2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Regional Awards

NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country season were announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the season.

Regional Award History: Athletes of the Year | Coaches of the Year

Many of these athletes and coaches ended their season this past weekend at the 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida.

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

Men’s Athletes of the Year

The Dan McClimon Award

GREAT LAKES REGION — Morgan Beadlescomb — Michigan State

Beadlescomb, who hails from Algonac, Michigan, was the Great Lakes Region’s top finisher at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and capped a strong season with a fifth-place showing in Tallahassee, Florida. Earlier in the season, Beadlescomb placed third at the Great Lakes Region Championships, fourth at the Big Ten Championships and eighth at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

The Charles Werner Award

MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Haftu Strintzos — Villanova

Strintzos, who hails from Victoria, Australia, was the Mid-Atlantic Region’s top finisher at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and put a bow on a great season with a ninth-place finish in Tallahassee, Florida. Earlier in the season, Strintzos won the individual title at the Princeton Invitational and finished second at both the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships and the BIG EAST Championships.

The Bill Bergan Award

MIDWEST REGION — Wesley Kiptoo — Iowa State

Kiptoo, who hails from Marakwet, Kenya, polished off another sensational campaign with a runner-up showing at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and paced the Cyclones to a runner-up finish in the team standings. Earlier in the season, Kiptoo won three individual titles – Midwest Region Championships, Big 12 Championships and the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational – and finished runner-up at the Roy Griak Invitational.

MOUNTAIN REGION — Conner Mantz — BYU

Mantz, who hails from Smithfield, Utah, capped an undefeated season with an individual title at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Mantz also placed first at three other notable meets: the Mountain Region Championships; the West Coast Conference Championships; and the FSU Invite/Pre-National.

The Fred Tootell Award

NORTHEAST REGION — Graham Blanks — Harvard

Blanks, who hails from Athens, Georgia, was the Northeast Region’s top finisher at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships with a 23rd-place showing. Earlier in the season, Blanks finished runner-up at the Northeast Region Championships, fifth at the Ivy League Heptagonal XC Championships and 28th at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

SOUTH REGION — Adriaan Wildschutt — Florida State

Wildschutt, who hails from Ceres, South Africa, snagged a sixth-place finish on his home course at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida. Earlier in the season, Wildschutt captured individual titles at both the South Region Championships and the ACC Championships, and was the runner-up at the FSU Invite/Pre-National.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Amon Kemboi — Arkansas

Kemboi, who hails from Kapsabet, Kenya, was the South Central Region’s top finisher at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships with a 12th-place finish and paced the Razorbacks to a podium finish. Earlier in the season, Kemboi finished runner-up at the SEC Championships, placed fifth at the South Central Region Championships and took 10th at the FSU Invite/Pre-National.

SOUTHEAST REGION — Athanas Kioko — Campbell

Kioko, who hails from Kenya, delivered a third-place finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Kioko won individual titles at both the Southeast Region Championships and the Big South Championships, among others.

The John Chaplin Award

WEST REGION — Charles Hicks — Stanford

Hicks, who hails from Jacksonville, Florida, finished fourth in his home state at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Hicks won the individual title at the Pac-12 Championships, finished runner-up at the West Region Championships and took third at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

Men’s Coaches of the Year

The Billy Hayes Award

GREAT LAKES REGION — Sean Carlson — Notre Dame

Carlson, in his third year as head coach at Notre Dame, led the Irish to the team title at both the Great Lakes Region Championships and the ACC Championships. Notre Dame also finished ninth at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

The Harry Groves Award

MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Jason Vigilante — Princeton

Vigilante, in his 10th year as head coach at Princeton, led the Tigers to team titles at both the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships and Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. Princeton also finished 23rd at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

The Roy Griak Award

MIDWEST REGION — Jeremy Sudbury — Iowa State

Sudbury, in his first year as head coach at Iowa State, led the Cyclones to a runner-up team finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Iowa State was also the runner-up at both the Midwest Region Championships and Big 12 Championships.

The Chick Hislop Award

MOUNTAIN REGION — Michael Smith — Northern Arizona

Smith, in his fifth year as head coach at Northern Arizona, led the Lumberjacks to the team title at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in a dominant effort. Earlier in the season, NAU finished runner-up at the Mountain Region Championships and topped the podium at the Big Sky Championships. The Lumberjacks also won the team title at the Pre-National/Florida State Invitational.

The Robert Grieve Award

NORTHEAST REGION — Alex Gibby — Harvard

Gibby, in his fifth year as head coach at Harvard, led the Crimson to second-place finishes at both the Northeast Region Championships and Ivy League Heptagonal Championships before a 12th-place finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

The Dave Walker Award

SOUTH REGION — Ryan Vanhoy — Ole Miss

Vanhoy, in his ninth year as head coach at Ole Miss, led the Rebels to the team title at the South Region Championships and a second-place finish at the SEC Championships. Ole Miss also finished 15th at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

The Johnny Morriss Award

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Chris Bucknam — Arkansas

Bucknam, in his 14th year as head coach at Arkansas, led the Razorbacks to a fourth-place finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Arkansas also won the team title at the SEC Championships and finished as runner-up at the South Central Region Championships.

SOUTHEAST REGION — John Hayes — Wake Forest

Hayes, in his sixth year as head coach at Wake Forest, led the Demon Deacons to the team title at the Southeast Region Championships as well as a third-place finish at the ACC Championships. Wake Forest also finished 10th at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

The Dean Miller Award

WEST REGION — J.J. Clark — Stanford

Clark, in his third year as head coach at Stanford, led the Cardinal to the team title at the West Region Championships. Stanford also finished second at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and second at the Pac-12 Championships.

Women’s Athletes of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Maddy Denner — Notre Dame

Denner, who hails from El Dorado Hills, California, never finished outside of the top-10 in the postseason and capped that with a ninth-place finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Denner won the individual title at the Great Lakes Region Championships, placed ninth at the ACC Championships and was 21st at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Ceili McCabe — West Virginia

McCabe, who hails from Vancouver, British Columbia, capped a breakout season at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships, where she placed third. She entered the NCAA meet undefeated with victories at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships, the Big 12 Championships as well as the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

MIDWEST REGION — Cailie Logue — Iowa State

Logue, who hails from Erie, Kansas, finished fourth at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships, eight days after winning the individual title in the Midwest Region. Earlier in the season, Logue finished runner-up at the Big 12 Championships and was seventh at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

MOUNTAIN REGION — Whittni Orton — BYU

Orton, who hails from Panguitch, Utah, capped an undefeated season when she won the individual title at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Orton also placed first at the West Coast Conference Championships and the FSU XC Open.

NORTHEAST REGION — Kayley DeLay — Yale

DeLay, who hails from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, finished 10th in her home state at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, DeLay won individual titles at both the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships and the XC23 Invitational, as well as placed runner-up at the Northeast Region Championships.

SOUTH REGION — Mercy Chelangat — Alabama

Chelangat, who hails from Kericho, Kenya, polished off a sensational campaign with a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Chelangat won individual titles at both the South Region Championships and the SEC Championships.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Grace Forbes — Rice

Forbes, who hails from Wallingford, Pennsylvania, entered the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships on quite the hot streak. She won individual titles at three consecutive meets, which included the South Central Region Championships, the Conference USA Championships, as well as the Arturo Barrios Invitational. Forbes ended up 45th at the NCAA Championships.

SOUTHEAST REGION — Kelsey Chmiel — NC State

Chmiel, who hails from Saratoga Springs, New York, finished sixth at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and paced the Wolfpack to the national title. Just eight days earlier, Chmiel won the individual title at the Southeast Region Championships. Two weeks before that, Chmiel placed first at the ACC Championships. Chmiel also took runner-up honors at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

WEST REGION — Julia Heymach — Stanford

Heymach, who hails from Houston, Texas, won the individual title at the West Region Championships and then took 13th at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

Women’s Coaches of the Year

GREAT LAKES REGION — Matt Sparks — Notre Dame

Sparks, in his fourth year at Notre Dame, led the Fighting Irish to the team title at the Great Lakes Region Championships and a fifth-place finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, Notre Dame finished fifth at the ACC Championships.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION — Sean Cleary — West Virginia

Cleary, in his 15th year as head coach at West Virginia, led the Mountaineers to a runner-up team finish at the Mid-Atlantic Region Championships. West Virginia also finished third at the Big 12 Championships and 21st at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Ceili McCabe, Cleary’s prized pupil, entered the NCAA meet undefeated and eventually finished third in Tallahassee, Florida.

MIDWEST REGION — Sarah Hopkins — Minnesota

Hopkins, in her ninth year as head coach at Minnesota, led the Golden Gophers to the team title at both the Midwest Region Championships and Big Ten Championships. Minnesota was also seventh at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

The Patrick Shane Award

MOUNTAIN REGION — Diljeet Taylor — BYU

Taylor, in her sixth year as head coach at BYU, led the Cougars to a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. BYU also won the team title at the West Coast Conference Championships and finished third at the Mountain Region Championships.

The Ray Treacy Award

NORTHEAST REGION — Alex Gibby — Harvard

Gibby, in his fifth year as head coach at Harvard, led the Crimson to the team title at both the Northeast Region Championships and Ivy League Heptagonal Championships. Harvard also finished 25th at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

SOUTH REGION — Ryan Vanhoy — Ole Miss

Vanhoy, in his ninth year as head coach at Ole Miss, led the Rebels to the team title at the South Region Championships. Ole Miss also finished 10th at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and second at the SEC Championships.

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION — Jim Bevan — Rice

Bevan, in his 17th year as head coach at Rice, led the Owls to a second-place finish at the South Central Region Championships and a third-place finish at the Conference USA Championships. Rice also finished 31st at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships in the team’s first appearance at the meet in 11 years.

The Rollie Geiger Award

SOUTHEAST REGION — Laurie Henes — NC State

Henes, in her 16th year as head coach at NC State, led the Wolfpack to the national title at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships. Earlier in the season, NC State also won team titles at the Southeast Region Championships and ACC Championships.

The Tom Heinonen Award

WEST REGION — J.J. Clark — Stanford

Clark, in his third year as head coach at Stanford, led the Cardinal to the team title at the West Region Championships. Stanford also finished sixth at the 2021 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships and fifth at the Pac-12 Championships.