Men's Outdoor Track and Field Southern Conference

WCU Head Men's Track and Field Coach Danny Williamson Named Regional Coach of the Year

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina University head track and field coach Danny Williamson has been named the Southeast Region Men's Indoor Coach of the Year, as voted on by his peers, after leading the Catamount men to their second all-time Southern Conference Indoor Championship, doing so in 1999 as well. The 18-year men's head coach has subsequently been invited to attend the awards dinner at the Radisson Hotel in Fayetteville, Ar., on Thursday, Mar. 11 at 7:00 pm with the other regional coaches and athletes of the year.

The award has been given since the NCAA Division I Coaches Association was formed more than 50 years ago. It is awarded to the top coaches and athletes in each NCAA division by the United States Track Coaches Association. The awards are sponsored by Mondo Athletic, which is the number one track surfacing company in the world. National men's and women's Coaches of the Year will be named after the NCAA Championships in Arkansas. Again, the winner will be voted on by his/her peers.

This is the second such honor for Williamson as he was named the Men's Outdoor Regional Coach of the Year in 1999 after leading his men's squad to the SoCon Outdoor Championship. During his time at the helm, he has coached his men's and women's teams to nine different conference championships, including this year's men's first place finish over two-time defending champions Appalachian State by 21 points, and been named either the men's or women's SoCon Coach of the Year 17 times now, including indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.

"These are awards that honor our entire coaching staff as well as all of our athletes," Williamson said. "Great coaches are good because of the people that they surround themselves with. Our assistant coaches (Brandy Venable, Ryan Lewis, Johnny Bomar and Dr. Jack Wakeley) have done an outstanding job in their areas of preparation so far this season and it has shown in the results that we are getting from our athletes.

"Coaches are only as good as the level that they can get their athletes to perform at," Williamson continued. "Our athletes have done an outstanding job of buying into what we ask them to do and trusting that what we ask them to do will actually allow them to improve upon what they are attempting to accomplish."