NJCAA DIII Outdoor Track & Field National Awards Announced

NEW ORLEANS — National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2016 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

These awards were determined voted on by USTFCCCA member coaches based on performances both at this past weekend’s NJCAA DIII Outdoor Track & Field Championships and througout the entire regular season.

Information on each of the winners can be found below.

Men’s Track Athlete of the Year

Adam Brauer — Harper

Brauer, a sophomore from Palatine, Illinois, won national titles both at 5000 and 10,000 meters at the NJCAA DIII Championships. He won at 10,000 meters by more than a minute in 34:33.03, and took the 5000 title by five seconds in 16:44.43. He finished the regular season ranked No. 1 among NJCAA DIII men at 10,000 meters in 34:02.90. He was also No. 2 in both the steeplechase and at 5000 meters in 10:34.02 and 16:27.16, respectively.

Women’s Track Athlete of the Year

Ali Gutt — Harper

Gutt, a freshman from Schaumburg, Illinois, won a pair of mid-distance crowns at the NJCAA DIII Championships. She claimed the 1500 title by five seconds in 4:52.91 and took the 800 by two seconds in 2:18.69. She finished the regular season ranked No. 1 nationally in the 1500 (4:52.41) and 800 (2:18.09). She has also been a key cog to Harper’s 4×400 relay team.

Men’s Field Athlete of the Year

Laith Kanan — Harper

Kanan, a sophomore from Palatine, Illinois, won a pair of throws national titles at the NJCAA DIII Championships. He took the hammer throw title at 49.20m (161-5) and the shot put title in 14.31m (46-11½), and finished third in the discus at 38.52m (126-4). He finished the regular season ranked No. 1 nationally in NJCAA DIII in the hammer throw and No. 3 nationally both in the shot put and discus. He led the hammer by 18 feet at 49.57m (162-7), and posted marks of 13.83m (45-4½) in the shot put and 38.70m (127-0) in the discus.

Women’s Field Athlete of the Year

Monyea Early — Prince George’s CC

Early claimed a pair of  national titles at the NJCAA DIII Championships and finished top-three in two more. She won the heptathlon with 3,521 points and took the triple jump crown with 11.14m (36-6¾). Additionally, she was runner-up via tiebreak in the high jump at 1.61m (5-3¼) and was third in the long jump at 5.04m (16-6½).

Men’s Coach of the Year

Matthew French — Suffolk County CC

French, in his eighth year with the program, guided Suffolk County CC’s men to their first national title in team history. The Sharks scored 135½ points to win by more than 30.

Women’s Coach of the Year

Matthew French — Suffolk County CC

French, in his eighth year with the program, led his Shark women to the program’s first national title with 156½ points to win by 7½ points over runner-up Prince George’s CC.

Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Kenneth Ruddick — Suffolk County CC

Ruddick, who coaches the Sharks’ sprinters and hurdlers, coached Chidiebere Chimezie to the national NJCAA DIII title in the 400-meter hurdles. His athletes accounted for a national title in the 400-meter hurdles, and second- and third-place efforts in the 110-meter hurdles.

Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Lauren Biscardi — Suffolk County CC

Biscardi, in her fifth year as the jumps and multis coach with the Sharks, guided her athletes to second, fourth and fifth-place finishes in the pole vault; third-place in the heptathlon; and fourth-place in the high jump.