June 2, 2007

North Carolina assistant track and field coaches Brian Blutreich and Michael Whittlesey were honored by the U.S. Track And Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as top Division I assistant coaches in the East Region, the USTFCCCA announced Saturday. Blutreich was recognized for his work in the throws events with the UNC men, while Whittlesey garners the award for his tutelage of Carolina's women distance runners.

USTFCCCA honors the best assistant coaches in the four regions in the following categories: men's and women's sprints/hurdles, distances, jumps/combined events and throws. Coaches from each region vote on the awards.

The Division I Assistant Coaches of the Year are selected on the basis of both indoor and outdoor accomplishments.

Brian Blutreich

The 2007 selections by region (men listed first):

MEN

East Region

Sprints/hurdles: Ken Harnden, Florida State

Four of Harnden's sprinters qualified for the NCAA Championships, including Walter Dix, the collegiate record holder and defending champion in the 200 meters. The Seminoles finished 1-3-4 in the 100 at the East Regional and have the nation's fastest time in the 4 x 100 relay (38.71). Ricardo Chambers has the nation's top time in the 400 (44.62). Harnden was an NCAA champion in the 400 hurdles while attending North Carolina.

Distances: Dave Hartman, Georgia

Ross Bridgewell (800) and Ian Burwell (10,000) qualified for the NCAA Championships for the Bulldogs, and Sam Gillespie broke the school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase this spring. Three of Hartman's women also qualified for the national meet. Hartman, the highly successful head coach of Georgia's cross country teams, is in his third season in Athens.

Jumps/combined events: Josh Langley, Clemson

Langley coached three athletes to NCAA berths - George Fields (long jump), Mitch Greeley (pole vault) and Adam Linkenauger (high jump). This is Langley's first season at Clemson after serving as the field event coach at Gardner-Webb. He was an all-conference javelin thrower at Western Carolina.

Throws: Brian Blutreich, North Carolina

Blutreich enhanced his reputation as one of the nation's finest teachers of the throwing events during his 11th season in Chapel Hill. Nick Owens (hammer) and Adam Montague (javelin) won East Region titles for the Tar Heels, while Owens and defending NCAA javelin champion Justin Ryncavage won Atlantic Coast Conference championships. Montague (242-4) and Ryncavage (240-6) are first and second on the collegiate list.

Mideast Region

Sprints/hurdles: Norbert Elliott, Tennessee

Elliott and the Volunteers had an outstanding season, winning the Southeastern Conference title as Rubin Williams, Evander Wells and Kyle Stevenson finished 1-2-5 in the 200 meters. Tennessee also won the 4 x 100 relay at the SEC meet in 38.91. Williams (100 and 200), Wells (200) and Stevenson (200) all qualified for the NCAA Championships, as did Tennessee's sprint relay. This is Elliott's third season at Tennessee.

Distances: Jerry Schumacher, Wisconsin

The Badgers had another banner year. After winning the NCAA men's indoor track and field title, where his distance group scored 28 points, Wisconsin enters the outdoor championships with the defending champion in the 5,000 (Chris Solinsky) and the third-fastest collegian in the 10,000 (Tim Nelson). The Badgers won the Big 10 Conference "triple crown" this school year in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.

Jumps/combined events: Jake Jacoby, Louisville

Louisville is having its finest track and field season ever, and Jacoby's jumpers are a big reason why. Tone Belt qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the long jump and high jump, and teammate Andre Black made it in the long and triple jumps. Belt won the NCAA indoor title in the long jump. Jacoby won the 1984 NCAA title in the high jump for Boise State.

Throws: Jerry Clayton, Auburn

Auburn hammer throwers Cory Martin (234-4) and Jake Dunkleberger (228-11) are first and fourth on the national list entering the NCAA Championships. Martin also qualified for the NCAA meet in the shot put. Clayton, who is in his ninth season at Auburn, also coaches the high jump, where he works with NCAA indoor champion Donald Thomas.

Midwest Region

Sprints/hurdles: Dana Boone, Oklahoma

Boone's group played a major role in Oklahoma winning the Big 12 Conference and Midwest Region men's titles. Marcus Pugh won the Big 12 title in the 100 meters and qualified for the NCAA Championships with a best of 10.28. Sheldon Leith qualified for nationals in the high hurdles (13.73), and the Sooners' sprint relay team enters the NCAA meet with the nation's ninth-best time (39.59). Boone is finishing up her second season at Oklahoma after previously serving as an assistant at LSU and Texas.

Distances: Jason Vigilante, Texas

No. 10 Texas qualified six middle-distance and distance runners for the NCAA Championships, including three in the 1,500 meters - Midwest Region champion Leonel Manzano, Erik Stanley and Darren Brown. Texas won the distance medley and four-mile events at the Penn Relays. Now in his eighth season at Texas, Vigilante was an all-conference runner at North Carolina State.

Jumps/combined events: Jeremy Fischer, Oklahoma

The Big 12 Conference and Midwest Region champion Sooners will have four men competing in the horizontal jumps at the upcoming NCAA Championships in Sacramento. Dermillo Wise and Frankie Wright qualified in the long jump, as did Shardae Boutte and Tydree Lewis in the triple jump. Boutte and Tydree Lewis finished 1-2 in the triple jump at the Big 12 meet, helping put Oklahoma over the top in the team scoring. Fischer came to Oklahoma in 2005 after working five seasons at Cal State Northridge.

Throws: Scott Cappos, Iowa

Iowa's throwers had quite a season. Sophomore A.J. Curtis threw the discus a school record 202-11, and a pair of Hawkeyes qualified for the NCAA Championships. Shane Maier advanced in the shot put, and Adam Hamilton enters the NCAA meet seeded ninth in the hammer (222-2). Cappos has had throwers earn All-America honors in five of the last seven seasons.

West Region

Sprints/hurdles: Dan Steele, Oregon

Steele continues to impress in his fifth season at Oregon. The Ducks qualified for the NCAA Championships in both relays, and Marcus Dillon made it in the open 400. During his competitive days, Steele won a medal in the Olympic bobsled in 2002 and competed in the decathlon at the 1999 World Track Championships.

Distances: Tony Sandoval, California

Sandoval enjoyed one of his finest seasons as a Cal coach, guiding three runners to NCAA berths - David Torrence (1,500), Kevin Davis (steeplechase), Giliat Ghebray (5,000). Torrence broke Don Bowden's 50-year-old school record in the mile (3:58.62). Sandoval is in his 25th year at Cal, where he also serves as the head cross country coach.

Jumps/combined events: Sheldon Blockburger, Arizona

Blockburger coaches Jake Arnold, the defending NCAA champion in the decathlon. Arnold enters this year's NCAA meet with the nation's top collegiate score (7,946 points). Blockburger, former LSU star and international-class decathlete, also coaches Daniel Marshall, an NCAA qualifier in the triple jump.

Throws: Dan Lange, USC

USC won the men's West Region title with a strong contribution from shot putter Noah Bryant and hammer thrower Adam Midles. Bryant, the NCAA indoor champion, set a school record of 67-5½ this spring and is the top-ranked entrant in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. USC putter Will Denbo also qualified for nationals, and Midles is seeded fifth in the hammer at 228-2. Lange is in his 17th season at USC.

WOMEN

East Region

Sprints/hurdles: Lawrence Johnson, Virginia Tech

Johnson's second season at Virginia Tech brought some remarkable results. The Hokies won Atlantic Coast Conference and East Region titles, and freshman hurdler Kristi Castlin broke a 28-year-old U.S. junior record when she won the East Region title in 12.91. Patrice Potts and Britni Spruill qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 100 and 200 meters. Castlin has the top time nationally in the 100 hurdles. Sherlenia Green (400 hurdles) and Virginia Tech's sprint relay team also qualified for nationals.

Distances: Michael Whittlesey, North Carolina

North Carolina has been a national force in the distance events during Whittlesey's nine seasons in Chapel Hill. Following an indoor season in which the Tar Heels won the NCAA distance medley, Whittlesey guided North Carolina sophomore Brie Felnagle to an East Region title in the 1,500. Felnagle has the top collegiate time of the season (4:11.86). Teammate Georgia Kloss qualified for the NCAA outdoor meet in the 800.

Jumps/combined events: Todd Lane, Miami (Fla.)

Miami senior Amy Seward was named the outstanding performer at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships after winning the heptathlon and finishing third in the long jump. Seward and teammate Brenda Faluade qualified for the NCAA Championships in the long jump, and Faluade also qualified for nationals in the triple jump. Lane is in his first season at Miami following a successful coaching stint at Ball State.

Throws: Don Babbitt, Georgia

In his 11th season at Georgia, Babbitt furthered his status as one of the top throws coach in the country. Defending NCAA champion Jennifer Dahlgren set a collegiate record in the hammer with a throw of 239-4. Two Georgia javelin throwers - Krista Woodward and Sigrun Fjeldsted - qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Mideast Region

Sprints/hurdles: Rolando Greene, Arkansas

Greene's impact on the Arkansas program will be readily apparent in the 400-meter dash at the upcoming NCAA Championships. Three Lady Razorbacks qualified - Jessica Cousins, Tominque Boatwright and Sasha Rolle. Greene had additional athletes qualify for the NCAA meet in the 200 and the 100 hurdles, and his 4 x 400 relay is seeded sixth with a best time of 3:31.91.

Distances: Mike McGuire, Michigan

The Wolverines had a season for the ages in the middle and long distances. Katie Erdman (800), Nicole Edwards (1,500) and Anna Willard (3,000-meter steeplechase) all won Mideast Region titles for Michigan. At the Penn Relays, Michigan set collegiate records in the 4 x 800 and 4 x 1,500 relay events. McGuire, in his seventh season in Ann Arbor, is head coach of Michigan's cross country team.

Jumps/combined events: Boo Schexnayder, LSU

Schexnayder continued his fine work with LSU's jumpers in his 12th season in Baton Rouge. Andrea Linton won the Southeastern Conference title in the triple jump and qualified for the NCAA meet in both horizontal jumps. Also qualifying for nationals were Kathryn Coleman (long jump), Shaunette Davidson (high jump) and Katelyn Rodirgue (pole vault). LSU's women won SEC and Mideast Region titles.

Throws: Ross Richardson, Purdue

Astin Steward (discus) and Lindsay Blaine (javelin) won Mideast Region titles for the Boilermakers. Steward also qualified for the NCAA Championships in the hammer, as did Purdue freshman Stacey Wannamacher in the shot put. Jon Pullum won the men's discus at the Big 10 meet. Richardson is in his second season at Purdue.

Midwest Region

Sprints/hurdles: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M

The third-ranked Aggies qualified several women for the NCAA Championships in Anderson's events. Simone Facey and Porscha Lucas qualified in the 100 and 200, and Texas A&M's sprint relay has the second-fastest time in the country at 43.29. Jennifer Williams will compete in the 100 hurdles at nationals. Anderson is in his third season at Texas A&M following a productive run at Tennessee.

Distances: Jon Murray, Texas Tech

Texas Tech sophomore Sally Kipyego followed her distance double at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a collegiate record in the 10,000 meters (31:56.72). Kipyego (15:19.72) and Irene Kimaiyo (15:58.41) qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 5,000. Murray is in his second season in Lubbock following five years at Abilene Christian.

Jumps/combined events: Kris Grimes, Nebraska

Grimes coaches the pole vault and multi events. Heptathletes Ashley Selig and Casie Witte qualified for the NCAA Championships in the heptathlon. Selig is the No. 5 performer in the Division I ranks with a score of 5,712 points. Jenny Green and Brysun Stately qualified for the NCAA Championships in the pole vault. Stately has the nation's top mark at 14-3¼.Grimes is in his second season at Nebraska.

Throws: Lynne Anderson, Minnesota

Now in her 27th season at Minnesota, Anderson developed another outstanding group of throwers. The Gophers will have athletes in each of the four throwing events at the NCAA Championships in Sacramento: Kristalyn Mauch (shot put), Elizabeth Podominick (shot and discus), Elizabeth Alabi (hammer) and Ruby Rodocaj (javelin). Anderson (then Winbigler) was a two-time U.S. Olympian in the discus.

West Region

Sprints/hurdles: Tina Fernandes, USC

Carol Rodriguez and Jessica Onyepunuka finished 1-2 in the 100 and 200 meters at the West Region Championships. Rodriguez enters the NCAA meet seeded third in the 100 at 11.20. The Trojans are seeded ninth in the 4 x 100 relay and 16th in the 4 x 400 relay. Fernandes is in her seventh season at USC.

Distances: Patrick Shane, BYU

BYU is sending its usual strong contingent of female distance runners to Sacramento for the NCAA Championships. Michelle Turner (800), Heidi McGill (1,500), Amy Fowler (steeplechase), Kassi Andersen (steeplechase) and Whitney McDonald (10,000) all qualified for nationals. Shane has won four NCAA women's cross country championships during his 26 years at BYU.

Jumps/combined events: Mike Powell, UCLA

Powell's influence can be seen in the outstanding form of UCLA sophomore Rhonda Watkins. Watkins improved her long-jump best by nearly a foot this season to 22-4½, easily the longest collegiate jump in the country. Watkins also qualified for the NCAA Championships in the high jump. Renee Williams will join Watkins in the NCAA long jump competition. Powell, a UCLA graduate and two-time Olympic medalist, still holds the world record in the long jump at 29-4½.

Throws: David Dumble, Arizona State

Dumble's throwers are the backbone of Arizona State's top-ranked women's team. Sarah Stevens won the NCAA indoor title in the shot put and is seeded first in the shot put (60-4½) and discus (189-4) heading into the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Stevens also qualified for nationals in the hammer. Jessica Pressley qualified for the NCAA meet in all three throws, too. Dumble, an All-American discus thrower at UCLA, is in his sixth season as the throws coach at Arizona State.