NEW ORLEANS – All-Region honors for the 2021 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the regular season.

Top-5 individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region honors, in addition to each of the members of a top-3 ranked relay team.

Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

No program had more combined All-Region honors than Azsua Pacific. The Cougars hauled in 54 certificates with 30 going to their women and 24 to their men.

Both Grand Valley State and Southern Connecticut were not too far behind APU, taking home 51 each. Queens (N.C.) snagged 48 honors, while Lee (Tenn.) and West Texas A&M each landed 47 of their own. Overall, there were nine programs with 40 or more honors.

No conference was feted more than the Northeast-10 with 181 honors, but the Gulf South Conference was hot on its heels with 180. Athletes from the SAC amassed 159 honors, while those from the PacWest brought in 153 laurels.

MIDWEST REGION TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Trevor Bassitt – Ashland

Bassitt, a senior from Bluffton, Ohio, is all over the top of the Descending Order List and the NCAA DII record book. He is the nation's top-ranked athlete in the 400 (46.63), 110H (13.59) and 400H (49.04) and sits second nationally in the 200 (20.52). When Bassitt clocked his 400H PR at the GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, it made him the fourth-fastest performer in NCAA DII history and set a new meet record, one of three he had his hand in over the weekend (110H and 4×100).

MIDWEST REGION FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR  – Sam Black – Saginaw Valley State

Black, a senior from Pinckney, Minnesota, is ranked first nationally in the decathlon at 7807, which puts him seventh on the All-College Descending Order List and makes him the 10th-best performer in NCAA DII history.

MIDWEST REGION HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR – Jerry Baltes – Grand Valley State

Baltes, in his 22nd year at Grand Valley State, led the Lakers to the team title at the GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships with 300.5 points, having nine event champions and 24 podium finishes. The Lakers have 10 top-10 national #EventSquad rankings, including the top-ranked 800 group, and have 24 top-20 event rankings on the Descending Order List, including the top-ranked performers in the 800 and 5000.

MIDWEST REGION ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR – Ernie Clark – Ashland

Clark, in his sixth year at Ashland, mentored the sprints/hurdles/relays group to set three conference records at the GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. His charges have three nation-leading marks, several NCAA DII all-time top-10 performances and the 200- and 400-meter event squads are ranked No. 1 in the country. Clark also serves as Associate Head Coach.

MIDWEST REGION TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Cheyenne Williamson – Saginaw Valley State

WIlliamson, a freshman from Essexville, Michigan, is ranked second nationally in the heptathlon at 5517 points, seventh nationally in the long jump at 6.12m (20-1) and 13th nationally in the high jump at 1.73m (5-8). She scored 20 points in field events at the GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships with victories in both the high jump and long jump.

See below for a full list of athletes honored by the USTFCCCA.