CONVENTION: John Gartland Honored With Jimmy Carnes Award

SAN ANTONIO – John Gartland is this year’s recipient of the Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award. Gartland was feted Tuesday afternoon during Opening Session of the 2018 USTFCCCA Convention at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

The Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the Association and to the sports of cross country and track & field.

Gartland, who is currently a volunteer assistant coach at Indiana State, was the first President of the combined NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Executive Committee from 2007 to 2009. He assisted the two previously-separate coaching bodies integrate their bylaws, policies, awards and rankings.

He has also served twice on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors, from 2007 to 2009 when he was President of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Executive Committee and again from 2011 to 2015 as an NCAA Division I At-Large member.

Gartland recently began his 31st season with the Sycamore track & field program. He was the women’s head cross country coach from 1988 to 2014 and the women’s head track & field coach from 1988 to 2010 when he handed off the reins to Angela Martin, the current Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Indiana State.

Under his direction, Sycamore athletes starred both on the conference and national level. He coached 11 NCAA individual champions, six NCAA runner-ups, 50 All-Americans, 88 NCAA qualifiers and 200 Missouri Valley Conference champions.