NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Each of the regions, which are the same as those used during the Division II cross country season, honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes and the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches. Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches.
Many of the honored athletes and coaches will be in competition at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships set for next weekend, May 21-23, in Allendale, Mich., at Grand Valley State.
More information about the meet can be found at the USTFCCCA’s National Championships Central page.
MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION — Omar Johnson — Saint Augustine’s University
Johnson, a junior from St. Ann, Jamaica, ran a 45.78 over 400 meters this year to take “fastest man of the regular season” honors by more than half of a second. He won the 400 title at the CIAA Championships with that performance, to go along with a title in the 4×400 relay. He also ran 20.89 to finish fourth at 200 meters in that meet, which is still good for No. 9 in the country. He’ll contest all three events at NCAAs.
CENTRAL REGION — Emmanuel Matadi — Minnesota State
Matadi, a senior from St. Paul, Minnesota, was the fastest Division II man of the 2015 season over 100 meters, running a 10.19w (+3.3m/s). That race was one of three NSIC titles for Matadi, in addition to the 200 and 4×100. His 4×100 is ranked No. 1 in DII, and he is individually No. 4 at 200 meters. He will contest all three at NCAAs.
EAST REGION — Michael Biwott — American International
Biwott, a senior from Kapsowar, Kenya, was the Northeast-10 champion in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. He broke the NE-10 meet record in the 10k. His 14:08.34 is the sixth fastest time among all Division II qualifiers and his time of 29:56.94 at 10,000 meters gives him the 13th best time in the nation. Biwott also won the NEICAAA championship in the men’s 5k, beating out a field that consisted of the best athletes in New England from all three NCAA Divisions. He will contest both events at NCAAs.
MIDWEST REGION — Johnnie Guy — Southern Indiana
Guy, a junior from Palmyra, Indiana, posted the nation’s fastest 10,000m time (28:47.86) at the Stanford Invitational, nearly 39 seconds faster than the No. 2 runner on the national list. He’s also No. 4 in the nation at 5,000m in 14:01.32, an event in which he won the GLVC Outdoor Championships crown.
SOUTH REGION — Dontavius Wright – Stillman College
Wright, a junior from Oxford, Alabama, enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 2 seed at 400 meters and the No. 10 seed at 200 meters, as well as a member of Stillman’s 4×100 and 4×400 relays. Two weeks after winning three titles at the SIAC Championships, he ran a career-best 46.38 at the Jace LaCoste Invitational over 400 meters and a career-best 20.95 over 200.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Tabor Stevens — Adams State
Stevens, a senior from Canon City, Colorado, not only became the fastest steeplechaser in Division II history this season, he has been one of the best in the world this year. After running an 8:32.50 at the Stanford Invitational in early April – a world-leader at that point, he came back a month later for a new NCAA DII record 8:26.81 at the Payton Jordan Invitational. That stands as the 10th-fastest time in the world as of publication, and the second-fastest among all collegians in 2015. He also has a 14:12.02 at 5000 meters and the fastest mile ever run on Colorado soil in 4:01.27. He will contest the steeple and 5000 at NCAAs.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Austin Steagall — Mount Olive
Steagall, a junior from Gaffney, South Carolina, scored 28 points at the Conference Carolinas Championships to help his Mount Olive squad win the team title. He won the 1500 and 5000, and finished runner-up at 10,000 meters. He will compete at NCAAs in the 5000, in which he’s seeded No. 7 at 14:08.70.
WEST REGION — Dominik Notz — Alaska Anchorage
Notz, a junior from Dettingen, Germany, is the No. 2 man in the country at 10,000 meters with his 29:26.29 at the Mt. SAC Relays. He’s also No. 5 in the country at 5000 meters with his 14:07.05 from the SF State Distance Carnival. Both events will be on his schedule at NCAAs.
WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION — Quanera Hayes — Livingstone College
Hayes, a senior from Hope Mills, North Carolina, is the No. 2 woman in the country both at 200 meters and 400 meters. She won the CIAA title at 200 meters in a career-best 23.29, and claimed the conference 400-meter title in a season-best 52.04. She will contest both events at the NCAA Championships.
CENTRAL REGION — Leah Seivert — Augustana (S.D.)
Seivert, a frosh from Sibley, Iowa, made quite the impact in her debut season. She’s ranked No. 2 at 10,000 meters entering the NCAA Championships at 34:38.77, breaking a 35-year-old school record. She also claimed the NSIC 10,000 title in sub-35 fashion for a new conference record and won the 5000 at that same meet. She’ll contest both at NCAAs.
EAST REGION — Carly Muscaro — Merrimack
Muscaro, a sophomore from Ashland, Massachusetts, had a breakthrough season at 400 meters. She won the NEICAAA title in 51.83, giving her the DII lead and making her one of just eight DII women ever to break 52 seconds during the collegiate season. That time also ranks her No. 9 among all collegians in 2015. She will contest the event at the NCAA Championships.
MIDWEST REGION — Emily Oren — Hillsdale
Oren, a junior from Holland, Michigan, finished the regular season as the top DII woman in not one, not two, but three different distance events: the 1500, 5000 and 3000-meter steeplechase. She became the third-fastest woman in DII history in the steeplechase at 10:04.79, and ran the ninth-fastest 1500 in DII history in 4:18.16. She’ll contest both of those at NCAAs, but not the 5000. She claimed the GLIAC title in that event, as well as the steeplechase in 10:05.05 to give her the fifth- and sixth-fastest times in DII history.
SOUTH REGION — Katelin Barber — Alabama-Huntsville
Barber, a senior from Spruce Pine, Alabama, became the school’s first automatic NCAA Championships qualifier with a 11.49 at 100 meters that ranks her No. 3 on the NCAA Championships qualifying list. She won the Peach Belt title in the event, in addition to breaking the conference and school records. She will also run a leg of the UAH 4×100 relay.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Salcia Slack — New Mexico Highlands
Slack, a senior from Kingston, Jamaica, may be the dual South Central Track/FIeld Athlete of the Year, but her track credentials alone are impressive. She enters the NCAA Championships No. 5 in the 100-meter hurdles, No. 11 in the 400-meter hurdles and as a member of the NMHU 4×400 – not to mention the track works she put in as the 11th-best heptathlete in all-collegiate history. Though she won’t compete in these events at NCAAs, she’s also ranked No. 14 in the country at 200 meters, No. 13 at 400 meters, and ran a leg of the ninth-fastest 4×100 of the 2015 DII season. At the RMAC Championships she scored 59 points to lead NMHU to the team title.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Nikia Squire — Queens (N.C.)
Squire, a junior from Columbia, North Carolina, had a busy day at the SAC Championships, winning titles at 100 and 200 meters, as well as in the 4×100 and 4×100 relays. At 11.59, she enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 8 seed at 100 meters. She will also contest the long jump at NCAAs. At the regional level, she was the top 200-meter sprinter in the Southeast at 24.60.
WEST REGION — Lindsey Butterworth — Simon Fraser
Butterworth, a senior from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, turned in one of the best mid-distance regular seasons in Division II history. She ran a DII-leading 2:04.11 800 meters at the Payton Jordan Invite to move to No. 3 on the all-time Division II performers list in the event, and ran the Stanford Invite 1500 in 4:18.34 for the 10th-fastest time in Division II history. That time puts her at No. 2 in 2015 behind Oren. She will contest both events at the NCAA Championships. She also claimed the GNAC title at 800 meters.
MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION —LeQuan Chapman — Shippensburg
Chapman, a senior from Reading, Pennsylvania, was named the PSAC Championships Overall MVP with a pair of wins in the long jump and triple jump, along with a runner-up 4×100 effort. Entering the NCAA Championships, he’s seeded No. 13 in the triple jump at 49-6½ (15.10m) and No. 14 in the long jump at 24-1¾ (7.36m).
CENTRAL REGION —Caniggia Raynor — Central Missouri
Raynor, a redshirt junior from Partmore, Jamaica, won both the discus and hammer throw at the MIAA Championships. He is the national leader in the discus with his throw of 187-6 (57.14m) at the conference meet. He is ranked sixth in the hammer throw at 215-1 (65.57m).
EAST REGION — Michael Cameron — Southern Connecticut
Cameron, a senior from Hartford, Connecticut, dominated the New England throwing circles, winning NE-10 titles in the shot put and discus in meet record fashion to boost SCSU to the team title. He enters the NCAA Championships No. 5 in the shot put and No. 14 in the discus.
MIDWEST REGION — Justin Welch — Findlay
Welch, a senior from Luckey, Ohio, is the No. 1 hammer thrower in NCAA DII to go along with a No. 2 rank in the discus and a No. 31 showing in the shot put. With a hammer mark of 229-5 (69.94m), he’s ranked No. 6 among all collegians in 2015. He earned GLIAC Field Athlete of the Meet honors with titles in the hammer and discus, following up on his Penn Relays hammer title.
SOUTH REGION —Darius Hyacinth – Stillman College
Hyacinth, a senior from Houson, Texas, won the SIAC Championships title in the triple jump, but his breakthrough performance came a few weekends later when he leapt 49-11¾ (15.23m) at the Jace LaCoste Invitational to move up to No. 7 on the NCAA Championships qualifying list.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Jeron Robinson — Texas A&M-Kingsville
Robinson, a redshirt junior from Houston, Texas, broke free from sharing the NCAA Division II high jump record when he cleared a 2015 collegiate-leading 7-7 (2.31m) to win the Lone Star Conference title. That jump improved his season-best of 2.24m that had won him the LSU Alumni Gold, one of his three high jump wins to go along with seventh- and 10th-place showings at the very competitive Texas Relays and Drake Relays.
SOUTHEAST REGION — George Williams, Wingate
Williams, a senior from Fayetteville, North Carolina, is a All-Southeast Region performer in the high jump. He is the reigning South Atlantic Conference Champion in the men’s high jump, clearing a height of 6-11½ (2.12m) at the SAC Championships, which is equal to the 10th best jump in the nation.
WEST REGION — Justin Balczak — Azusa Pacific
Balczak, a redshirt junior from Cedar Springs, Michigan, enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 decathlete in all of NCAA Division II at 7550 points for a fifth-place finish at Mt. SAC. Entering the weekend, that score was good for the No. 9 spot on the 2015 all-collegians list. His 16-¾ (4.90m) vault is tied for No. 24 in DII this year.
WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION — Mallory Sanner — Seton Hill
Sanner, a redshirt senior from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, broke the PSAC record en route to winning the javelin title at the conference meet with a heave of 164-8 (50.20m). The throw moved her onto the all-time NCAA Division II performers list in the event at No. 10. She enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 4 seed in the event.
CENTRAL REGION — Heavin Warner — Central Missouri
Warner, a redshirt junior from St. Joseph, Missouri, broke the NCAA Division II record in the hammer throw with a mark of 220-7 (67.24m) that continues to lead all DII throwers by 20 feet. With that throw, she is ranked No. 4 among all collegians in 2015. She went on to win not only that event at the MIAA Championships, but also the discus and the shot put. She’s ranked No. 2 in the discus among DII athletes this year, and No. 7 in the shot put – both of which are events she will also contest at the NCAA Championships.
EAST REGION — Briana Conyers — New Haven
Conyers, a senior from Derby, Connecticut, was named the Northeast-10 Conference Co-Field Athlete of the Meet, and won triple jump titles at both the NE-10 and New England Championships. She is ranked No. 7 in DII in the triple jump at 12.61m. At the NEICAAA Championships she also ran a leg of the winning 4×100 relay, and at the NE-10 Championships she finished runner-up in the heptathlon, as well as eighth in the long jump. She will contest the triple jump at NCAAs.
MIDWEST REGION — Rebecca Preisler — Lewis
Preisler, a redshirt senior from Romeoville, Illinois, is the top DII pole vaulter in the country at 13-9¼ (4.20m). She cleared that height en route to a GLVC title and record. She cleared the auto standard of 3.98m on five occasions this outdoor season, with is a height only five other DII women cleared at least once this year.
SOUTH REGION — Krishanda Campbell-Brown — Benedict College
Campbell-Brown, a senior from Nassau, Bahamas, enters the NCAA Championships as the No. 8 triple jumper in the country and the No. 1 jumper in the South Region at 41-1½ (12.53m). She is also the No. 8 long jumper in the region. With 55½ points at the SIAC Championships, including wins in the long jump, triple jump and pole vault, she was named the Field Athlete of the Year.
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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Salcia Slack — New Mexico Highlands
As impressive as her credentials are on the track, the field is where Slack, a senior from Kingston, Jamaica, shines. She broke the NCAA Division II heptathlon record with 6141 points and is the No. 11 collegian all time. Additionally, enters the NCAA Championships as the co-top-qualifier in the triple jump at 43-4½ (13.22m), and is No. 11 on the long jump list for the NCAA Championships, She will also be contesting the shot put, in which she is the No. 11 seed. In total, she is entered in seven events.At the RMAC Championships she scored 59 points to lead NMHU to the team title.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Christina Matheny — Wingate
Matheny, a senior from Akron, Ohio, is tied for sixth on the NCAA Division II list in the high jump with a clearance of 5-8 (1.73m), achieved while winning the South Atlantic Conference championship. Matheny also finished in third place in the long jump at the SAC Championships.
WEST REGION — Allison Updike — Azusa Pacific
Updike, a redshirt junior from Herndon, Virginia, heaved a mark of 168-7 (51.38m) in the javelin to break the Bryan Clay Invitational record and move to No. 2 on the 2015 DII list. The performance was also strong enough to boost her to into the No. 6 spot on the all-time NCAA Division II performers list as one of only seven women in DII history to surpass 51 meters. Throughout the season she has throw 155-9 in each of her six competitions – better than all but five other javelin throwers in the country.
MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION — Dave Osanitsch — Shippensburg
Osanitsch, in his 10th year at Shippensburg, guided his Raiders to the PSAC title by a margin of more than 100 points. That team effort included 29 men scoring in 21 of 22 events, with nine wins. He guided 11 entries to the NCAA Championships, seventh-most in the country.
CENTRAL REGION — Jim Dilling — Minnesota State
Dilling, in his fourth year at Minnesota State, won the NSIC Championships title with a school-record 202½ points for a 110-point win en route to earning NSIC Coach of the Year honors. His jumps and combined events athletes scored 64 team points and set three school records at the school and conference levels. He will have eight athletes competing at the NCAA Championships.
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EAST REGION — John Wallin — Southern Connecticut
Under Wallin’s tutelage, the Alpha Owls continued its reign as defending Northeast-10 team champions, and more recently, runners-up at the All New England Championship, defeating a slew of notable Division I, II, & III teams. In his fifth year, Wallin guided several individuals and relays to championship prominence, including five NCAA Championship entries.
MIDWEST REGION — Mike Hillyard — Southern Indiana
Hillyard, in his 18th year guiding the Screaming Eagles, will send eight entries to the NCAA Championships next week, including the runaway top seed in the 10,000 meters, Johnnie Guy. He mentored Tyler Pence and Guy to the No. 3 and 4 qualifying spots at 5000 meters, with Guy and Pence also qualifying Nos. 1 and 4 at 10,000 meters. He has athletes qualified in every distance event from 1500 meters through 10,000 meters.
SOUTH REGION — Pierre Goode — Stillman College
Goode, in his seventh year at Stillman, guided his team to five berths into the NCAA Championships. Among his athletes is Dontavius Wright, who is No. 2 at 400 meters this season.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Tom Dibbern — Texas A&M-Commerce
Dibbern, in just his second year at the helm at Texas A&M-Commerce, guided his Lions to the No. 1 rank in the country in the most recent National Team Computer Rankings for the first time in program history. Under his guidance, the Lions set five school records and became the first team to complete the Lone Star Conference indoor/outdoor team title sweep. His team will send a nation-best 17 entries to the NCAA Championships as they seek their first national team title.
SOUTHEAST REGION —Matthew van Lierop — Mount Olive
Van Lierop, in his sixth year at Mount Olive, guided his team to a wire-to-wire No. 1 rank in the Southeast Region. His team won the Conference Carolinas title with 281½ points. He will send two men to the NCAA Division II Championships in his specialty distance events, including Southeast Track Athlete of the Year Austin Steagall at 5000 meters.
WEST REGION — Oliver Hanf, Chico State
Hanf, in his 19th year at Chico State, has kept his Wildcats in the national top-20 all season long, peaking as high as No. 1 early in the season. His charges include four athletes ranked in the top 10 nationally, including a decathlete – his coaching specialty. Overall, he will lead eight qualifiers to the NCAA Championships.
WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION — Dave Osanitsch — Shippensburg
Osanitsch, in his 10th year at Shippensburg, guided the Raiders to a big PSAC Championships team victory by 61 points, as 28 different women score in 19 of the total 22 events, including five victories. His squad will be represented at the NCAA Championships by four qualifiers, two of which come in the jumps – his signature event. That group of athletes earned a PSAC title in the triple jump, finished second and fourth in the long jump and second in the heptathlon.
CENTRAL REGION — Russ Jewett — Pittsburg State
Jewett, in his 27th year at Pittsburg State, won the MIAA Championship for the first time in 10 years with 176½ points, upsetting nationally ranked No. 1 Central Missouri and No. 2 Lincoln (Mo.) along the way. His squad will be represented at the NCAA Championships by 13 entries, tied for the sixth-most in the country. His team is among the most best-balanced in the country, with athletes qualified in the sprints/hurdles, distance, jumps, throws and combined events.
EAST REGION — Melissa Stoll — Southern Connecticut
Stoll, in her third year at Southern Connecticut, guided the Lady Owls to their first Northeast-10 team title since 2011 (setting two meet records along the way) and their first-ever all-division New England team title. She has five entries competing at the NCAA Championships, including athletes in the 100, 200, 400, pole vault and the third-ranked 4×400 relay. Her team broke five school records this spring.
MIDWEST REGION — Andrew Towne — Hillsdale
Towne, in his fourth year at Hillsdale, led a significant turnaround for the Chargers in 2015. After scoring just 44 points at the GLIAC Championships in 2014, his women scored 109½ to finish runner-up for the best team finish since 2003. A total of nine of his athletes and relays recorded top-five finishes at the GLIAC Championships. His team has been ranked in the top 15 nationally all season, and will send eight entries to the NCAA Championships.
SOUTH REGION — Scott Byrd – Shorter
Byrd, in his ninth season at Shorter, guided his Hawks to a No. 1 rank in the South Region. He has two athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships at 400 metres, including No. 4 seed Ayana Walker, as well as the No. 1 4×400 relay team at 3:39.76.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Bob DeVries — New Mexico Highlands
DeVries, in his 23rd season at New Mexico Highlands, guided the Cowgirls to a program-best No. 2 ranking in NCAA Division II, winning their first RMAC Outdoor title in the program’s decade-old history to end Adams State’s 12-year reign. In total, three individuals and two relays in seven events rank in the top-5 in the nation. He will send 13 entries to the NCAA Championships, tied for sixth-most in the country.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Jim Vahrenkamp — Queens (N.C.)
Vahrenkamp, in his third year at Queens (N.C.), led his team to South Atlantic Conference championship with a conference record 240 points. Southeast Region Track Athlete of the Year Nikia Squire will represent Queens in two events at the NCAA Championships: the 100 and the long jump. His team finished the season ranked No. 1 in the Southeast Region.
WEST REGION — Brit Townsend — Simon Fraser
Townsend, the coach at Simon Fraser for more than 20 seasons, guided West Region Track Athlete of the Year Lindsey Butterworth to all-time DII historic performances at both 800 meters and 1500 meters. The senior will contest both events at the NCAA Championships, She also mentored Jennifer Johnson to the No. 4 time of the season at 5000 meters and the No. 11 time at 1500 meters, but Johnson will not contest the NCAA Championships.
MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION —Steve Spence — Shippensburg
Spence, in his 21st year at Shippensburg, mentored his distance runners to 78 point in six events at the PSAC Championships, heavily contributing to the Raiders’ dominant team victory. Among those scorers were event champions in the steeplechase, 5000 and 4×800 relay. Two of his distance runners will compete at the NCAA Championships, including third-ranked steepler Peter Gelston.
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CENTRAL REGION — Chris Parno — Minnesota State
Parno, in his third year at Minnesota State, guided his sprinters and hurdlers to 94 of the Mavericks’ winning 202½ points, including two conference records. Among his athletes is top-ranked 100-meter sprinter Emmanuel Matadi, who earned Central Region Track Athlete of the Year honors. Six of Minnesota State’s eight entries to the NCAA Championships are sprinters/hurdlers.
EAST REGION — William "Bill" Sutherland — Southern Connecticut
In his 24th year at Southern Connecticut coaching the throws, Sutherland dominated the NE-10, coaching his athletes to 79 points in the four throwing events. His discus throwers went 1-2-3-4, which sealed the victory for the SCSU Alpha Owls at the Outdoor NE-10 Championships. His throwers also scored 34 points to help SCSU place second at the All Division New England Championships. His athletes broke NE-10 meet records in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw. Three of SCSU’s five NCAA Championship entries come from the throws.
MIDWEST REGION — Derrick Vicars — Findlay
Vicars, in his second year coaching throws at Findlay, guided his athletes to 38 points at the GLIAC Championships, with wins in the shot put, hammer and discus. The latter two came courtesy of his top athlete Justin Welch, who is No. 1 and No. 2 in the country in those respective events, and was named Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year. Of Findlay’s 12 entries into the NCAA Championships, six are throwers coached by Vicars.
SOUTH REGION — Antonio Wells — Kentucky State
Wells, in his first year at Kentucky State coaching mid-distance and jumps, mentored Kieren Broussard to the NCAA Championships at 800 meters. His 1:50.17 to win the SIAC Championships title seeds him as the No. 13 athlete in the meet. Additionally, he coached the 4×400 relay to a school record and fourth at the SIAC meet.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Chris Siemers — Colorado Mines
Siemers, in his fifth year coaching mid-distance and distance at Colorado Mines, guided six men to the NCAA Championships – more than half of the Orediggers’ 10 total entries into the meet. He coached Marty Andrie to the No. 2 time at 5000 meters this season, and Phil Schneider to the No. 5 seed at 10,000 meters to lead three qualifiers in that event. His athletes include five All-RMAC selections and two RMAC champions.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Bruce Strickland — UNC Pembroke
Strickland, in his fourth year coaching the sprints, hurdles and jumps at UNC Pembroke, guided his athletes to 73 points at the Peach Belt Conference Championships – more than half of the team’s third-place 136½ total points. He coached Shaquille Ray to PBC Freshman Track Athlete of the Year honors with a 100-meter title and a runner-up effort at 200 meters.
WEST REGION — Gary Towne — Chico State
Towne, in his 19th season working with the Chico State distance runners, guided his athletes to three CCAA event titles and seven All-CCAA honors. He coached frosh Alex Burkhart to CCAA titles in the steeplechase and 5000. Though Burkhart will not compete at NCAAs, Towne will still have six entries into the NCAA Championships.
WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION — Jon Morrow — Seton Hill
Morrow coached Mallory Sanner to a PSAC title and meet/conference record in the javelin. Her mark of 50.20 meters is ranked fourth in Division II and makes her one of two Seton Hill women qualified for NCAAs in the javelin. Morrow is wrapping up his second year at Seton Hill.
CENTRAL REGION — Tucker Woolsey — Central Missouri
In his thirteenth year at UCM, Woolsey mentored Heavin Warner to one of the greatest seasons by a thrower in Division II history. Warner broke the DII national record in the hammer, and will be contesting all three throws at the NCAA championships. She’s ranked second in the discus and seventh in the shot put. Warner also helps coach Central Missouri’s multi-eventers, and the Jennies have three women qualified for nationals in the heptathlon.
EAST REGION — Joe Van Gilder — Southern Connecticut
Van Gilder has coached three women and a relay to the NCAA championship meet in his third year at Southern Connecticut State. Sprinter Shatajah Wattely and vaulter Michelle Grecni are ranked in the top three nationally in their respective events, and the Owl 4×400 is the second fastest in Division II this year. Van Gilder’s athletes were vital to delivering a team title at the Northeast-10 meet and a first-ever All-New England championship.
MIDWEST REGION — Joe Lynn — Hillsdale
Hillsdale’s distance women have posted a huge range of excellent performances this season. Under Lynn, Emily Oren has run Division II’s fastest times in the 5000 and steeplechase, and two other distance women are qualified for the national meet. Oren’s 10:04.79 steeple makes her the third fastest steepler in DII history. This is Lynn’s first season coaching the distance events at Hillsdale, and his athletes account for four of Hillsdale’s eight NCAA Championships entries.
SOUTH REGION — Soyini Thompson — Alabama-Huntsville
Two Alabama-Huntsville women and a relay are competing at next weekend’s Division II national championship meet. Ackeisha Burnett is ranked thirteenth among 100 hurdles qualifiers, and Katelin Barber is tied for second among women contesting the 100 with a time of 11.49 seconds. Barber and three other Huntsville women joined forces to run DII’s thirteenth fastest 4×100 meter relay. This is Thompson’s twelfth year coaching the sprints and hurdles at Huntsville.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Patrick Johnson — New Mexico Highlands
Johnson and his protégé Salcia Slack took the team to its first-ever RMAC team championship over national powerhouse Adams State. Slack is contesting the long jump, triple jump, shot put, both hurdles, possibly the 4×400, and the heptathlon at NCAAs, and is ranked No. 1 in the heptathlon. Joining her at Grand Valley State will be elite jumper Shanice McPherson, javelin thrower Michelle Traynham, sprinter Stefania Gyamfi, and hurdler Osheen Erskine. This is Johnson’s fifth year coaching sprints, jumps, and multis at NM Highlands.
SOUTHEAST REGION — Travis LeFlore, Wingate
Third-year sprints/jumps coach LeFlore led high jumper Christina Matheny and long jumper Jillian Malloy to NCAA-qualifying marks in those events. Many of his sprinters and jumpers are in the top three in their respective events regionally.
WEST REGION — Gary Towne — Chico State
Towne’s women ran the fastest 800 and second fastest 1500 in the vaunted history of Chico State distance running. Bailey Henshaw ran 2:07.67 in the 800, and Olivia Watt ran 4:23.88 in the 1500. Those two women will be joined by freshman steeplechaser Alex Burkhart at the NCAA meet; Watt will double in the two mid-distance races. Henshaw, Watt, and Burkhart won the 8, 15, 5k, and steeple at the CCAA Championships.
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