May 21, 2007

May 21, 2007

Johnson, Watson top group of Division III regional honorees for outdoor track

Defending NCAA champions Ashley Johnson of Wilmington College and Alecia Watson of City College of New York lead a standout group of coaches and athletes receiving regional awards for the 2007 Division III outdoor track and field season, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced today.

Johnson is the Great Lakes Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year. Johnson will defend her 2006 title in the pole vault at the 2007 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships that begin Thursday in Oshkosh, Wisc.

Watson, the reigning NCAA champion in the triple jump, is the Atlantic Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year.

The 2007 regional coaches and athletes of the year for Division III outdoor track and field:

ATLANTIC REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Eric Mobley, College of New Jersey

Mobley guided the Lions to their 10th straight New Jersey Athletic Conference men's outdoor championship. TCNJ's Jeff Zodda has the second-fastest Division III time in the 800 meters heading into the NCAA Championships. Mobley is in his third season as the Lions' head coach.

Women's Coach of the Year: Matt Moran, SUNY Cortland

Cortland's women finished first in the State University of New York Athletic Conference meet as Moran was named the SUNYAC's top coach for both men and women. Moran's women also placed second in the New York State Collegiate Track Conference, finishing one and a half points behind RIT. The Red Dragons qualified four women for the NCAA Championships this weekend in Oshkosh, Wisc.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Fred Joslyn, SUNY Cortland

Joslyn enters the NCAA Championships with the nation's fastest time in the 10,000 meters (29:55.14). His 5,000 best of 14:26.63 is ranked fourth on the Division III list. Joslyn, a senior from Chenango Forks, N.Y., won the 5,000 at the SUNYAC Championships. He placed fifth in the 10,000 at last year's NCAA outdoor meet.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Alecia Watson, City College of New York

Watson won three individual events (long jump, triple jump, 200 meters) and ran a leg on CCNY's victorious sprint relay team at the City University of New York Athletic Conference meet. The junior from the Bronx qualified for the NCAA Championships in five events and has the nation's best marks in the 200 (24.45) and long jump (19-6¼). Watson won the triple jump and ran the second leg on the Beavers' winning 4 x 100 relay at the 2006 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Aaron Braxton, Rowan University

Braxton won the discus at the New Jersey Athletic Conference meet and has the nation's third-best Division III mark at 173-3. Braxton, a sophomore from Swedesboro, N.J., will also compete in the shot put at the NCAA Championships.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Felicia Tsai, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tsai, a senior from Olney, Md., won the hammer throw at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference meet and is the third-longest performer in the country at 177-10 entering the NCAA Division III Championships. Tsai also won the hammer and discus at the New York State Collegiate Track Conference meet. She finished fourth in the hammer at last year's NCAA outdoor meet.

CENTRAL REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Ted Bulling, Nebraska Wesleyan University

The Prairie Wolves edged Doane to win the Great Plains Athletic Conference. It was Nebraska Wesleyan's 19th straight conference championship under Bulling. Nine of his male athletes qualified for this weekend's NCAA Division III Championships in Oshkosh, Wisc.

Women's Coach of the Year: Marcus Newsom, Wartburg College

The Knights won their eighth consecutive Iowa Conference women's outdoor title, scoring 267 points to finish more than 100 points ahead of second-place Loras. Newsom was named the conference coach of the year for men's and women's track. Thirteen members of Wartburg's women's team qualified for the NCAA meet.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Chris Erichsen, Saint John's (Minn.) University

Erichsen was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's men's track athlete of the year after winning the 1,500 and 5,000 at the MIAC meet. A junior from Spring Valley, Minn., Erichsen finished fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Drake Relays and has the nation's second-fastest time in that event (9:03.84).

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Heidi Porter, Wartburg College

Porter has the nation's fastest Division III time in the 800 meters (2:08.89) and is also ranked among the top 25 runners nationally in the 400 (57.16) and 1,500 (4:36.20). Her winning 800 time of 2:11.46 at the Iowa Conference meet broke the meet record set by former Wartburg great Missy Buttry. Porter is a senior from Manson, Iowa.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Jason Fisher, Central College

Fisher won the discus and hammer throws at the Iowa Conference Championships. His best hammer mark of 199-5 puts him second on the national list heading into the NCAA Championships. He is ranked seventh in the discus with a 166-11 best. Fisher is a junior from Montezuma, Iowa.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Dana Klemm, Loras College

Klemm, the Iowa Conference champion, has the top Division III mark in the shot put at 48-8. Klemm, a senior from Gurnee, Ill., is also ranked second in the hammer at 178-11. She finished fifth in the shot at the 2006 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.

GREAT LAKES REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: John Homon, Mount Union College

The Purple Raiders won the Ohio Athletic Conference title, the 18th conference men's outdoor championship of Homon's career. Mount Union qualified four men for this weekend's NCAA Championships. This is Homon's 28th season as the men's cross country and track coach at Mount Union.

Women's Coach of the Year: Kris Boey, Ohio Wesleyan University

Boey guided Ohio Wesleyan to its first North Coast Athletic Conference women's title since 1998. The Battling Bishops qualified two athletes for the NCAA Championships in Boey's fifth year at the helm.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Jimmy O'Brien Ohio Northern University

O'Brien enters the NCAA Championships with the only sub-1:50 time of the year in the 800 meters. He clocked 1:49.94 in late April at the Hillsdale Relays and doubled successfully at the Ohio Athletic Conference meet, winning the 800 and 1,500. He also clocked 48.49 in the 400. O'Brien is a sophomore from Pemberville, Ohio.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Sara Wittingen, Calvin College

For the second year in a row, Wittingen set a conference record in winning the 100-meter hurdles at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association meet. Wittingen, a junior from Grand Rapids, also won a conference title in the 400 hurdles. A week later, she posted the fastest time in the country in that event, clocking 60.64. She was sixth in the 400 hurdles at last year's NCAA outdoor meet.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Justin Rodhe, Mount Union College

Rodhe won the shot put and discus titles at the Ohio Athletic Conference meet. His OAC mark in the shot (57-0) set a meet record and places him second on the national list heading into the NCAA Championships. Rodhe, a senior from Garrettsville, Ohio, is also ranked second nationally in the discus at 176-0.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Ashley Johnson, Wilmington College

Johnson will defend her national pole-vault title in the NCAA Division III championships this weekend in Oshkosh, Wisc. She won her second straight Ohio Athletic Conference championship earlier this month and has a best of 12-10¼. Johnson is a senior from Wilmington, Ohio.

MIDEAST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Cyrus Jones, Lincoln University

Jones has guided Lincoln to 16 national track and field championships (men and women) during his remarkable 32-year run as head coach. Lincoln should challenge for another title this weekend at the NCAA Championships in Oshkosh, Wisc. The Lions won the NCAA men's indoor title in March and boast a strong lineup that includes sprinter Bobby Young, the two-time defending NCAA outdoor champion in the 400.

Women's Coach of the Year: Bill Ross, Allegheny College

The Gators finished second at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships and have three qualifiers for the NCAA Championships this weekend. With 23 championships in men's and women's track and field and cross country, Ross is the most successful coach in NCAC history.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Ozzie Brown, Moravian College

Brown is one of the most gifted all-around athletes in Division III track and field. He won the 100, 200 and 110-meter hurdles at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships. Brown, a junior from Plymouth Meeting, Pa., will compete in the decathlon at the NCAA Championships. He is ranked second on the national list at 6,797 points.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Caitlin Bradley, Dickinson College

Bradley won a distance triple (1,500, 5,000 and steeplechase) at the Centennial Conference meet and won the East Coast Athletic Conference title in the 1,500 in a meet-record 4:35.00. She enters the NCAA Championships seeded second in the steeplechase (10:30.20) and fifth in the 5,000 (16:57.46). Bradley is a junior from Fairfield, Conn.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Ozzie Brown, Moravian College

As good as he is on the track, Brown might actually be better on the field. The Moravian junior has bests of 23-8¾ in the long jump, 6-4 in the high jump, 13-11¼ in the pole vault and 6,797 points in the decathlon. He will compete in the decathlon at the NCAA Championships.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Amy Reed, Messiah College

Reed scored 53½ points in eight events in leading Messiah to a successful defense of its Middle Atlantic Conference title. An NCAA qualifier in both the javelin (152-11) and hepathlon (4,860 points), Reed won those two events as well as the long jump at the MAC meet. A junior from Wenatchee, Wash., Reed placed fifth in the heptathlon at the 2006 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.

MIDWEST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Brent Erickson, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's outdoor title with 232 points, finishing more than 70 points in front of the runner-up. Erickson came to La Crosse last August following a successful run as the track and cross country coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville. Twenty-three of Erickson's athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Women's Coach of the Year: Pat Healy, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Healy guided the Eagles to the WIAC championship over defending conference champion UW-Oshkosh. Healy was named the WIAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career. Eleven of his athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Tyler Sigl, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Sigl won the 1,500 and 5,000 at the WIAC Championships, giving him four conference titles for the 2006-07 school year. He previously won the WIAC cross country and indoor 5,000 titles. Sigl, a junior from Seymour, Wisc., has the nation's second-fastest Division III time in the 10,000 meters (30:03.02) and fifth-fastest clocking in the 5,000 (14:27.02). He finished third in the 5,000 at last year's NCAA outdoor meet.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Marcia Taddy, University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Taddy won the 800 and 1,500 at the WIAC meet and enters the NCAA Division III Championships with the nation's best time in the 1,500 at 4:22.56. She has the nation's second-fastest time in the 800 (2:09.18). Taddy clocked 4:23.75 at the Stanford Invitational despite falling at one point in the race. The junior from Two Rivers placed sixth in the NCAA 1,500 last spring.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Kyle Steiner, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Steiner scored a national-best 6,825 points in winning the decathlon at the Augustana Meet of Champions in April. At the WIAC Championships, he won the decathlon with 6,664 points and placed third in the javelin. He is a senior from Grafton, Wisc.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Jillian Crandall, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Crandall won the heptathlon at the WIAC Championships with 4,444 points and enters the NCAA Championships with the nation's top Division III score (4,936). She also won the high jump at the WIAC meet. She is a senior from Roseville, Minn.

NEW ENGLAND REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Ethan Barron, Tufts University

The Jumbos tied for first with Williams at the New England Small College Athletic Conference meet and followed up with a second-place finish at the New England Division III Championships. Barron is finishing his first season as the Tufts head coach. Five of his athletes qualified for the NCAA meet.

Women's Coach of the Year: Ralph White, Williams College

After guiding Williams to the NCAA Division III women's indoor title in March, White led the Ephs to their first-ever All New England Championships outdoor crown. The Ephs also won their seventh straight New England Division III title this spring. White is accompanying eight women to the NCAA Outdoor Championships this weekend in Oshkosh, Wisc.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Howard Powell, Wheaton College (Mass.)

Powell placed second in the 110-meter high hurdles at the New England Division III Championships with a time of 14.59. He later placed second at the All New England meet. Powell, a freshman from Brooklyn, N.Y., is seeded eighth heading into the NCAA Championships this weekend.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Shauneen Garrahan, Amherst College

Garrahan won her second straight NESCAC championship in the 5,000 and also placed second in the 1,500, earning athlete-of-the-meet honors. Garrahan, a senior from Fairfax Station, Va., is seeded third in the 10,000 (35:40.41) and fourth in the 5,000 (16:51.97) entering this week's NCAA Championships.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Noah Gauthier, Bates College

Gauthier scored 23 points for Bates at the New England Division III Championships. He won the hammer, placed second in the shot put and finished fourth in the discus. Gauthier, a junior from Amherst, N.H., is seeded fourth in the hammer (190-0) entering the NCAA Championships.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Caroline Doctor, Williams College

Doctor didn't rest on her laurels after helping Williams win the NCAA Division III women's indoor championship in March. She won the long and triple jumps as Williams won the All New England Championships for the first time in school history. A senior from Franklin, Tenn., Doctor has the nation's best mark in the triple jump at 40-4¾ and is ranked ninth in the long jump at 18-10½.

SOUTH REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Barbara Crousen, McMurry University

McMurry won the American Southwest Conference men's title for the ninth straight year. Crousen's team will try to improve on last year's tie for fourth place the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. McMurry is sending eight men to nationals, including top-ranked sprinter Hanneus Ollison.

Women's Coach of the Year: Jennifer Breuer, Trinity University

Trinity won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference women's title with 201½ points. Two Trinity women qualified for this week's NCAA Championships. Breuer is in her seventh season as the track and cross country coach at Trinity.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Hanneus Ollison, McMurry University

Ollison, a sophomore from Colorado City, Texas, won the 100, 200 and long jump at the American Southwest Conference meet. Ollison figures to be one of the key players at this weekend's NCAA Championships. He has the nation's top marks in the 100 (10.41) and 200 (21.03) and runs anchor on McMurry's top-seeded 4 x 100 relay. He also qualified for the national championships in the long jump.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Staci Jackson, Texas Lutheran University

Jackson won American Southwest Conference titles in the 200, 400, 4 x 100 relay and 4 x 400 relay. The junior from Dallas is ranked fifth nationally in the 400 (56.04) and sixth in the 200 (24.79). She holds Texas Lutheran school records in four events.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Al Winsley, Mississippi College

Winsley collected the high-points award at the American Southwest Conference meet by winning the long jump, triple jump and high jump. A junior from Brandon, Miss., Winsley enters the NCAA Championships seeded fourth in the triple jump (48-3½), fifth in the long jump (24-0¼) and first in the high jump (7-1).

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Natalie Wood, Texas Lutheran University

Wood scored a school-record 4,418 points in the heptathlon this spring, setting personal bests in six of the seven events to qualify for nationals. The senior from Cibolo won the 100 and 400 hurdles at the American Southwest Conference Championships.

WEST REGION

Men's Coach of the Year: Garry Killgore, Linfield

Killgore guided the Wildcats to their first Northwest Conference men's title since 1996, relying on big points in the sprints and relays. Linfield is sending three men to the NCAA Championships this weekend in Oshkosh, Wisc. Killgore has won four conference men's championships since arriving at Linfield in 1989.

Women's Coach of the Year: Matt McGuirk, Willamette University

McGuirk's Bearcats won the Northwest Conference title, more than doubling the point total of runner-up George Fox. Willamette qualified 10 women for the NCAA meet, including Sarah Zerzan, the NCAA Division III cross country champion. McGuirk is in his fifth season as Willamette's head coach.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Will Leer, Pomona Pitzer University

The runner-up at last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships, Leer returns as the favorite in the 1,500 meters. His best of 3:41.98 gives him a five-second edge on the field. He is seeded third in the 5,000 (14:23.28). Leer, a senior from Minnetonka, Minn., was named the Division III All-Academic Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Sarah Zerzan, Willamette University

Zerzan is the top-seeded entrant in the 5,000 meters (16:28.54) at this weekend's NCAA Championships. She also ranks fifth on the national Division III list in the 1,500 (4:31.52) but will not contest that event at nationals. Zerzan, a junior from San Carlos, Calif., won the NCAA Division III cross country title last fall.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Fritz Nugent, University of Redlands

Nugent has the third-best Division III score in the decathlon with 6,635 points. He won the javelin at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference meet and scored additional points in the pole vault, high jump, long jump and discus. Nugent is a junior from Tinley Park, Ill.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Natalie Calderon, University of Redlands

Calderon won four events (long jump, triple jump, 100 and 200) at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships. The senior from Pasadena will compete in the 100 and both horizontal jumps at the NCAA Championships. Calderon is seeded fourth in the long jump at 19-0¾, sixth in the triple jump at 38-6¾ and ninth in the 100 (12.14).