Merryman Wins USTFCCCA Men's NAIA Track Athlete of the Year Award

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Each of the five regions – Great Lakes, Midwest, South, South Central and West – honored both genders' top track athletes and field athletes as well as the top men's and women's head coaches and assistant coaches.

Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

Many of these honored athletes and coaches are headed to the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week in Asheville, North Carolina.

Men's Track Athlete of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Tristan Trevino — Marian (Ind.)

Trevino ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the 1500 meters, fourth in the 800 meters and was part of the third-ranked 4×800 relay. His 1500-meter PR of 3:43.49 came from the Bryan Clay Invitational and ranks him 12th in NAIA history. Trevino won the 1500 at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships and set a meet record in the process.

MIDWEST REGION — Kaiden Merryman — Hastings (Neb.)

Merryman ended the regular season ranked eighth nationally in the 100 meters with a time of 10.28. He crossed the finish line first in six of the seven 100-meter races he competed in this season so far and won the event at the GPAC Outdoor Championships.

SOUTH REGION — Ryan Stade — Montreat (N.C.)

Stade ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the 5000 meters and third in the 10,000 meters. His 5k PR of 13:53.97 came at the Duke Twilight and ranks him 13th in NAIA history. Stade also swept conference titles in both the 5000 and 10,000.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Garrett Donald — Columbia (Mo.)

Donald ended the regular season ranked ninth nationally in the 400 meters and 12th in the 200 meters. Both of his PRs – 21.00 in the 200 and 46.83 in the 400 – came at the CMU Invitational.

WEST REGION — James Kerr — British Columbia

Kerr ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the 400-meter hurdles and 11th in the open 400 meters. His PR in the 400-meter hurdles of 50.95 came at the Bryan Clay Invitational and ranks him seventh in NAIA history. Kerr won conference titles in both the 400 and 400H.

Women's Track Athlete of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Katie Woods — Marian (Ind.)

Woods ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the 1500 meters, third in the 800 meters and was part of the second-ranked 4×800 relay. She scored 22.5 points at the Crossroads League Championships, capturing individual titles in the 800 and 1500, and running a leg on the winning 4×800 relay.

MIDWEST REGION — Adrianna Rodencal — Concordia (Neb.)

Rodencal posted a pair of all-time marks in the hurdles during the regular season. She ranks third on the record-legal NAIA all-time chart in the 100-meter hurdles at 13.14 (+0.9) and eighth in the 400H at 58.02. On an all-conditions basis, Rodencal sits second on the all-time chart in the 100H at 13.04 (+3.9), a mark she ran at the Jim Dutcher Memorial. Rodencal hurdled to a pair of titles at the GPAC Outdoor Championships and was named Athlete of the Year.

SOUTH REGION — Emeline Delaville — Life (Ga.)

Delaville ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the 800 meters, running 2:04.67 to sit eighth in NAIA history. The Life (Ga.) standout also ranks among the nation's top-five fastest athletes in the 400 meters and 1500 meters at 54.52 and 4:26.19, respectively. Delaville won conference titles in both the 800 and 1500, and was part of the winning 4×800 relay.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — JayOnna Perry — Ottawa (Kan.)

Perry scored 36.5 points in track events at the KCAC Outdoor Championships, winning three individual titles, toting the baton on a meet record-setting relay, and finishing fifth in another individual event. Among all NAIA athletes this season, Perry is ranked among the top five in both the 100-meter hurdles and 400 meters at fourth and fifth, respectively.

WEST REGION — Mackenzie Campbell — British Columbia

Campbell ended the regular season ranked second nationally in both the 800 meters and 1500 meters. Her PRs – 2:06.55 and 4:22.12 – rank her among the top-15 athletes in NAIA history.

Men's Field Athlete of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Stuart Stovall — Cornerstone (Mich.)

Stovall ended the regular season ranked first nationally in both the discus and hammer throw. His PR in the discus of 56.18m (184-4) leads the nation by nearly three feet. Stovall won the hammer and finished runner-up in the discus at the WHAC Outdoor Championships.

MIDWEST REGION — Dylan Dahlgren — Dickinson State (N.D.)

Dahlgren was the only athlete in the Midwest Region to qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Championships in three field events. He ended the regular season ranked sixth nationally in the hammer throw, tenth in the shot put and 13th in the discus throw. Dahlgren won the hammer at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships with a record throw and finished runner-up in the discus and fourth in the shot put.

SOUTH REGION — Darius Barge — Life (Ga.)

Barge ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the shot put at 17.90m (58-8¾). He starred at the SSAC Outdoor Championships, winning the shot put and finishing runner-up in both the discus throw and hammer throw. 

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Carter Giittinger — Friends (Kan.)

Giittinger ended the regular season tied for fourth nationally in the pole vault and ranked sixth in the decathlon. His decathlon PR of 6754 came in a winning effort at the Friends University Spring Invitational, while his pole vault PR of 4.90m (16-0¾) allowed him to finish second at the KCAC Outdoor Championships.

WEST REGION — Carson Krack — Carroll (Mont.)

Krack ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the decathlon with 7526 points, a score that puts him ninth in NAIA history. He totaled 26 points in field events at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships, winning both the decathlon and long jump, as well as finishing third in the high jump.

Women's Field Athlete of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Sydney Duncan — IU Kokomo (Ind.)

Duncan ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the shot put, fourth in the discus throw and ninth in the hammer throw. She won all three events at the River States Conference Outdoor Championships with record-breaking marks. Her season best of 16.76m (54-11¾) cemented her billing as the third-best performer in NAIA history. 

MIDWEST REGION — Chloe Gunderson — Dickinson State (N.D.)

Gunderson ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the discus throw and second nationally in the shot put. Her shot put PR of 15.71m (51-6½) ranks her sixth in NAIA history. Gunderson scored 25 points in throwing events at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships, winning both the discus and shot put, and finishing fourth in the hammer. 

SOUTH REGION — Emma Barnes — Montreat (N.C.)

Barnes ended the regular season ranked fourth nationally in the heptathlon and 11th in the javelin. She amassed her PR score in the heptathlon of 4824 points at the Montreat Multis, the same meet in which she competed in the high jump, long jump, javelin throw and shot put. The week before that, Barnes won both the javelin and shot put at the AAC Outdoor Championships.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Mary Lorang — Benedictine (Kan.)

Lorang ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the javelin and second in the discus. Both of those marks came in winning efforts at the Heart Conference Outdoor Championships, including her NAIA-leading javelin heave of 47.53m (155-11) that tops the seasonal chart by more than five feet. Lorang also finished runner-up in the hammer at the same meet.

WEST REGION — Lizzy Grandle — Eastern Oregon

Grandle ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the heptathlon with 5160 points. She amassed that total in a winning effort at the Cascade Conference Outdoor Championships – the same meet where she finished fifth in three other field events (high jump, javelin throw, and shot put). Grandle also hit an NAIA "A" qualifying mark in the javelin throw at 42.95m (140-11).

Men's Coach of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Katie Wise-Butler — Marian (Ind.)

Wise-Butler led the Knights to the team title at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships, scoring 229.5 points and winning eight events. She was named Crossroads League Coach of the Year, and Marian is ranked No. 2 nationally with three events rated No. 1 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

MIDWEST REGION — Ed Fye — Doane (Neb.)

Fye led the Tigers to the team title at the GPAC Outdoor Championships, scoring 248 points and winning eight events. Doane amassed 44 All-GPAC performances and had four events rated No. 1 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

SOUTH REGION — Jeffery Hughes — Voorhees (S.C.)

Hughes led the Tigers to the team title at the HBCUAC Outdoor Championships, scoring 203 points and winning seven events, including 1-2-3 sweeps in the long jump and triple jump. Voorhees is ranked No. 3 nationally and has 13 athletes qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Championships.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Henry Brun — Friends (Kan.)

Brun led the Falcons to the team title at the KCAC Outdoor Championships, scoring 175 points and winning four events. Friends set school records in three events this year and had four events rated top-10 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

WEST REGION — Ben Welch — Eastern Oregon

Welch led the Mountaineers to the team title at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships, scoring 149 points and winning five events. Eastern Oregon set school records in three events this year and had three events rate top-4 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

Women's Coach of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Katie Wise-Butler — Marian (Ind.)

Wise-Butler led the Knights to the team title at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships, scoring a meet-record 317.5 points and winning 13 events. She was named Crossroads League Coach of the Year, and Marian is ranked No. 4 nationally with 11 events rated top-10 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

MIDWEST REGION — Alex Glover — Dakota State (S.D.)

Grover, in his first year as head coach, led the Trojans to its first outdoor conference team title since 1997, winning the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships with 167 points and capturing three event titles. All four of Dakota State's throwing crews rated top-10 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

SOUTH REGION — Ryan McKenzie — William Carey (Miss.)

McKenzie led the Crusaders to the team title at the SSAC Outdoor Championships, scoring 188 points and winning six events. He was named SSAC Coach of the Year and his athletes include Tyeese Smith, who is ranked No. 3 in the NAIA 100 meters this season.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Kenny Anderson — Central Methodist (Mo.)

Anderson led the Eagles to the team title at the Heart of America Conference Outdoor Championships, scoring 237 points and winning eight events. Central Methodist is ranked No. 2 nationally and has six events rated No. 1 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

WEST REGION — Laurier Primeau — British Columbia

Primeau led the Thunderbirds to the team title at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships, scoring 205 points and winning eight events. UBC has four athletes ranked No. 1 in the NAIA.

Men's Assistant Coach of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Presley Martin — Marian (Ind.)

Martin coached the Knights' distance runners to score 45 points at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships. Marian is rated No. 1 in both the 800 and 1500 meters in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

MIDWEST REGION — Zach Lurz — Doane (Neb.)

Lurz coached the Tigers' throwers to win three titles and score 86 points at the GPAC Outdoor Championships. Doane is rated No. 1 in three events – shot put, discus throw and hammer throw – in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

SOUTH REGION — Chris Rogers — Life (Ga.)

Rogers coached three Running Eagles athletes to earn a combined seven NAIA individual qualifying standards – two A and five B. His top athlete is Darius Barge, ranked No. 1 in the shot put.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — David Cox — Nelson (Texas)

Cox coached Lions athletes to account for 79 points towards Nelson's winning the Sooner Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships title. His athletes achieved a 1-2-3 sweep in the pole vault and earned runner-up finishes in four other events, including going 2-3 in the long jump and 2-4 in the decathlon at the SAC Outdoor Championships.

WEST REGION — Bryan Terry — College of Idaho

Terry coached Coyotes' throwers to account for 66 points at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships. His top athlete, Keenan Blair, was named CCC Championships MVP, and his shot put crew rates No. 3 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

Women's Assistant Coach of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Presley Martin — Marian (Ind.)

Martin coached the Knights' distance runners to score 61 team points at the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships. Marian is rated No. 2 in both the 800 and 1500 meters in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

MIDWEST REGION — Tanner Gust — Dickinson State (N.D.)

Gust coached the Blue Hawks' throwers to win three titles at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships, led by Field Athlete MVP Chloe Gunderson. Nationally, his athletes combined to rank No. 1 in the shot put and discus throw in the #EventSquad Rankings, plus No. 3 in the hammer throw.

SOUTH REGION — Tosha Sumner — Life (Ga.)

Sumner coached four Running Eagles athletes to earn a combined seven NAIA individual qualifying standards – four A and three B. Her top athlete, Emeline Delaville, is ranked No. 1 in the NAIA 800 meters.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Kailey Johnson — Central Methodist (Mo.)

Johnson coached Eagle athletes to contribute 108 points, including two individual titles, towards Central Methodist's winning the team crown at the Heart of America Conference Outdoor Championships. Her athletes combine to rank No. 1 two events (heptathlon and high jump) in the national #EventSquad Rankings.

WEST REGION — Elena Voloshin — British Columbia

Voloshin coached Thunderbird horizontal jumpers to sweep the long jump and triple jump at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships. Her top athletes – Amelia Cha and Igbunuoghene Ishaka – rank No. 1 in NAIA in long jump and triple jump, respectively.