: Guy Mosher, Central (Iowa)
2010: Guy Mosher, Central (Iowa)
2009: Tim Springfield, St. Thomas (Minn.)
2008: Marchan Adkins, Illinois Wesleyan
NATIONAL WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: Greg Huffaker, Illinois Wesleyan
Coaching the distance events for Illinois Wesleyan, Huffaker’s crew placed 1-2-5-6 in the 10,000 meters at the CCIW Championships to help the Titans to a team victory. Illinois Wesleyan placed ninth at the NCAA Championships, helped by a sixth-place finish in the 800 meters by Tara Clemens and a sixth-place showing by Rachael Williams in the 10,000 meters.
Past Winners:
2012: Greg Huffaker, Illinois Wesleyan
2011: Mahesh Narayanan, North Central (Ill.)
2010: Justin Lindsey, TCNJ
2009: Travis Erickson, UW-Oshkosh
2008: Marc Mangiacotti, Wheaton (Mass.)