Award History
NJCAA DI OTF Regional Awards2024 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Regional Awards
NEW ORLEANS — Regional Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2024 NJCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Men’s Track Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Gabriel Phillips – Lansing (Mich.) CC
Phillips, who hails from Clio, Michigan, is ranked eighth nationally – and first regionally – in the steeplechase at 9:12.04 that he ran at the GVSU Extra Weekend Meet. He is also first regionally in the 10,000 meters at 31:52.20 and third in the 5000 meters at 14:53.78.
CENTRAL REGION – Johnathan Crawford – Coffeyville (Kan.) CC
Crawford, who hails from Houston, Texas, won both the 200 meters and 400 meters at the NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Championships, the latter of which with a SB 20.30w. He also helped the 4×100 relay to a third-place finish, scoring 21.5 total points for the Red Ravens.
MIDWEST REGION – Traunard Folson – Indian Hills (Iowa) CC
Folson, who hails from Jacksonville, Florida, won both the 100 meters and 200 meters at the NJCAA Region XI Outdoor Championships, which included a meet record of 20.29 in the half-lapper (To wit: He also tied the meet record of 10.18 in the 100). The Indian Hills (Iowa) CC standout is ranked among the top-10 athletes in NJCAA history in both of those sprinting events with a blistering 10.06 wind-legal clocking over 100 meters at the LSU Invitational earlier this season.
WEST REGION – Tapiwanashe (Carlie) Makarawu – New Mexico JC
Makarawu, who hails from Harare, Zimbabwe, is ranked first nationally in both the 100 meters and 200 meters at 10.05w and 19.93, respectively. That 19.93 effort in the 200 meters is a Zimbabwean national record and rates him among the top-5 fastest men in NJCAA history.
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Olegs Kozjakovs – Vincennes (Ind.)
Kozjakovs, who hails from Latvia, is ranked second nationally in the decathlon with 6778 points. He is also ranked sixth nationally in the pole vault at 4.75m (15-7). Outside of those events, he holds three other marks that rank among the top-5 in the Atlantic Region.
CENTRAL REGION – Christopher Young – Barton (Kan.) CC
Young, who hails from Clarendon, Jamaica, scored 36 points in throwing events at the NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Championships with victories in both the hammer and javelin, as well as runner-up efforts in the discus and shot put. He is the national leader in the shot put at 18.57m (60-11¼) and ranked second nationally in the discus at 59.93m (196-8).
MIDWEST REGION – Tate Joens – Indian Hills (Iowa) CC
Joens, who hails from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is ranked first nationally in the hammer at 58.72m (192-8). He is also ranked among the nation’s top-10 athletes in both the discus and shot put at No. 8 (58.72m/192-8) and No. 9 (15.91m/52-2½), respectively.
WEST REGION – Harry Crosby – South Plains (Texas)
Crosby, who hails from Winchester, England, is ranked first nationally in the decathlon at 7073 points. He is also ranked fifth nationally in the long jump at 7.57m (24-10) and qualified for the NJCAA Outdoor Championships in the pole vault.
Men’s Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Marty Rogier – Vincennes (Ind.)
Rogier, in his third year as Head Coach at Vincennes (Ind.), led the Trailblazers to the No. 1 ranking the Atlantic Region, with leaders in nine events – 200, 800, 1500, 4×100, 4×400, 4×800, shot put, hammer throw and decathlon.
CENTRAL REGION – Harry Kitchener – Cloud County (Kan.) CC
Kitchener, in his 46th year as Head Coach at Cloud County (Kan.) CC, led the Thunderbirds to the No. 1 ranking in the Central Region and the team title at the NJCAA Region 6 Outdoor Championships, winning four events. Cloud County accumulated 26 qualifying performances to the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – David Burnett – Iowa Western CC
Burnett, in his second year as Head Coach at Iowa Western CC, led the Reivers to the No. 1 national ranking and the team title in the NJCAA Region 11 Outdoor Championships, winning 11 events. Iowa Western set program records in nine events – including the distance medley relay that won the Drake Relays with the second fastest time in NJCAA history (9:47.50).
WEST REGION – Erik Vance – South Plains (Texas)
Vance, in his eighth year as Head Coach at South Plains (Texas), led the Texans to the No. 2 national ranking and No. 1 ranking in the West Region. South Plains leads the nation in four events – triple jump, javelin, decathlon and 4×800 relays.
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Tyler Steigenga – Vincennes (Ind.)
Steigenga, in his third year as assistant coach at Vincennes (Ind.), coached Trailblazer distance runners to No. 1 rankings in the Atlantic Region in three events – 800, 1500 and 4×800 – along with a No. 2 ranking in the steeplechase. Six of his athletes qualified for the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – Emmanuel Dixon – Barton (Kan.) CC
Dixon, in his third year as assistant coach at Barton (Kan.) CC, coached Cougar athletes to 13 national qualifying performances in the sprints, hurdles and middle distances. His athletes contributed 61 of the team’s 127 points that netted a runner-up finish in the NJCAA Region 6 Outdoor Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Marc Bierbaum – Iowa Western CC
Bierbaum, in his sixth year as Director of Track & Field at Iowa Western CC, coached Reiver distance runners to program record in six events – 800, 1500, steeplechase, 5000, 10,000 and distance medley relay (which won the Drake Relays with the second fastest time in NJCAA history). His athletes, which won four events at the NJCAA Region 11 Outdoor Championships, combined for 14 individual and two entries to the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships.
WEST REGION – Tabarie Henry – New Mexico JC
Henry, in his fourth year as assistant coach at New Mexico JC, coached 14 Thunderbird sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers to 22 qualifying performances in the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships. His athletes include national leaders in the 100, 200 and 400.
Women’s Track Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Jana Stiffler – Lansing (Mich.) CC
Stiffler, who hails from Twin Lake, Michigan, is ranked fourth nationally in the 10,000 meters at 37:16.39. She is also rated 14th nationally in the 5000 meters at 17:58.49.
CENTRAL REGION – N Vanee Anchike – Cloud County (Kan.) CC
Anchike, who hails from Kumasi, Ghana, was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Championships after scoring 24.5 points at the meet. She tallied 22.5 of those points thanks to individual victories in both the 1500 and 5000 meters, as well as a tote on the winning 4×800 relay, and then helped the Thunderbirds finish runner-up in the 4×400 relay. She is currently ranked among the nation’s top-10 athletes in both the 1500 and 5000.
MIDWEST REGION – Privillege Chikara – Meridian (Miss.) CC
Chikara, who hails from Zimbabwe, is ranked first nationally in the 800 meters at 2:04.87 and second nationally in the 1500 meters at 4:25.28.
WEST REGION – Lovina Ewusi – Western Texas
Ewusi, who hails from Ghana, is ranked first nationally in the 400 meters at 53.13 and second nationally in the 400-meter hurdles at 59.50. She is also ranked highly among the region in the 200 meters (No. 1), 100-meter hurdles (No. 2), and as part of two top-ranked sprint relay teams.
Women’s Field Athlete of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Sophia Amaral do Silva – Vincennes (Ind.)
Do Silva, who hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, is ranked first nationally in the pole vault at 4.05m (13-3½), a mark that also rates her No. 2 in NJCAA history.
CENTRAL REGION – Treneese Hamilton – Barton (Kan.) CC
Hamilton, who hails from Dominica, scored 27 points in throwing events at the NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Championships. She won both the javelin and shot put, finished third in the discus and eighth in the hammer. Hamilton is ranked top-5 nationally in both the shot put and javelin at No. 2 (14.41m/47-3½) and No. 5 (45.18m/148-3), respectively.
MIDWEST REGION – Tina Samson – Iowa Central CC
Samson, who hails from Benin City, Nigeria, scored 20 points in field events at the NJCAA Region XI Outdoor Championships, winning the high jump and long jump. She is ranked fourth nationally in the heptathlon with 4728 points and fifth nationally in the long jump at 6.02m (19-9).
WEST REGION – Tania Da Silva – New Mexico JC
Da Silva, who hails from Porto Alegre, Brazil, is ranked first nationally in the hammer at 55.73m (182-10). She is undefeated against NJCAA competition when recording a legal mark.
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 including leaders in six events, most in the region. In addition, his athletes have a region-high 10 qualifiers to the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships.
CENTRAL REGION – David Schenek – Barton (Kan.) CC
Schenek, in his 15th year as Head Coach at Barton (Kan.) CC, led the Cougars to the team title at the NJCAA Region 6 Outdoor Championships with 168 points, winning seven events. Barton, ranked No. 1 nationally, has compiled 30 national qualifying performances and have national leaders in five events (100, 1500, long jump, discus and 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 NJCAA Region 11 Outdoor Championships with 261 points, winning nine events with one meet record. Iowa Western has national-leading marks in three events (triple jump, 4×100 and 4×400) and set program record in the 800, steeplechase and 4×400.
WEST REGION – James Williams – Western Texas
Williams, in his 12th year as Head Coach at Western Texas, led the Westerners to No. 1 national #EventSquad rankings in the 400 and 400 hurdles. His athletes own four West Region-leading marks – No. 1 in the 200, 400, 4×100 and 4×400 along with No. 2 in the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles.
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
ATLANTIC REGION – Errol Jeffery – Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.)
Jeffery, in his second year as assistant coach at Monroe-New Rochelle (N.Y.), assisted in coaching Mustang athletes to the No. 1 ranking in the Atlantic Region including leaders in six events, most in the region.
CENTRAL REGION – Emmanuel Dixon – Barton (Kan.) CC
Dixon, in his third year as assistant coach at Barton (Kan.) CC, coached Cougar athletes to 19 national qualifying performances across 12 events, including national leaders in the 100, long jump and heptathlon. He helped train athletes to 118 of the team’s 168 points in winning the team title at the NJCAA Region 6 Outdoor Championships.
MIDWEST REGION – Marc Bierbaum – Iowa Western CC
Bierbaum, in his sixth year as Director of Track & Field at Iowa Western CC, coached Reiver distance runners to program records in the 800, steeplechase and distance medley relay. His athletes won five events at the NJCAA Region 11 Outdoor Championships and combined to earn 15 entries (14 individual, one relay) to the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships.
WEST REGION – Trinity Williams – Western Texas
Williams, in her 11th year as assistant coach at Western Texas, coached Westerner sprinters and hurdlers to No. 1 national #EventSquad rankings in the 400 and 400 hurdles. Her athletes lead the West Region in four events – 200, 400, 4×100 and 4×400 – and also rate No. 2 in the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles.