2009 USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field Regional Honorees
USTFCCCA Announces Division II Outdoor Track & Field Regional Honorees
NEW ORLEANS - Defending NCAA champions Katie Wilson of Wayne State College, Aaron Braun of Adams State College, Joe Kindred of Saint Augustine's College, and coach Don Hood of Abilene Christian University are among the 64 recipients of the NCAA Division II Regional Athlete and Coach of the Year honors for the 2009 outdoor track & field season, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Monday.
Wilson, the Central Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year, is the defending NCAA champion in the shot put, and she has the second-best entering mark in that event this year. She will have a busy weekend at this year's Championships as she is scheduled to compete in the shot put, discus, and hammer.
Braun, the Central Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year, will look to defend his 1500 meter title at the 2009 NCAA Championships. He enters the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships with the best times in NCAA Division II in both the 1500 meters and 5000 meters.
Kindred, the Atlantic Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year, is the defending champion in the high jump, and he will again compete in that event in 2009. He will also look to improve upon his 2008 second-place finish in the long jump and third place finish in the triple jump, as he is scheduled to compete in all three events again in 2009.
With Hood at the helm of the Abilene Christian program, the Wildcats are ready to defend their 2008 NCAA Division II Men's Outdoor Track & Field team championship. Hood's Wildcats have 25 individual entries and two relays that will compete at the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships. Hood is the South Central Region Men's Head Coach of the Year.
The 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place May 21 through May 23, 2009 in San Angelo, Texas at Angelo State University.
The USTFCCCA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
CENTRAL REGION - Michelle Williams - Adams State
College
Williams has the fastest 400 meter qualifier this year at
53.49, which is a new Adams State school record. She also is ranked
8th in the 200 meter dash at 23.99 entering the NCAA Championships.
She was the RMAC Champion in the 200 and 400 meters and was on the
winning 4x400 meter relay team.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
CENTRAL REGION - Aaron Braun - Adams State College
Braun is the NCAA leader in the 1500 meters at 3:39.45 and
in the 5,000 meters at 13:36.85. His 1500 time is the fourth-best
all-time in Division II and his 5k time is the fifth-best all-time.
He was the RMAC Champion in the 1500 meters, and he was named the
Men's RMAC Track Athlete of the Year and the RMAC Championship
Athlete of the Meet.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
CENTRAL REGION - Matt Gersick - Adams State College
A senior from Pueblo West, Colorado, Gersick qualified in
two events for the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships:
shot put (59') and discus throw (186'). He was the RMAC Champion in
the shot put, runner-up in the discus, and finished third in the
hammer.
WOMEN'S HEAD COACHES OF THE YEAR
CENTRAL REGION - Damon Martin - Adams State College
Martin led the Grizzlies to a record sixth-straight RMAC
Outdoor title this year, in the process earning RMAC Coach of the
Year honors. Martin's squad has 13 individual entries and two
relays set for the national meet.
MEN'S HEAD COACHES OF THE YEAR
CENTRAL REGION - Damon Martin - Adams State College
Martin led the Grizzlies to their third straight men's
RMAC title. He was named the men's RMAC Coach of the Year and has
19 individual entries for the NCAA Division II Outdoor
Championships. Three Adams State student-athletes lead NCAA
Division II in four different events.
