(Photo curtesy of Boise Brave XCTF Twitter)
On Wednesday, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its selections for the 2022 High School Track & Field Coaches of the Year awards. Boise's Aaron Olswanger was named the USTFCCCA girls coach of the year, while Brett Hill of Sugar-Salem was named the boys coach of the year.
Now in the eighth year of the award selection, the USTFCCCA recognizes one boys and one girls high school track and field coach from each state, including the District of Columbia, for a total of 102 honorees.
A committee determines the state-by-state award winners based on a variety of factors, including overall team performance and other specific metrics such as team score at state championship meets, championship margins of victory, individual championship wins and performances in relation to rankings and team history.
State winners are eligible for the National High School Track & Field Coaches of The Year awards given to the top boys and girls track and field coaches, both chosen by a USTFCCCA expert panel and set for release next month.
Olswanger led the Lady Brave to a 5A state championship this past season, while Hill led the Sugar-Salem boys to a 3A state title. For Olswanger, this was his first ever girls track and field state title, while Hill has guided the boys to seven 3A state titles, including two three-peats (2013-2015, 2017-2019). It should also be noted, Hill has guided the Sugar-Salem girls to five, 3A state championships as well.
These two coaches have also shared success in the cross country world, where Olswanger has led the Lady Brave to four consecutive, 5A state titles (2018-2021), also garnering national coach of the year in 2020; Hill has led Sugar-Salem boys to the 3A state title six consecutive years (2015-2021, no 2020) and the girls team to five, 3A state titles (2012, 2013, 2017-2019).
Scroll below to see a list of all the USTFCCCA High School Boys and Girls Track & Field Coaches of the Year award winners by state.
2022 USTFCCCA High School Boys T&F Coaches of the Year - State-by-State | ||
State | Coach Name | School |
Alabama | Pat Galle | UMS-Wright Preparatory School |
Alaska | Leslie Varys | Wasilla High School |
Arizona | James Ward | McClintock High School |
Arkansas | John Koonce | El Dorado High School |
California | Gary Davis | Central High School |
Colorado | Scott Dickinson | Longmont High School |
Connecticut | Michele Moore | James Hillhouse High School |
Delaware | Tim Byrne | Salesianum School |
District of Columbia | Desmond Dunham | St. John's College High School |
Florida | Todd Brigman | Niceville High School |
Georgia | Nick Houstoulakis | Marietta High School |
Hawaii | Todd Iacovelli | Punahou School |
Idaho | Brett Hill | Sugar-Salem High School |
Illinois | Dennis Piron | Batavia High School |
Indiana | Brian Pelkey | Plainfield High School |
Iowa | Jarred Herring | Dowling Catholic High School |
Kansas | Tyler Ryan | Andale High School |
Kentucky | David Stewart | Saint Xavier High School |
Louisiana | Steven Fitzhugh | Ouachita Christian School |
Maine | Derek Veilleux | Scarborough High School |
Maryland | Pat Hodge | Calvert Hall College High School |
Massachusetts | Shawn Wallace | Newton North High School |
Michigan | Jonathan Rodriguez | Berrien Springs High School |
Minnesota | Eric Johnson | Andover High School |
Mississippi | Darien Dorsey | Brookhaven High School |
Missouri | Neal Blackburn | Rock Bridge High School |
Montana | Jeremy Anderson | Beaverhead County High School |
Nebraska | Matt McKay | Sidney High School |
Nevada | Paul DeLeon | Robert McQueen High School |
New Hampshire | Mike Lyford | Portsmouth High School |
New Jersey | Ronn Flaim | Delsea Regional High School |
New Mexico | Joey Fernandez | St. Michael's High School |
New York | John Leonard | La Salle Institute |
North Carolina | TeQuille Jackson | James B. Dudley High School |
North Dakota | Joshua Allmaras | Kindred High School |
Ohio | Ted Ginn | Glenville High School |
Oklahoma | Phillip Koons | Ringling High School |
Oregon | Dave Frank | Central Catholic High School |
Pennsylvania | Mike Seybert | Butler Senior High School |
Rhode Island | Eldon Santiago | La Salle Academy |
South Carolina | Bill Muhn | Philip Simmons High School |
South Dakota | Misty Larson | Chester High School |
Tennessee | Rashad Haynes | Memphis Central High School |
Texas | Shelton Ervin | Summer Creek High School |
Utah | Devin Moody | Corner Canyon High School |
Vermont | Jessica LaPlante | Champlain Valley Union High School |
Virginia | Scott Raczko | South Lakes High School |
Washington | Eric Hisaw | Walla Walla High School |
West Virginia | Ed Fronapfel | University High School |
Wisconsin | Matt Buchman | Chetek-Weyerhaeuser High School |
Wyoming | Mike Lashley | Lingle-Ft. Laramie High School |