Jim Akins was named the National Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2024 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field season. Akins, in his third year as assistant coach of throws at Mineral Area (Mo.), guided Trenton Braswell to an impressive quadruple in winning all four throws at the 2024 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. As a group, his throwers tallied 68 of the Cardinals’ 94 points in finishing fourth in the team standings.