Award History
NCAA DI XC National Awards2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country National Awards
NEW ORLEANS — National Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country season were announced on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the season.
HISTORY: National Athletes of the Year | National Coaches of the Year
Awards were voted on by member coaches based on results from both the 2023 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Charlottesville, Virginia, and during the regular season.
The Lance Harter Award
National Women's Athlete of the Year
Parker Valby was named the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Valby, who hails from Tampa, Florida, put a bow on a stellar undefeated season with an individual title at the 2023 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Charlottesville, Virginia. After settling into the first kilometer of the 6k race, Valby pushed the pace, opening a 20.6-second lead by the 4k split. Valby eventually won by 10.6 seconds. Earlier in the season, Valby set a course record in a winning effort at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and captured individual titles at both the SEC Championships and the South Region Championships.
The Peter Tegen Award
National Women's Coach of the Year
Laurie Henes was named the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country National Coach of the Year. Henes, in her 18th year as head coach at NC State, led the Wolfpack to the team title at the 2023 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Charlottesville, Virginia. NC State won a thrilling battle against Northern Arizona, as just one point separated the champion Wolfpack from the runner-up Lumberjacks. This was the third consecutive national title for NC State. Earlier in the season, the Wolfpack won team titles at the Southeast Region Championships, the ACC Championships as well as the Joe Piane Invitational.
National Men's Athlete of the Year
Graham Blanks was named the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Blanks, who hails from Athens, Georgia, capped a sensational undefeated season with an individual title at the 2023 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Charlottesville, Virginia. He and eventual runner-up Habtom Samuel of New Mexico were lockstep through 9k at Panorama Farms before the Harvard standout pulled ahead and won by more than three seconds. Blanks was the first male athlete from the Ivy League to capture top individual honors in meet history. Earlier in the season, Blanks won individual titles at the Battle in Beantown, Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, Ivy League Heptagonal Championships and the Northeast Region Championships.
The Bill Dellinger Award
National Men's Coach of the Year
Dave Smith was named the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country National Coach of the Year. Smith, in his 18th year as head coach at Oklahoma State, led the Cowboys to the team title at the 2023 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Charlottesville, Virginia. OSU dominated the proceedings, amassing just 49 points for the lowest winning score since 2005. Five Cowboys finished among the top-15 scored athletes. Earlier in the season, OSU won team titles at the Midwest Region Championships, the Big 12 Championships and the Cowboy Jamboree.