NJCAA DIII National Award Winners For 2018 Outdoor T&F Season

NEW ORLEANS — National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2018 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

These awards were voted on my USTFCCCA member coaches based on performances both at this past weekend’s NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships as well as performances throughout the entire regular season.

Information on each of the winners can be found below.

NATIONAL ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

MEN’S TRACK – Daniel Taylor, Sandhills (N.C.) CC

Taylor took home two NJCAA Division III outdoor titles last weekend, winning the 5000 with a time of 15:25.57 and the 10,000 with a finish of 32:05.89, setting a meet record in the latter of the two.

During the regular season, the freshman led NJCAA Division III in the 5000 with a time of 15:27.74, which was nine seconds faster than anyone else on the Descending Order List. He also led the nation in the 10,000 by over a minute with a time of 31:52.91. Taylor participated in the 1500 just once on the season, yet sat fifth on the Descending Order List with a time of 4:08.56.

Taylor becomes the first athlete from Sandhills (N.C.) CC to capture the NJCAA Division III Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year award.

WOMEN’S TRACK – Shantal Rouse, Kingsborough (N.Y.) CC

Rouse was absolutely dominant while helping Kingsborough (N.Y.) CC take home its second-straight NJCAA Division III outdoor championship. The product out of St. Vincent and The Grenadines totaled a whopping 37.5 points after winning the 100, 200 and 400 individually in addition to guiding the 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams to titles.

During the regular season, the sophomore owned the top times in the 100 (12.29), 200 (24.99) and 400 (58.35) while also serving as a member of two of the nation’s top relay teams.

Rouse joins Tatyana Mills (2017) as NJCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year award winners from Kingsborough (N.Y.) CC

MEN’S FIELD – Tyrese Kelly, Sandhills (N.C.) CC

Kelly had a very strong regular season, but turned up the heat during the NJCAA Division III Championships by winning three events on his way to scoring 30 points. The freshman won the high jump with a mark of 1.98m (6-6) while also taking home titles in the long jump (7.18m/23-6¾) and triple jump (14.90/48-10¾).

During the regular season, Kelly owned the top marks in NJCAA Division III in the long jump and triple jump. His season-best triple jump mark of 14.50m (47-7) was set at the Duke Invitaitonal.

Kelly becomes the first athlete from Sandhills (N.C.) CC to capture the NJCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor National Field Athlete of the Year award.

WOMEN’S FIELD – Elisia Lancaster, Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC

Lancaster did it all this season.

The native of Glassboro, New Jersey, won national titles in the shot put, discus and hammer throw. She broke the NJCAA Division III shot put record with a mark of 13.39m (43-11¼). She was the only female NJCAA thrower invited to the Penn Relays. Her regular-season marks of 40.44m (132-8) in the discus and 43.30m (142-0) in the hammer led all throwers in NJCAA Division III. And she did all of this as a freshman.

Lancaster becomes the first athlete from Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC to capture the NJCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor National Field Athlete of the Year award.

NATIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR

MEN’S HEAD COACH – Ryan Hughes, Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC

Hughes led his Roadrunners to the first NJCAA Division III outdoor title since 2014, guiding a program that sat first in the USTFCCCA National Team Rankings all season long. In his 14th year at Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC, Hughes’ pupils owned five top marks on the NJCAA Division III Descending Order List, in addition to sitting second in two events and third in seven. His men also posted 16 other top-eight marks.

Hughes becomes the first coach from Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC to win the NJCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year award.

WOMEN’S HEAD COACH – Dave Loobie, Kingsborough (N.Y.) CC

Loobie guided the Wave to its second-straight NJCAA Division III outdoor title, winning by an astounding 38 points. Loobie’s women entered the championships with 22 top-10 NJCAA Division III Descending Order List marks, including seven marks that sat atop the Descending Order List in their respective events. During the championships, his athletes captured national titles in the 100, 200, 400, 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 4×100 relay, 4×400 relay, 4×800 relay and long jump.

This is Loobie’s second NJCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year Award in a row, and his third Outdoor Coach of the Year award, overall, as he was also named the Men’s Coach of the Year in 2017.

MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH – Mark Getsinger, Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC

Getsinger played an integral part in guiding the Roadrunners to its first NJCAA Division III outdoor title since 2014. Coaching the sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers, his athletes owned 12 top-10 NJCAA Division III Descending Order List marks, including the top ranking in the nation in the 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles. His men posted three top-10 marks in the 110 hurdles and four in the 400 hurdles.

Getsinger becomes the first assistant coach from Rowan-Gloucester (N.J.) CC to win the NJCAA Division III Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year award.

WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH – Rasheen Nicholson, Kingsborough (N.Y.) CC

Nicholson was instrumental to Kingsborough (N.Y.) CC’s second-straight NJCAA Division III outdoor title, as his sprinters and relay teams absolutely dominated the competition. His women won eight national titles in the sprints and relays. During the regular season, sprinter Shantel Rouse owned the top NJCAA Division III marks in the 100, 200 and 400, while hurdler Nyeira Gordon sat atop the Descending Order List in the 400 hurdles. The Wave’s 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams were also tops in NJCAA Division III.

This is Nicholson’s second NJCAA Division III Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year award in a row.