Award History
NAIA OTF National Awards2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Awards
NEW ORLEANS – National Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches after the conclusion of the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Marion, Indiana. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
National Women's Field Athlete of the Year
Princess Kara was named the National Women’s Field Athlete of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Kara, who hails from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, scored 20 points for Indiana Wesleyan at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, sweeping the shot put and discus at her home facility. Her victory in the discus wasn’t a surprise as she was reigning champion and entered with the year’s leading mark of 54.14m (177-8), just short of her own NAIA record from last year (55.31m/181-6). In the shot she entered as the No. 5 seed and added more than a foot to her seasonal best with an effort of 15.10m (49-6½). She also won the discus at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships and added a runner-up finish in the shot.
National Men's Field Athlete of the Year
Christian Rios was named the National Men’s Field Athlete of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Rios, who hails from Highland, Indiana, scored 18 points for Marian at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, winning the discus throw along with a runner-up finish in the hammer. He was a point-scoring machine at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships, tallying 22 points with runner-up finishes in the hammer and shot put along with a third-place in the discus. He was the only male thrower to rank among the top-8 this year in the NAIA in the shot, discus and hammer.
National Women's Assistant Coach of the Year
Steve Weiler was named the National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Weller, in his third year as lead endurance coach at British Columbia, coached athletes to four individual titles at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships – Kiana Gibson (steeplechase and 5000 meters, leading a UBC 1-2 in the latter), Rachel Mortimer (leading a UBC 1-2 in the 800) and Holly MacGillivray (leading a UBC 1-3-4 in the 1500). The Thunderbirds also won the 4×800 relay by over 11 seconds in racking up 86 of the team’s 137 points in running events 800 meters and longer. He also helped guide athletes to three individual titles at the Cascade Conference Outdoor Championships.
National Women's Track Athlete of the Year
Praise Idamadudu was named the National Women’s Track Athlete of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Idamadudu, who hails from Nigeria, scored 23.25 points for Cumberland at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, sweeping the 200 and 400 meters and running legs on the runner-up 4×400 and fourth-place 4×100 relay teams. She lowered her national-leading marks in both the 200 (an NAIA record 22.81) and 400 (52.15, No. 3 all-time NAIA). She was also dominant at the Mid-South Conference Outdoor Championships, taking both the 200 and 400, placing fifth in the 100 and running legs on the victorious 4×100 and 4×400 relays, scoring 29 points.
National Men's Assistant Coach of the Year
Nathan Dyer was named the National Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Dyer, in his third year as assistant coach at Marian, coached the Knights’ throwers to No. 1 national #EventSquad rankings in three events – shot put, discus and hammer. His athletes scored 38 of the team’s 62 points in finishing second at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, led by high-point field-eventer Christian Rios, who won the discus. His crew swept titles in the shot put, discus and hammer throw at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships – scoring 68 points – and own national-leading marks in the shot (Jacob Netral) and hammer (Isaiah Tipping).
National Women's Coach of the Year
Laurier Primeau was named the National Women’s Coach of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Primeau, in his ninth year as head coach at British Columbia, led the Thunderbirds to the team title at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with 137 points, winning eight events. It was the third straight title for UBC, which won by a near-record 54 points and the most since 1987. For the Thunderbirds – unable to compete in 2020 (meet canceled) and 2021 (COVID-19 restrictions) – it was four in a row after winning in 2019.
National Men's Track Athlete of the Year
Evert Silva was named the National Men’s Track Athlete of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Silva, who hails from Fresno, California, scored 28.5 points for Oklahoma City at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, sweeping the 5000 and 10,000 meters and adding a third-place finish in the 1500 as well as a leg on the winning 4×800 relay. Earlier in the season, Silva set the NAIA record in the 1500 with a 3:39.87 clocking at the Arkansas Twilight. He scored 22 points at the Sooner Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships with victories in both the 5000 and 10,000, plus a seventh-place finish in the 800.
National Men's Coach of the Year
Mike Holman was named the National Men’s Coach of the Year for the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season. Holman, in his 12th year as Director of Track & Field at Marian, led the Knights to a runner-up finish at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with 62 points – just two points away from winning after entering No. 4 in the national rankings. His Knights – the only program ranked among the national top-5 all season – won the team title at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships with 269 points, winning 11 events.