NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Friday the 49 athletes and coaches that received regional awards for their efforts during the 2010 indoor track & field season in NCAA’s Division II as voted by the nation’s coaches.
Taking home South-Central Region awards included Lincoln University head coach Victor Thomas, being named Women’s Head Coach of the Year and Semoy Hackett, who took home the Women’s Track Athlete of the Year award.
Thomas will return the Blue Tigers to the NCAA Indoor Championships with a No. 1 national ranking. Lincoln scored 100½ points in 2009 to easily take the national title ahead of runner-up Grand Valley State’s 48 points. Thomas guided the Blue Tigers to the number one team ranking for the entire 2010 season. Lincoln justified their top ranking when facing off against the number two team in the nation at the Findlay Open, as the Blue Tigers won the event with 94 points. The Blue Tigers will look to solidify their place at the top of the NCAA Division II standings with a run at the national title in Albuquerque. Thomas will rely on 19 entries in the Championships, including top-ranked Raquel Anderson in the long jump and the top-ranked 4x400-meter relay, to try to bring home the team title.
Hackett, a sophomore from Scarborough, Trinidad & Tobago, a member of The Bowerman preseason watch list, has national top three times in both the 60-meters (7.31) and 200-meters (24.01) and is entered in both events for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Hackett was the winner of many events this season in which competition from both NCAA Division I and II attended, including the 200-meter dash invitational at the Indiana Relays.
Lincoln will compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships beginning this coming Friday, March 12 in Albuquerque, N.M.