UK Track & Field Honored with Three Regional Awards
By Jacob Most
June 9, 2014 –
EUGENE, Ore. – The Kentucky Track and Field teams picked up three individual awards as the Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor season were announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
One assistant coach (Andrew Ninow) and two athletes (Kendra Harrison and Andrew Evans) were honored within the Southeast Region. Harrison, who became the first woman to win both the 100 and 400-meter hurdles at the same Southeastern Conference Championships, was name “Track Athlete of the Year.”
Evans, who won the SEC Discus Championship and produced the fourth best discus throw in collegiate history during the regular season was named “Field Athlete of the Year.”
Andrew Ninow, who coached two SEC Champions, three All-SEC selections, a SEC All-Freshman Team member and four NCAA Championship qualifiers in five events earned Men’s Assistant of the Year for the first time in his career.
During the 2014 indoor season, UK had the Southeast Region women’s head coach of the year, women’s assistant coach of the year, and the men’s and women’s track athletes of the year.
Each of the regions, which are the same as those used during the Division I cross country season, honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes and the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches. Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches.
SOUTHEAST REGION FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Andrew Evans — Kentucky
Evans, a senior from Portage, Mich., moved to No. 5 on the all-time collegiate list in the discus with a heave of 217-9 (66.37m) to move ahead of defending national champion Julian Wruck of UCLA both on the official all-time list and the 2014 list. He claimed the SEC title in the discus and qualified in the event to the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST REGION WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR– Kendra Harrison — Kentucky
Harrison, a junior from Clayton, N.C., claimed both the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles titles at the SEC Championships, the latter in a collegiate-leading time of 54.76. She is also ranked No. 3 in the 100-meter hurdles in a windy 12.68, and will contest both hurdles events at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTHEAST REGION MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR— Andrew Ninow — Kentucky
Ninow, in his second year at Kentucky, led Andrew Evans and Raymond Dykstra to SEC championships in the discus and javelin, respectively. Evans’ nation leading throw of 217-9 (66.37m) was the fifth best in NCAA history, and Dykstra’s throw of 250-10 (76.45m) ranks second in the nation and will be the top seed at NCAAs. Ninow also coached Brad Szypka, the Southeast Region’s top shot putter, who has recorded a toss of 65-1½ (19.85m).
