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Division II Coaches Select National Indoor Track & Field Award Winners

March 14, 2012

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the national award winners for 2012 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field season as chosen by the nation’s coaches. Adams State’s Andrew Graham, Ashland’s Ryan Loughney, Hillsdale’s Amanda Putt, and Central Missouri’s Lindsay Lettow were selected of National Athletes of the Year. Grand Canyon’s Tom Flood and Grand Valley State’s Jerry Baltes were picked as the National Coaches of the Year.

National Men’s Track Athlete of the Year

Andrew Graham, Adams State

A senior from Newcastle, England, Graham won the mile (4:10.25) and was second in the 800 meters (1:52.19) at the NCAA Championships. Earlier in the season, Graham won RMAC titles in both the 800 Meters and the Distance Medley Relay, running an RMAC record time in the 800 Meters. His season-best time in the Mile of 4:01.43 finished as the fastest in NCAA Division II this season.

Recent Winners:

2012: Andrew Graham, Adams State

2011: Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith

2010: Josh Scott, Saint Augustine’s

2009: Aaron Braun, Adams State

2008: Keith Gill, Stonehill

2007: Nick Lara, Adams State

2006: Nicodemus Naimadu, Abilene Christian

National Men’s Field Athlete of the Year

Ryan Loughney, Ashland

A senior from Grahamsville, N.Y., Loughney won his second-consecutive NCAA weight throw title last weekend, taking the crown by 33 inches with a toss of 72-10 (22.20m). His season’s best mark with the weight, fourth-best among all divisions this year, was 75-5¼ (22.99m), making him the second-best performer all-time in the event’s history in DII. Loughney was undefeated against collegiate completion this season, which includes a victory at the GLIAC Championship.

Recent Winners:

2012: Ryan Loughney, Ashland

2011: Ryan Brown, Western Washington

2010: Kurt Roberts, Ashland

2009: Joe Kindred, Saint Augustine’s

2008: Bryan Vickers, Ashland

2007: Kibwe Johnson, Ashland

2006: Keith Moffatt, Morehouse

National Men’s Head Coach of the Year

Tom Flood, Grand Canyon

In only its second year of existence, Flood led the Grand Canyon program to their first NCAA track & field title as the ‘Lopes won the national meet with 54 points, seven ahead of Adams State. Sophomores Dominique Hubert and Karlin Stewart won national crowns in the 60 meters and long jump, respectively, to lead the team to victory. Of Grand Canyon’s 12 entries in the meet, nine earned scoring positions. The team earned a 1-2-5-6 national finish in the long jump alone.

Recent Winners:

2012: Tom Flood, Grand Canyon

2011: Roosevelt Lofton, Abilene Christian

2010: Damon Martin, Adams State

2009: Jud Logan, Ashland

2008: David Astrauskas, SIU Edwardsville

2007: George Williams, Saint Augustine’s

National Women’s Track Athlete of the Year

Amanda Putt, Hillsdale

Putt, a junior from Adrian, Mich., swept NCAA titles in the 800 meters (2:09.15) and mile (4:47.84), becoming the first women in Division II history to pull of the mid-distance double. Putt won the mile title by over a second and a half. In addition, Putt earned GLIAC titles in the 800 meters and mile and ran on the second-place distance medley relay during the season.

Recent Winners:

2012: Amanda Putt, Hillsdale

2011: Shannon Gagne, New Haven

2010: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

2009: Pinar Saka, Neb.-Omaha

2008: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

2007: Mandi Zemba, Grand Valley State

2006: Mandi Zemba, Grand Valley State

National Women’s Field Athlete of the Year

Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri

A senior from Urbandale, Iowa, Lettow defended her national title in the pentathlon, scoring an all-time division record and NCAA-Championships record of 4,193 points. Lettow is also the first in Division II history to win a second pentathlon title. She participated in four events at the national meet and claimed second place in the high jump (5-6½, 1.69m), seventh in the long jump, and 12th in the 60-meter hurdles to go with the pentathlon crown.

At the MIAA Championships, she scored a meet-high 44 points as was the league’s champion in the pentathlon and high jump.

Recent Winners:

2012: Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri

2011: Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri

2010: Heather Miller, St. Cloud State

2009: Katelin Rains, Minnesota State

2008: Katelin Rains, Minnesota State

2007: Tianecia Moseley, Adams State

2006: Cecilia Barnes, Cal State Bakersfield

National Women’s Head Coach of the Year

Jerry Baltes, Grand Valley State

Baltes, in his 13th year at the helm, led Grand Valley State to their second-consecutive NCAA women’s indoor track & field title. GVSU scored 94 points in the national meet, lapping the field and scoring 43 points more than any other team. GVSU had five event champions including the squad’s DMR. Rachel Patterson won the 5000 meters, Kristen Hixson claimed the pole vault crown, Lauren Buresh won the shot put, and Sam Lockhart notched top honors in the weight throw. Of GVSU’s 17 entries, 14 scored in the national meet.

In addition, Lakers won the GLIAC Championship by an impressive 112-point margin after leading the USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings all season.

Recent Winners:

2012: Jerry Baltes, Grand Valley State

2011: Jerry Baltes, Grand Valley State

2010: Victor Thomas, Lincoln (Mo.)

2009: Jerry Baltes, Grand Valley State

2008: Jud Logan, Ashland

2007: Jerry Baltes, Grand Valley State

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Tom Lewis

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association

Communications Manager

1100 Poydras St., Suite 1750

New Orleans, LA 70163

(O) 504-599-8904 (F) 504-599-8909

Email: tom@ustfccca.org

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