Award History
NJCAA ITF Regional Awards2024 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Regional Awards
NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2024 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field season were announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Each of the four regions – Atlantic, Central, Midwest and West – honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes as well as the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches.
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches prior to the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
Men’s Track Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Raymond French – Essex County (N.J.)
French, who hails from Ghana, is undefeated against regional competition in both the 200 and 400 meters. He won both event titles at the METS Indoor Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Siyabonga Mokgothu – Cloud County (Kan.) CC
Mokgothu, who hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, scored 20.5 points at the Region VI Indoor Championships and was named Track Athlete of the Meet. He won the 3000 meters, finished second in the mile and helped the title-winning 4×800 relay squad. Mokgothu is currently qualified for the NJCAA Indoor Championships in the 800 meters, mile, 3000 meters, 5000 meters and as part of the 4×800 and distance medley relays.
MIDWEST REGION – Geoffry Ronoh – Iowa Western CC
Ronoh, who hails from Koibatek, Kenya, etched his name into the NJCAA record book this season. His notable marks include the third-fastest performance in the 3000 meters (8:00.88) and the third-fastest all-conditions performance in the 5000 meters (13:49.47). Ronoh also ran the anchor leg of the second-fastest distance medley relay in NJCAA history. He is qualified in four events at the NJCAA Indoor Championships: mile, 3000 meters, 5000 meters and DMR.
WEST REGION – JaQuavious Harris – Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Harris, who hails from Cheraw, South Carolina, is ranked first nationally in four different individual events: 800 meters (1:48.36c), mile (3:59.38c), 3000 meters (7:53.50c) and 5000 meters (13:40.87). He set an all-time, all-conditions best in the 5000 meters of 13:40.92 in Washington just two weeks before setting the overall NJCAA record at 13:40.87 in Boston.
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Chris Joseph – Marion Military Institute (Ala.)
Joseph, who hails from Norfolk, Virginia, is ranked first regionally and 14th nationally in the long jump at 7.33m (24-0¾). He notched his seasonal best at the Tiger Indoor Invitational.
CENTRAL REGION – Christopher Young – Barton (Kan.) CC
Young, who hails from Clarendon, Jamaica, is ranked first nationally in the shot put at 18.67m (61-3), which also made him the fourth-best performer in NJCAA history with the sixth-best performance. He is also ranked fifth nationally in the weight throw at 17.40m (57-1).
MIDWEST REGION – Olegs Kozjakovs – Vincennes (Ind.)
Kozjakovs, who hails from Latvia, is ranked first nationally in both the heptathlon and pole vault. He put up 5215 points in the heptathlon at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational and vaulted 4.81m (15-9¼) at the Indiana State Open for his seasonal best marks.
WEST REGION – Khybah Dawson – New Mexico JC
Dawson, who hails from Tortola, British Virgin Islands, is ranked first nationally in the long jump at 7.71m (25-3½). He notched that mark at the Texas Tech Jarvis Scott Open.
Men’s Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Shirvon Greene – Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Greene, in his third year as Head Coach at Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.), led the Mustangs to the No. 1 ranking in the Atlantic Region TFRI with seven event leaders: 60, 800, 1000, mile, 3000, 4×400 relay and distance medley relay. Monroe-New Rochelle has nine qualifiers to the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Harry Kitchener – Cloud County (Kan.) CC
Kitchener, in his 46th year as Head Coach at Cloud County (Kan.) CC, led the T-Birds to the team title at the Region 6 Championships with 127 points, winning four events. Cloud County has 13 Top-10 #EventSquad rankings, with seven in the top-5 led by a No. 1 in the heptathlon.
MIDWEST REGION – David Burnett – Iowa Western CC
Burnett, in his second year as Head Coach at Iowa Western CC, led the Reivers to the team title at the Region 11 Championships with 253 points, winning seven events. Iowa Western set school records in eight events this year and has 17 individuals and two relays qualified for the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
WEST REGION – Isaac Wood – Salt Lake (Utah) CC
Wood, in his second year as Head Coach at Salt Lake (Utah) CC, led the Bruins to a No. 6 ranking in the national TFRI as JaQuavious Harris posted the nation’s fastest time in four events – 800, mile, 3000 and 5000, with the latter being an NJCAA record 13:40.87. Salt Lake posted 12 Top-10 qualifying marks to the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Charez Weste – Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Weste, in her third year as assistant coach at Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.), coached Mustang athletes to the No. 1 ranking in the Atlantic Region in seven events: 60, 800, 1000, mile, 3000, 4×400 relay and distance medley relay. Nine of her athletes qualified for the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Ted Schmitz – Cloud County (Kan.) CC
Schmitz, in his 43rd year as assistant coach at Cloud County (Kan.) CC, coached T-Bird athletes to account for 70 of the team’s 127 points in winning the Region 6 Championships, including titles in the 1000, high jump and 4×800 relay. Eight of his athletes combined for 12 qualifying performances to the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Marc Bierbaum – Iowa Western CC
Bierbaum, in his sixth year as Director of Track & Field at Iowa Western CC, coached Reiver athletes to school records in four events: mile, 3000, 5000 and distance medley relay. His athletes totaled 20 individual and two relay qualifying marks to the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
WEST REGION – Tabarie Henry – New Mexico JC
Henry, in his fourth year as assistant coach at New Mexico JC, coached T-Bird athletes to qualify for the NJCAA Indoor Championships in 13 events. His leading athlete, Tapiwanashe Makarawu, set the NJCAA record in the 200 meters at 20.29.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Attoya Harvey – Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Harvey, who hails from West Demerara, Guyana, is ranked first regionally in six events: 600 meters, 800 meters, 1000 meters, mile, as well as part of the 4×400 and 4×800 relays. Not only that, but Harvey also qualified for the NJCAA Indoor Championships in all of those events, too.
CENTRAL REGION – Sanae Hassnaoui – Barton (Kan.) CC
Hassnaoui, who hails from Midelt, Morocco, is ranked among the top-20 performers in NJCAA history in three different events, headlined by the second-fastest all-time mark in the mile at 4:47.99. She won both events she contested at the Region VI Indoor Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Lilly Alberts – Harper (Ill.)
Alberts, who hails from Richmond, Illinois, is ranked first nationally in the 800 meters at 2:07.81, which is the second-fastest mark ever recorded on an oversized track in NJCAA history. She is also top-5 nationally in the mile with her 4:56.17 converted mark from the GVSU Big Meet II.
WEST REGION – Alliyah Molina – Trinidad State (Colo.)
Molina, who hails from Alamosa, Colorado, is ranked first nationally in both the 3000 meters and 5000 meters at 9:52.37c and 16:51.48, respectively. That mark in the 5000 meters, which she ran at the Ichabod Invitational, is the second-fastest ever recorded in NJCAA history.
Women’s Field Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Gabrielle Cook – Hagerstown (Md.) CC
Cook, who hails from Hagerstown, Maryland, is ranked first nationally in the high jump at 1.77m (5-9¼). She is undefeated across six meets this season.
CENTRAL REGION – Treneese Hamilton – Barton (Kan.) CC
Hamilton, who hails from Canefield, Dominica, is ranked first nationally in the shot put at 16.06m (52-8¾) and second nationally in the weight throw at 17.45m (57-3). She recorded both of those marks in winning efforts at the Region VI Indoor Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Mercy Honesty – Iowa Western CC
Honesty, who hails from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, is undefeated in the triple jump this season and is ranked first nationally in that event at 12.44m (40-9¾). She won event titles at the Coach Alsup Open, the Ichabod Invitational and most recently the Region XI Indoor Championships.
WEST REGION – Tania Da Silva – New Mexico JC
Da Silva, who hails from Porto Alegre, Brazil, is ranked first nationally in the weight throw at 19.23m (63-1¼) and is undefeated against NJCAA competition this season. Her PR mark, which came at the MLK Invitational, put her among the top-10 performers in NJCAA history.
Women’s Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Shirvon Greene – Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Greene, in his third year as Head Coach at Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.), led the Mustangs to the No. 1 ranking in the Atlantic Region TFRI with nine event leaders: 400, 600, 800, 1000, mile, 60 hurdles, triple jump, 4×400 relay and 4×800 relay. Monroe-New Rochelle has 10 qualifiers to the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Drew Mahin – Cloud County (Kan.) CC
Mahin, in his 11th year as Head Coach at Cloud County (Kan.) CC, led the T-Birds to the team title at the Region 6 Championships with 180.5 points, winning five events. Cloud County has 33 qualifying performances to the NJCAA Indoor Championships, with 15 rating among the top-8.
MIDWEST REGION – David Burnett – Iowa Western CC
Burnett, in his second year as Head Coach at Iowa Western CC, led the Reivers to the team title at the Region 11 Championships with 266.5 points, winning 15 events. Iowa Western is ranked No. 2 in the national TFRI going into the NJCAA Indoor Championships with 17 entries ranked in the top-8 nationally.
WEST REGION – Erik Vance – South Plains (Texas)
Vance, in his eighth year as Head Coach at South Plains (Texas), led the Lady Texans to a No. 5 ranking in the national TFRI. South Plains has seven marks rated among the top-5 nationally.
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Charez Weste – Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Weste, in her third year as assistant coach at Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.), coached Mustang athletes to the No. 1 ranking in the Atlantic Region in six events: 600, 800, 1000, mile, 4×400 relay and 4×800 relay. Her 800-meter crew ranked No. 1 in the national #EventSquad rankings.
CENTRAL REGION – Indira Colón – Garden City (Kan.) CC
Colon, in her third year as assistant coach at Garden City (Kan.) CC, coached the Broncbuster throws group to a pair of top-5 national #EventSquad rankings – No. 2 in the weight throw and No. 4 in the shot put. Both crews are led by Beatriz Ferreira and Chloe Kalanick, each qualified to the NJCAA Indoor Championships in both events.
MIDWEST REGION – Wade DeVries – Iowa Western CC
DeVries, in his second year as assistant coach at Iowa Western CC, coached Reiver athletes to win every jumping event at the Region 11 Championships. He has seven athletes qualified for the NJCAA Indoor Championships, led by national triple jump leader Mercy Honesty.
WEST REGION – Tabarie Henry – New Mexico JC
Henry, in his fourth year as assistant coach at New Mexico JC, coached T-Bird athletes to amass 10 national qualifying marks in the sprints and hurdles. His 200-meter group is ranked No. 1 nationally in the #EventSquad rankings.