Award History
NCAA DIII XC Regional Awards2024 NCAA Division III Cross Country Regional Awards
NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2024 NCAA DIII Cross Country season were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the regular season.
Many of these athletes and coaches will end their season on Saturday, November 23, at the 2024 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. The meet will be held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
Men’s Athlete of the Year
EAST REGION — Jake Velazquez — Keene State
Velazquez, a senior, won the individual title at the East Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Velazquez took top individual honors at the Little East Cross Country Championships, as well as the UMass Dartmouth Invitational and the Ron Stonitsch Invitational.
GREAT LAKES REGION — Brayden Curnutt — Wabash
Curnutt, a senior, won the individual title at the Great Lakes Region Championships. Just a few weeks earlier, Curnutt took top individual honors at the NCAC Championships.
METRO REGION — Peter LaRochelle — Haverford
LaRochelle, a senior, won the individual title at the Metro Region Championships. The Haverford standout placed no worse than fifth in any meet he contested this season, which includes a victory at the Main Line Invitational.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Emmanuel Leblond — Johns Hopkins
Leblond, a junior, won the individual title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships. The Johns Hopkins standout now has four victories to his name this season, which includes triumphs at the Centennial Conference Championships, the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle, as well as the Salisbury Fall Classic.
MIDEAST REGION — Nathan Tassey — Roger Williams
Tassey, a junior, capped an undefeated regular season with a victory at the Mideast Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Tassey racked up wins at the Conference of New England Championships, the Connecticut College Invitational, the John McNichols Invitational and the Trinity (Conn.) Bantam Invitational.
MIDWEST REGION — Isaiah Hammerand — Wartburg
Hammerand, a sophomore, won the individual title at the Midwest Region Championships. The Wartburg standout now has three victories to his name with his other two coming at the ARC Championships as well as the Dan Huston Invitational.
NIAGARA REGION — Charlie Wilson — SUNY Geneseo
Wilson, a senior, won the individual title at the Niagara Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Wilson placed runner-up at the Empire 8 Championships as well as the Paul Short Run.
NORTH REGION — Mohammed Bati — Augsburg
Bati, a junior, capped a near undefeated regular season with a victory at the North Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Bati also won individual titles as the MIAC Championships, the Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational, the Running of the Cows, as well as the St. Olaf Invitational.
SOUTH REGION — Chasen Hunt — Lynchburg
Hunt, a junior, won the individual title at the South Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Hunt also took top individual honors at the ODAC Championships as well as the Paul Short Run, and finished runner-up at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle.
WEST REGION — Quinn White — Pomona-Pitzer
White, a sophomore, won the individual title at the West Region Championships. Earlier in the season, White finished third at the SCIAC Championships and placed ninth at the Pre-National Invitational, among other performances.
Men’s Coach of the Year
EAST REGION — Riley Macon — MIT
Macon, in his third year as head coach at MIT, led the Engineers to the team title at the East Region Championships with 43 points. Earlier in the season, MIT won team titles at the NEWMAC Championships with 25 points, Connecticut College Invitational White Division with 26 points and Maribel Sanchez Souther Invite with 18 points.
GREAT LAKES REGION — Nicole Kramer — Calvin
Kramer, in her third year as head coach at Calvin, led the Knights to the team title at the Great Lakes Region Championships with 99 points. Earlier in the season, Calvin won the team title at the MIAA Championships with 36 points.
METRO REGION — Jesse Baumann — Moravian
Baumann, in his 14th year as head coach at Moravian, led the Greyhounds to the team title at the Metro Region Championships with 29 points. Earlier in the season, Moravian won team titles at the Landmark Conference Championships with 15 points and Osprey Open with 34 points.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Tim Connelly — Carnegie Mellon
Connelly, in his 10th year as head coach at Carnegie Mellon, led the Tartans to the team title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships with 39 points. Earlier in the season, Carnegie Mellon was runner-up at the UAA Championships with 50 points and won team titles at the Carnegie Mellon Invitational with 64 points and Robert Morris Colonial Invitational with 23 points.
MIDEAST REGION — John Lynch — RPI
Lynch, in his 14th year as head coach at RPI, led the Engineers to the team title at the Mideast Region Championships with 29 points. Earlier in the season, RPI won team titles at the Liberty League Championships with 21 points and Purple Valley Invite with 22 points.
MIDWEST REGION — Ryan Chapman — Wartburg
Chapman, in his ninth year as head coach at Wartburg, led the Knights to the team title at the Midwest Region Championships with 44 points. Earlier in the season, Wartburg won the team title at the ARC Championships with 15 points, Augustana Interregional Invitational Gold Division with 41 points, Dan Huston Invitational with 15 points and John Kurtt Invitational with 19 points.
NIAGARA REGION — Tyler Deck Shipley — NYU
Deck Shipley, in his fourth year as head coach at NYU, led the Violets to the team title at the Niagara Region Championships with 29 points. Earlier in the season, NYU won team titles at the UAA Championships with 34 points and Connecticut College Invitational Blue Division with 80 points.
NORTH REGION — Derek Stanley — UW-La Crosse
Stanley, in his 13th year as head coach at UW-La Crosse, led the Eagles to the team title at the North Region Championships with 40 points. Earlier in the season, UW-La Crosse won team titles at the WIAC Championships with 40 points, Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational with 23 points, Joe Piane Invitational Gold Division with 41 points, Blu-Gold Invitational with 28 points and John McNichols Invitational with 52 points.
SOUTH REGION — Jake Reed — Lynchburg
Reed, in his eighth year as head coach at Lynchburg, led the Hornets to the team title at the South Region Championships with 51 points. Earlier in the season, Lynchburg won team titles at the ODAC Championships with 18 points and Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle with 49 points.
WEST REGION — Emma DeLira — Pomona-Pitzer
DeLira, in her first year as head coach at Pomona-Pitzer, led the Sagehens to the team title at the West Region Championships with 42 points. Earlier in the season, Pomon-Pitzer won team titles at the SCIAC Championships with 24 points, Pomona-Pitzer Invitational with 31 points and Pre-National Invitational with 65 points.
Women’s Athlete of the Year
EAST REGION — Rachel Brennan — Gordon (Mass.)
Brennan, a senior, won the individual title at the East Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Brennan also took top individual honors at the Conference of New England Championships, the Pop Crowell Invitational and the Battle of the North Shore.
GREAT LAKES REGION — Faith Duncan — Wilmington (Ohio)
Duncan, a sophomore, capped an undefeated regular season with an individual title at the Great Lakes Championships. Earlier in the season, Duncan also racked up victories at the OAC Championships, the Pre-National Invitational, the All-Ohio Championships, the Franklin Grizzly Invitational, as well as the Wild Witt Exhibition Race.
METRO REGION — Tara Smurla — Moravian
Smurla, a junior, won the individual title at the Metro Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Smurla finished top-5 at three other races, including the Landmark Championships.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Claire Anderson — Washington & Jefferson
Anderson, a junior, won the individual title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Anderson finished runner-up at the PAC Championships, the Paul Short Run and the PAC Preview. Anderson was also fourth at the Mike Woods Invitational.
MIDEAST REGION — Jules Bleskoski — RPI
Bleskoski, a sophomore, won the individual title at the Mideast Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Bleskoski also took top individual honors at the Paul Short Run, as well as the Purple Valley Classic, and finished runner-up at both the Liberty League Championships and the Mike Woods Invitational.
MIDWEST REGION — Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel — Chicago
Battleson-Gunkel won the individual title at the Midwest Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Battleson-Gunkel finished fourth at the John McNichols Invitational.
NIAGARA REGION — Penelope Greene — SUNY Geneseo
Greene, a senior, capped a near undefeated regular season with a victory at the Niagara Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Greene also took top individual honors at the Empire 8 Championships, the Mike Woods Invitational, as well as the Rochester (N.Y.) Yellowjacket Invitational. Greene also placed fourth at the Paul Short Run.
NORTH REGION — Hannah Preisser — Carleton
Preisser, a junior, capped a near undefeated regular season with a victory at the North Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Preisser also took top individual honors at the MIAC Championships, the Running of the Cows, the St. Olaf Invitational and the UWRF River Town Twilight.
SOUTH REGION — Olivia Warr — Washington and Lee
Warr, a sophomore, won the individual title at the South Region Championships. Just a few weeks earlier, Warr also took top individual honors at the ODAC Championships. Warr posted another strong result at the Connecticut College Invitational, where she placed third.
WEST REGION — Riley Capuano — Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Capuano, a junior, won the individual title at the West Region Championships. Earlier in the season, Capuano also reigned victorious at the SCIAC Championships as well as the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.
Women’s Coach of the Year
EAST REGION — Riley Macon — MIT
Macon, in his third year as head coach at MIT, led the Engineers to the team title at the East Region Championships with 56 points. Earlier in the season, MIT won team titles at the NEWMAC Championships with 16 points, Connecticut College Invitational Blue Division with 83 points and Pre-National Invitational with 56 points.
GREAT LAKES REGION — Kori Stoffregen — DePauw
Stoffregen, in his 29th year as head coach at DePauw, led the Tigers to the team title at the Great Lakes Region Championships with 91 points. Earlier in the season, DePauw won team titles at the NCAC Championships with 26 points, Gil Dodds Invitational with 35 points and Franklin Grizzly Invitational with 47 points.
METRO REGION – Shedrick Elliott III — Rowan
Elliott, in his first year as head coach at Rowan, led the Profs to the team title at the Metro Region Championships with 81 points. Earlier in the season, Rowan won the team title at the NJAC Championships with 30 points.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Bobby Van Allen — Johns Hopkins
Van Allen, in his 25th year as head coach at Johns Hopkins, led the Blue Jays to the team title at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships with 34 points. Earlier in the season, Johns Hopkins won team titles at the Centennial Conference Championships with 15 points, ECAC DIII Mid-Atlantic Championships with 15 points and Interregional Border Battle with 15 points.
MIDEAST REGION — Dusty López — Williams
Lopez, in his second year as head coach at Williams, led the Ephs to the team title at the Mideast Region Championships with 59 points. Earlier in the season, Williams won team titles at the NESCAC Championships with 35 points, Connecticut College Invitational White Division with 30 points, James Earley Invitational with 44 points, Keene State Invitational with 19 points and Purple Valley Invite with 29 points.
MIDWEST REGION — Chris Hall — Chicago
Hall, in his 24th year as head coach at Chicago, led the Maroons to the team title at Midwest Region Championships with 36 points. Earlier in the season, Chicago won team titles at the UAA Championships with 38 points, ONU Midwest Classic with 18 points and Saints Twilight Invite with 21 points.
NIAGARA REGION — Tyler Deck Shipley — NYU
Deck Shipley, in his fourth year as head coach at NYU, led the Violets to the team title at the Niagara Region Championships with 32 points. Earlier in the season, NYU was runner-up at the UAA Championships with 60 points and Connecticut College Invitational Blue Division with 101 points.
NORTH REGION — Derek Stanley — UW-La Crosse
Stanley, in his 13th year as head coach with UW-La Crosse, led the Eagles to the team title at the North Region Championships with 63 points. Earlier in the season, UW-La Crosse won team titles at the WIAC Championships with 37 points, Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational with 21 points and Ken Weidt Classic with 45 points.
SOUTH REGION — Mike Dager — Washington and Lee
Dager, in his 11th year as head coach at Washington and Lee, led the Generals to the team title at the South Region Championships with 38 points. Earlier in the season, Washington and Lee won team titles at the ODAC Championships with 35 points, Royals Challenge Blue Division with 55 points and Bridgewater Eagle Challenge with 30 points.
WEST REGION — Marina Muncan — Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Muncan, in her fifth year as head coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, led the Athenas to the team title at the West Region Championships with 61 points. Earlier in the season, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won team titles at the SCIAC Championships with 34 points and Pomona-Pitzer Invitational with 28 points.