Award History
NJCAA DI XC Regional Awards2023 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Regional Awards
NEW ORLEANS – Here are our Regional Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2023 NJCAA DI Cross Country season.
Men’s Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION — Karim Belmahdi — Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Belmahdi set a meet record of 26:14.4 in winning the individual title at the Region 15 Cross Country Championships.
CENTRAL REGION — Kgadi Monyebodi — Colby (Kan.) CC
Monyebodi won the individual title at the Region 6 Cross Country Championships in 23:35.4 and ended the regular season undefeated.
MIDWEST REGION — Mohammed Kowa — Iowa Western CC
Kowa won the individual title at the Region 11 Cross Country Championships in 24:46.1.
WEST REGION — Tomas Vega — New Mexico JC
Vega set a course record of 23:04 in winning the individual title at the Region 5 Cross Country Championships.
Men’s Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION — Doug Butler — Eastern Florida State
Butler led the Titans to the team title at the Region 8 Championships with 18 points.
CENTRAL REGION — Brady Johnson — Colby (Kan.) CC
Johnson led the Trojans to the team title at the Region 6 Championships with 25 points. Colby CC also won the team title in the Open Division of the Gans Creek Invitational with 63 points.
MIDWEST REGION — Marc Bierbaum — Iowa Western CC
Bierbaum led the Reivers to the team title at the Region 11 Championships with 37 points.
WEST REGION — Jeff Becker — New Mexico JC
Becker led the T-Birds to the team title at the Region 5 Championships with 32 points. New Mexico JC also won the team title at the NMJC III Invitational with 22 points, NMJC II Invitational with 15 points, NMJC I Invitational with 17 points and Lori Fitzgerald Memorial with 41 points.
Women’s Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION — Attoya Harvey — Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Harvey ran well at the Region 15 Cross Country Championships, finishing in 19:36.8.
CENTRAL REGION — Alliyah Molina — Trinidad State (Colo.)
Molina won the individual title at the Region 9 Cross Country Championships in 18:05.2, besting the rest of the field by more than one minute. She ended the regular season undefeated against NJCAA competition.
MIDWEST REGION — Silvia Gradizzi — Iowa Western CC
Gradizzi won the individual title at the Region 11 Cross Country Championships in 18:52.3.
WEST REGION — Damaris Chewon — New Mexico JC
Chewon won the individual title at the Region 5 Cross Country Championships in 17:59.
Women’s Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION — Shirvon Greene — Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Greene led the Mustangs to the team title at the Region 15 Championships with 15 points. Monroe-New Rochelle also won the team title at the Go-Fast River Run with 56 points and St. Joseph’s Invitational with 80 points.
CENTRAL REGION — Brady Johnson — Colby (Kan.) CC
Johnson led the Trojans to the team title at the Region 6 Championships with 34 points.
MIDWEST REGION — Marc Bierbaum — Iowa Western CC
Bierbaum led the Reivers to the team title at the Region 11 Championships with 22 points.
WEST REGION — Jeff Becker — New Mexico JC
Becker led the T-Birds to the team title at the Region 5 Championships with 18 points. New Mexico JC also won the team title at the NMJC III Invitational with 19 points, NMJC II Invitational with 18 points and NMJC I Invitational with 17 points.