NAIA Regional Award Winners For 2019 Indoor Season

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2019 NAIA Indoor Track & Field season were announced Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Each of the five regions 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. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

Many of those honored athletes and coaches will be in competition at the 2019 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships set for next week, February 28 to March 2 at the Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, South Dakota.

USTFCCCA Regional Awards are presented by Pro Form Sports.

Men’s Track Athletes of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Colin De Young – Cornerstone (Mich.)

De Young, a junior from Saint John, Indiana, is currently ranked first nationally in the 5000 with a time of 14:13.72OT and sixth nationally in the 3000 at 8:27.97OT. He has also helped the Golden Eagles to national-qualifying marks in the 4×800 and the DMR. It was at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships where De Young won the 5000, took fourth in the mile 45 minutes later and wrapped up the day with a third-place finish in the 3000.

Midwest Region – Omar Paramo – St. Francis (Ill.)

Paramo, a freshman from Plainfield, Illinois, is currently ranked second nationally in the 5000 with a time of 14:44.97OT. He is also ranked 12th nationally in the 3000 at 8:32.07OT. Paramo ended the regular season as the top-ranked male athlete in the region in the mile, 3000 and 5000 and qualified for the NAIA Championships in each of those events, in addition to the 1000.

South Region – Dante Brown – William Carey (Miss.)

Brown, a freshman from Jackson, Mississippi, is currently ranked first nationally in the 60 at 6.68. He started the year at 6.83, lowered that to 6.73 two months later and now sits as the clubhouse leader entering the NAIA Championships.

South Central Region – Tre Hinds – Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Hinds, a senior from Ashton Hall, Barbados, is currently ranked first nationally as an individual in both the 600 (1:15.78) and the 800 (1:50.20Ab) and is part of the top-ranked 4×400 relay and fourth-ranked 4×800 relay. It was his mark in the 600 that was truly special, though, as it stands as the fifth fastest time ever run by a collegian at that distance.

West Region – Michael Oldach – Westmont (Calif.)

Oldach, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is currently ranked first nationally in both the mile (4:06.69OT) and the 3000 (8:19.28b). He also anchored his program’s DMR team to an ‘A’ standard at the VMI Winter Relays in early February.

Women’s Track Athletes of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Anna Shields – Point Park (Pa.)

Shields, a senior from Torrington, Connecticut, is currently ranked first nationally in four individual events: 600 (1:33.76), 800 (2:07.51), 1000 (2:42.51) and mile (4:46.80). When Shields ran 2:42.51 in the 1000, it was the fourth fastest time in the world at that point of the season. Shields shined once again at the conference championships, where this year she racked up a whopping 42.5 points and was named Most Outstanding Athlete.

Midwest Region – Kathryn Vander Poel – Mount Mercy (Iowa)

Vander Poel, a senior from Bakersfield, California, is currently ranked seventh nationally in the 800 at 2:17.60 and ninth nationally in the 1000 at 3:00.98. She is also a member of the national-qualifying 4×800 relay team and clocked a ‘B’ standard in the 600.

South Region – Emily Kerney – SCAD Atlanta (Ga.)

Kearney, a junior from Wirral, England, is currently ranked first nationally in the 3000 (9:31.40) and 5000 (16:27.89). She leads her closest competitors by 70 seconds in the 5000 and 12 seconds in the 3000. Kearney also sits second nationally in the mile at 4:54.15. It was at the AAC Indoor Championships where she won the mile, 3000 and 5000.

South Central Region – Devin Johnson – Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Johnson, a junior from Mesquite, Texas, is ranked first nationally in the 60 with a time of 7.47 and second nationally in the 200 at 24.53.

West Region – Cindy Reed – Oregon Tech

Reed, a junior from Klamath Falls, Oregon, is currently ranked fifth nationally in the 5000 with a time of 17:38.33 and is ranked eighth nationally in the 3000 at 10:14.46b. She qualified for the NAIA Championships in each event.

Men’s Field Athletes of the Year

Great Lake Region – Jordan Downs – Bethel (Ind.)

Downs, a senior from Merrillville, Indiana, is currently ranked first nationally in both the long jump (7.84m/25-8¾) and the pole vault (5.22m/17-1½). He soared to the top of the rankings with his winning marks the NCCAA Championships and broke meet records in the process.

Midwest Region – James Plummer – Grand View (Iowa)

Plummer, a senior from Columbia, South Carolina, is currently ranked first nationally in the weight throw with a mark of 21.96m (72-0¾). That heave made him the 12th best performer in the nation across all collegiate divisions. Plummer is also ranked sixth nationally in the shot put at 17.17m (56-4). He is undefeated in both the shot put and weight throw this season.

South Region – Anthony Applequist – Keiser (Fla.)

Applequist, a redshirt senior from Ridgecrest, California, is currently ranked first nationally in the triple jump at 15.44m (50-8). He has improved by more than one foot during the season.

South Central Region – Isaac Zitterkopf – MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)

Zitterkopf, a senior from Lexington, Nebraska, is currently ranked sixth nationally in the long jump at 7.27m (23-10¼). He is also ranked in the top-20 nationally in both the high jump (17th) and the triple jump (18th). Zitterkopf won four individual titles at the Heart of America (HAAC) Indoor Championships back on February 8.

West Region – Pieter Top – Westmont (Calif.)

Top, a junior from Wilsonville, Oregon, is currently ranked second nationally in the heptathlon with 5165 points. He established PRs in three of the seven events en route to a school record in the multi.

Women’s Field Athletes of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Destiny Copeland – Indiana Tech

Copeland, a freshman from Chesapeake, Virginia, is currently ranked first nationally in the long jump at 6.06m (19-10¾). That mark shattered freshman and school records at Indiana Tech.

Midwest Region – Kamberlynn Lamer – Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)

Lamer, a senior from Hartford, South Dakota, is currently ranked first nationally in the pentathlon with 3699 points and second nationally in the triple jump at 12.01m (39-5). Lamer established four school records this year in the pentathlon, triple jump, long jump and high jump. It was at the GPAC Indoor Championships where she scored 32 of her team’s 58 points.

South Region – Elizabeth Maller – Milligan (Tenn.)

Maller, a senior from Cheyenne, Wyoming, is currently ranked sixth nationally in the weight throw at 17.39m (57-0¾) and ninth nationally in the shot put at 13.93m (45-8½). She swept the throwing titles at the AAC Indoor Championships and was named AAC Field Athlete of the Year.

South Central Region – Tiona Owens, Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Owens, a senior from Dallas, Texas, is currently ranked first nationally in the triple jump with a mark of 12.41m (40-8¾), which leads the nation by more than one foot. She is also ranked 10th nationally in the long jump at 5.73m (18-9¾).

West Region – Paige Dodd – Eastern Oregon

Dodd, a junior from Burbank, Washington, is currently ranked fourth nationally in the pentathlon with 3462 points. She achieved that mark at the Ed Jacoby Invitational, the same meet in which she notched the sixth best high jump clearance in the nation of 1.70m (5-7).

Men’s Coach of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Doug Edgar – Indiana Tech

Edgar, in his 10th year at the helm of the Indiana Tech program, led his team to the No. 1 rank in the country for the entire indoor season leading up to the NAIA Championships. He coached 24 athletes who achieved qualifying A marks and an additional 15 who earned B marks, including the top-ranked athletes in the 4×400 relay and the long jump. Edgar’s athletes also currently sit second overall in the 60 hurdles, 600 and long jump. The Warriors captured their seventh straight WHAC Indoor Championship and set the record for points scored in meet history with 273.5. Edgar’s athletes took home the individual title in nine events overall.

Midwest Region – Ed Fye – Doane (Neb.)

Fye, in his 17th year leading the Doane (Neb.) program, led his team won its fifth consecutive GPAC Indoor Championships with a 191.50-point performance. The Tigers had three athletes captured individual crowns while the team put up an additional nine second-place and five third-place finishers (39 All-GPAC performances overall). Fye’s squad has sat in the top-five of the country for all but one of the national index ratings released this indoor season. Tiger athletes posted 12 A marks and nine B marks this season.

South Region – Jamaine Gordon – Keiser (Fla.)

Gordon, in his first year at the helm at Keiser (Fla.), oversaw a program that had the top-ranked athlete in the triple jump to go with the best 200 runner in the region. He also has the second-ranked 200 and 400 athletes in the region as well. The Seahawks posted nine A and one B qualifying standards this season and will enter the national meet as the No. 6 squad in the country.

South Central – Brian Whitlock – Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Whitlock, in his 15th year with the Wayland Baptist (Texas) program led his team to the No. 2 ranking in the country heading into the national meet. The Pioneers currently have 12 athletes in the top-10 in the nation in their respective events which includes the national leaders in the 400, 600, 800 and 4×400. Overall the program has posted 12 A and an additional seven B standard qualifying marks this season.

West Region – Russell Smelley – Westmont (Calif.)

Smelley, in his 40th year with the Westmont (Calif.) led his athletes to some of the best performances in the country in their events this season. The Warriors have the nation’s leaders in both the mile and 3000 to go with the second-best athlete in the heptathlon. The group also earned seven A and five B standard qualifying marks during indoors. They are the top-ranked team in the region and will enter the national meet as the No. 8 team in the nation, the best rank ever received in program history.

Women’s Coach of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Mike Wojciakowski – Aquinas (Mich.)

Wojciakowski, who is in his first year leading the program at Aquinas (Mich.), led his squad to its first WHAC Indoor Title since 2009. The Saints upset No. 1 Indiana Tech by 15 points, closing the door on the meet with a win in the final race of the day in the 4×400. Aquinas athletes won five individual titles. Wojciakowski has coached 15 athletes who earned qualifying A marks and another nine who posted qualifying B performances. Aquinas will enter the National Championships with seven different events ranked in the top-five in the Event Squad Rankings which includes the top-ranked unit in the mile.

Midwest Region – Matt Beisel – Concordia (Neb.)

Beisel, in his third year as the head of the Concordia (Neb.) program, led his team to the GPAC Indoor Championships. The Bulldogs had seven individual title winners as they recorded 173.5 points. The program will enter the national championships meet as the No. 3 squad in the country. Beisel’s athletes posted 19 A standard and six B standard national qualifying marks this season, including leading the nation in the weight throw. The Bulldogs have the country’s top-ranked event squads in the pole vault, shot put and weight throw and have 13 athletes in the top-10 in their respective events.

South Region – Nick Dodson – Southeastern (Fla.)

Dodson, in his first year at Southeastern (Fla.), has multiple athletes atop the national leaderboard this year. Fire athletes have posted two A and three B standard qualifying marks this season which includes having the No. 9 ranked 400 runner in the country and the seventh-best 3000 athlete. Dodson had six athletes qualify for nationals overall across four different events.

South Central Region – Brian Whitlock – Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Whitlock, in his 15th year with Wayland Baptist, made it a clean sweep for the Coach of the Year award in the South Central Region. His women’s program has 14 athletes in the top-10 in the nation in their respective events, which included the national leaders in the 60, triple jump and 4×800. The Pioneers have posted 16 A and six B standard qualifying performances as well this season. The team will enter indoor nationals as the No. 2 program in the country.

West Region – Ben Welch – Eastern Oregon

Welch, in his 28th year with the Eastern Oregon program, is the West Coach of the Year after ending the regular season as the top-ranked program in the region. His athletes combined for four A and an additional three B standard qualifying marks which included the second ranked 4×400 unit in the country, the fourth-best pentathlon athlete, and the eighth-ranked triple jumper. The Mountaineers will enter the national meet at No. 18 overall.

Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Nate Van Holten – Cornerstone (Mich.)

Van Holten, a middle-distance, distance, and race walk coach in his 15th year at Cornerstone, coached 14 national qualifiers this indoor season, including the top-ranked athlete in the 5000 meters and the top-ranked distance medley relay squad. The Golden Eagles rank first in the 5000 meters and third in the mile and 3000 meters in the USTFCCCA #EventSquad rankings. At the WHAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, Van Holten’s athletes won three titles and scored 69 of the teams 87.5 points.

Midwest Region – Jeff Chiapello – St. Francis (Ill.)

Chiapello coached athletes to second-best rankings in the USTFCCCA #EventSquad in four different events: 1000 meters, mile, 3000 meters, and 5000 meters. The Saints’ distance squad scored 94 of the team’s 200 points at the conference meet and earned eight national qualifying marks on the season. Chiapello is in his seventh year as distance coach at St. Francis.

South Region – Malcolm Dias – William Carey (Miss.)

Dias, in his third year as sprints and relays coach at William Carey, coached nine Crusaders to qualifying marks in seven different events. The Crusaders also reset four school records during the season and recorded the top mark of the season in the 60 meters.

South Central Region – Daniel Radkoweic – Columbia (Mo.)

Radkowiec helped lead the Cougars to win the AMC indoor title, with Columbia distance athletes scoring 115 of the team’s 208 total points. Cougars won AMC titles in every event of 800 meters or longer. Radkowiec, in his third year at Columbia, has four qualifying athletes in five different events and a national qualifying relay.

West Region – Josh Priester – Westmont (Calif.)

Priester, in his seventh year as combined events, sprints, and high jump coach at Westmont, has three heptathletes qualified for nationals, including two in the NAIA’s top five. Priester-coached athletes reset school records in both the heptathlon and 60 hurdles this indoor season and recorded ten all-time top ten marks for Westmont.

Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Great Lakes Region – Quinn White – Taylor (Ind.)

White, in his ninth year as distance coach at Taylor, helped the Trojans win the Crossroads League title, contributing 130 of the teams’ 190 points. Eight of White’s athletes earned a total of 10 national qualifying marks this season, and the team earned their highest-ever ranking of No. 8 in the TFRI.

Midwest Region –Ed McLaughlin – Concordia (Neb.)

McLaughlin, in his 22nd year at Concordia, leads a throws group that currently ranks number one in the NAIA in both the shot put and weight throw in the USTFCCCA #EventSquad rankings. Throwers scored a total of 33 team points in just two events at the conference indoor championships, helping the team win the GPAC title. The Bulldogs earned nine qualifying marks in the weight throw and shot put events this indoor season.

South Region – Ryan McKenzie – William Carey (Miss.)

McKenzie coached two school records during the season in the long jump and high jump and qualified eight women for the upcoming NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships in eight different events. McKenzie is in his fifth year as sprints jumps coach at William Carey.

South Central Region – Jonathon Becker – MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)

Becker, in his fourth year as sprints, hurdles, and middle-distance coach at MidAmerica Nazarene, coached athletes to contribute 88 of the Pioneers’ 177 total team points at the Heart of America Conference indoor track & field championships. Becker coached two athletes and one relay to top-ten national rankings in their events.

West Region – Rebecca Rhodes – Eastern Oregon

Rhodes, in her second year as sprints, jumps, hurdles, relays, and combined events coach at Eastern Oregon, led the Mountaineers to national top-ten rankings in four different events, as well as four new school records. During the season, Rhodes’s athletes earned three Cascade Conference Athlete of the Week honors.