Award History
NAIA XC National Awards2023 NAIA Cross Country National Awards
NEW ORLEANS – National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2023 NAIA Cross Country season were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the national championship meet.
Awards were voted on by member coaches based on results from both the 2023 NAIA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver, Washington, and during the regular season.
Scroll below to find out more about each of our winners.
National Women's Coach of the Year
Dominic Bolin is the 2023 NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Coach of the Year. Bolin, in his second year as head coach at College of Idaho, led the Coyotes to the team title at the 2023 NAIA Cross Country Championships with 68 points to win by 24 points. The Yotes were led by individual runner-up Ellyse Tingelstad in placing four runners in the top-7. College of Idaho also won the team title at the CCC Cross Country Championships with 18 points, Blazing Tiger NAIA Classic with 44 points, Lewis-Clark State Invitational with 26 points, Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational with 62 points, CCC Preview Meet with 24 points and Dr. Thad Scholes Classic with 23 points.
National Women's Athlete of the Year
Ellyse Tingelstad is the 2023 NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Tingelstad, a junior from Joseph, Oregon, was women’s individual runner-up at the 2023 NAIA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver, Washington, covering the 6k course in 21:16.1. Earlier this season, she won the CCC Cross Country Championships 6k in 20:51.5, Blazing Tiger NAIA Classic 6k in 20:52.0 and CCC Preview Meet 4k in 13:53.5.
National Men's Athlete of the Year
Jackson Wilson is the 2023 NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Wilson, a senior from Box Elder, South Dakota, won the men’s individual title at the 2023 NAIA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver, Washington. Wilson stormed to the lead in the last kilometer of the 8k race to win by 9.1 seconds in 24:31.8. Earlier this season, he won the Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships 8k in 24:51.8, NAIA Great Lakes Challenge 8k in 24:37.2 and Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Open 8k 24:17.0.
National Men's Coach of the Year
Chris Layne is the 2023 NAIA Men’s Cross Country National Coach of the Year. Layne, in his 25th year as head coach at Milligan (Tenn.), coached the Buffaloes to the men’s team title at the 2023 NAIA Cross Country Championships with 93 points to win by five points. Milligan was led by sixth-place finisher Bryn Woodall as the Buffs packed three in the top-9. The Buffs also won the team title at the AAC Cross Country Championships with 25 points, NAIA Appalachian Challenge with 42 points and Royals Challenge with 52 points.