Posted: June 23, 2005

Athletics: USATF Release: USATF News & Notes, Volume 6: Number 49

The USTFCCCA announced national coaches and athletes of the Year

Men's Coach of the Year: John McDonnell, University of Arkansas

McDonnell continued his legacy of success as the 2005 track & field season came to a close winning an unprecedented 41st NCAA title, the largest collection of any NCAA Division I track program. McDonnell was named the 2005 South Central District Men's Coach of the Year and the 2005 Mideast Region Men's Coach of the year by the USTFCCCA.

His Razorbacks racked their 12th SEC title in 14 years and prevailed as the 2005 NCAA Mideast Region Champions sending a record 26 athletes to compete. In the process, the Razorbacks sent 15 athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

McDonnell led the Razorbacks to the 2005 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championship and the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. In addition, he was named 2005 Men's South Central Indoor Coach of the Year and the 2005 Men's National Indoor Coach of the Year.

Women's Coach of the Year: Beverly Kearney, University of Texas

Kearney led the Texas women to win their 10th NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship as well as the 2005 NCAA Midwest Region Championship. The Longhorns sent seven athletes and two relay teams to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Kearney's squads have claimed three outdoor and two indoor NCAA titles, all of which have come since 1988. At the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, Kearney coached her team to a second-place overall finish where their dominance in the relay events continued by winning 17 of 18 relays.

Kearney was named as the 2005 Midwest Region Women's Coach of the Year which added to her collection of eight district coaching awards and 12 conference coach of the year awards.

Athletes of the Year: Kerron Clement, Florida; Marshevet Hooker, Texas

The University of Florida's Kerron Clemont received the men's award while the University of Texas' Marshevet Hooker received the women's award.

Clement is the 2005 NCAA 400m hurdles Outdoor champion. He also broke the NCAA Outdoor Championship and collegiate meet record as well as posting the world's fastest time this year at 47.56 in his championship performance. Clement is the first athlete to win the 400m hurdle title in back to back seasons in the past 20 years. In addition to being named the 2005 Men's Athlete of the Year, Clement was also the recipient of the 2005 Men's South District Athlete of the Year and the 2005 Men's East Region Athlete of the Year awards.

At the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Hooker won the 100m and was the runner-up in the long jump and anchored the Longhorns to a first-place finish in the 4x100m relay. She secured three individual Big 12 titles and anchored the 4x100-meter relay to its ninth consecutive conference crown at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship. She won the 100m with the nation's fastest time and a personal best of 11.12. She also went on to win the 200m, finishing at 22.80, after setting a personal best of 22.73 during the prelims.

Hooker has won a collection of awards this season including the Women's South Central District Athlete of the Year, the Big 12 Women's Track and Field Performer of the Year, and was named as a finalist for the 2004-05 Honda Sports Award for Track & Field. Hooker's performances at the Big 12 Championship earned her high-point scorer honors with 32.5 points, breaking the record for most points scored at an indoor or outdoor conference championship.

Gault sets M40 American record

Willie Gaultadded to his M40 American record list after running 21.80 seconds in the 200m during the Southern California Association USATF Masters Championships on June 11 at West Los Angeles College in Culver City, California.

Earlier at the meet, the 44-year-old anchored a 4x100m relay that ran 41.4 (hand-timed) that bettered the listed world record. Gault also holds the M40 American record at 100m after running 10.73 at Occidental College in early May.

For more details on the SCA meet /www.masterstrack.com.