NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) earned seven of the possible eight awards available in the Midwest Region.
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
The following are the GLIAC recipients:
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — EMILY OREN — HILLSDALE
Oren, a senior from Holland, Michigan, set a DII record this year in the steeplechase with her time of 9:50.54. She also has strong marks in the 1500 (4:21.69) and the 5000 (16:22.93), in which she is ranked second and eighth nationally, respectively.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — DARIEN THORNTON — GRAND VALLEY STATE
Thornton, a senior from Dayton, Ohio, is ranked No. 1 in DII in the hammer throw with a heave of 70.45m (231-2). That mark stands as a school record and the fifth farthest throw in DII history. He is also ranked in the top-16 of DII athletes the shot put.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — JAMIE SINDELAR — ASHLAND
Sindelar, a senior from Athens, Ohio, wrote her name among the DII greats this season. She is currently the second best shot putter in DII history with a heave of 16.99m (55-9). That puts her No. 1 in DII this season, as well.
MEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — JERRY BALTES — GRAND VALLEY STATE
Baltes, in his 17th season guiding the GVSU program, led the Lakers to the GLIAC title. His men are ranked third nationally and will take a nation-best 18 qualifiers to the NCAA Championships this weekend.
WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — JERRY BALTES — GRAND VALLEY STATE
Baltes, in his 17th year guiding the Lakers program, will bring a nation-best 25 entries to the NCAA Championships later this week. GVSU won the GLIAC title, and will be the only program represented at the NCAA Championships in all overall disciplines (sprints, jumps, throws, endurance, combined events) except for the combined events.
MEN'S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — GRAY HORN — TIFFIN
Horn, in his third year coaching the sprints and multi-events for Tiffin, mentored his athletes to a combined 84 points – in only six events – at the GLIAC Championships, including three meet records. His Dragon proteges are responsible for four entries into the NCAA Championships this weekend.
WOMEN'S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
MIDWEST REGION — JOE LYNN — HILLSDALE
Lynn, in his third year leading the Hillsdale distance program, has mentored his athletes to an impressive nine top-10 national performances this year. Under his guidance, Emily Oren broke the NCAA DII steeplechase record and her sister, Emily, is ranked No. 2 this season. He leads eight distance and mid-distance runners to the NCAA Championships, tied for the most in the nation in that category.
