COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association announced its regional awards on Thursday, following the conclusion of the outdoor season. Five Buckeyes earned all-region accolades. View the full list of winners HERE.
Karen Dennis was named Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year for both the men and women, while Joel Brown was named Great Lakes Regional Assistant Coach of the Year for both as well. Sophomore thrower Hayden Tobias was named Great Lakes Regional Male Field Athlete of the Year, while senior thrower Adelaide Aquilla accomplished the same on the women’s side. Senior sprinter Anavia Battle was named Great Lakes Regional Female Track Athlete of the Year.
Dennis, who announced her retirement earlier this week after 20 years at Ohio State and 45 years coaching, earned coach of the year honors on both the men’s and women’s sides. Dennis became the first coach in conference history to be named Big Ten Outdoor Coach of the Year on the men’s and women’s sides in the same season after earning both team championships, the first time in program history and the first time in conference history since 1997. The Buckeye women set a Big Ten record for points scored at the outdoor championships with 185.5, while the runner-up had 98 points. On the men’s side, 16 Buckeyes earned All-American honors, while 14 earned a spot on the first or second team on the women’s side. The Buckeye women finished 12th at the NCAA Championships with 19 points, just two points outside of the top-10, to lead the Great Lakes Region. This outdoor season, the Buckeyes broke eight program records on the women’s side and three on the men’s side and won a collective 12 Big Ten event titles.
Brown, who coaches the sprints (100m, 200m), hurdles (100m, 110m) and the 4x100m relay, had a very successful season winning the Big Ten titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay on both the men’s and women’s sides. The Buckeye women who Brown directly coaches scored 70 points at the Big Ten Championships, finishing 1-2-3 in the 100, 1-2-6 in the 200 and 2-5-6 in the 100m hurdles to contribute largely to the team’s Big Ten title and record-setting number of points. On the men’s side, Brown’s student-athletes scored a collective 48 points. He had five women and four men be named to the All-Big Ten First Team with Eric Harrison also being named Big Ten Male Track Athlete of the Championships. Brown coached eight performances to…
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