USTFCCCA ::: Coaches Select DII Outdoor National Athletes of the Year

May 30, 2012 by FloTrack Staff

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Coaches Select DII Outdoor National Athletes of the Year

May 30, 2012

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Wednesday the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Athletes of the Year as selected by the nation’s coaches. Western State’s Tyler Pennel, Abilene Christian’s Nick Jones, Grand Valley State’s Betsy Graney, and Central Missouri’s Lindsay Lettow earned the plaudits for the 2012 season.

NATIONAL MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Tyler Pennel, Western State

Pennel, a senior from Golden, Colo., won the NCAA title in the 10,000 meters and placed second in the 5000 meters at the national championships. Pennel is the first from Western State to win the 10k outdoor title since Josh Eberly in 2003.

Pennel entered the all-time Division II record books with his season-best time of 28:23.54 in the 10,000, set at the Stanford Invitational. The time was the fastest this season in the division and the seventh-fastest all-time in NCAA Division II.

In the fall, Pennel finished as national runner-up at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, helping lead his team to the national team title.

Past Winners:

2012: Tyler Pennel, Western State

2011: Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith
2010: Leford Green, Johnson C. Smith

2009: Aaron Braun, Adams State

2008: Scott Bauhs, Chico State

2007: Nicodemus Naimadu, Abilene Christian

2006: Nicodemus Naimadu, Abilene Christian

NATIONAL MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Nick Jones, Abilene Christian

Jones, a senior from Amarillo, Texas, claimed the NCAA title with the discus for the second-straight year, completing a four-year sweep. The win this year was by nearly nine feet and he became the first in NCAA Division II history to win four national crowns in the men’s discus. Jones also placed second in the shot put at the national meet for the second-straight year. Earlier in the season, Jones was named the Lone Star Conference’s Most Outstanding Male Field Athlete of their championships after winning the shot, placing third in the discus, and sixth in the javelin. Jones has also been listed this year as receiving mention for The Bowerman watch list.

Past Winners:

2012: Nick Jones, Abilene Christian

2011: Nick Jones, Abilene Christian

2010: Dane Tobey, Neb.-Kearney

2009: Joe Kindred, Saint Augustine’s

2008: Joe Kindred, Saint Augustine’s

2007: Kibwe Johnson, Ashland

2006: Chris Randolph, Seattle Pacific

NATIONAL WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Betsy Graney, Grand Valley State

Graney a senior from Harper Woods, Mich., won the steeplechase at the NCAA Championships and placed sixth in the 5000 meters, helping the Lakers to a national team title. She reset the NCAA Division II record books earlier this season by running the fastest time in history in the steeplechase at 9:53.85 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational. She also recorded the second-fastest time of the 2012 season in the 5000 Meters of 15:56.85. Graney won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in the 5000 meters in meet-record time.

Past Winners:

2012: Betsy Graney, Grand Valley State
2011: Shannon Gagne, New Haven

2010: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific

2009: Ashley Puga, Northwest Nazarene

2008: Kirby Blackley, Findlay

2007: Mandy Zemba, Grand Valley State

2006: Mandy Zemba, Grand Valley State

NATIONAL WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri

Lettow, a senior from Urbandale, Iowa, won the NCAA heptathlon crown for the second-straight year and did so this season by winning by nearly 400 points. She was the co-high point-scoring athlete at the MIAA Championships this spring with a 40-point tally. She competed in a meet-high four events at the NCAA meet, including the high jump and long jump. She went on to finish fifth in the 400 hurdles and long jump at the national meet.

Lettow, winner of this award a year ago, also was named the USTFCCCA’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year this season and in 2011.

Past Winners:

2012: Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri

2011: Lindsay Lettow, Central Missouri

2010: Aisha Adams, Angelo State

2009: Aisha Adams, Angelo State

2008: Whitney Johnson, UC San Diego

2007: Kwonya Ferguson, Saint Augustine’s

2006: Cecilia Barnes, Cal State Bakersfield

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Tom Lewis

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