USTFCCCA All-Region Awards Announced
Findlay, Ohio – U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recently released their 2022 NCAA Division II All-Region list for the outdoor track and field season. The University of Findlay had eleven women on the list while the men had six. Top-5 individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region honors, in addition to each of the members of a top-3 ranked relay team.
The 4x100 relay team consisted of Nicole Fishpaw, Taylor Ivory, Jordan Taylor, and Michaela Butler all of whom were named to the list. They were also all named first team all-conference.
Savannah Amato earns all-region after a standout season. The pole vaulter finished in sixth at the NCAA DII National Championship by clearing 4.15m leading her to all-American status. She also took the top spot at the Great Midwest Championship and was tabbed as an all-conference selection. Amato, arguably one of the best female pole vaulters in program history, figuratively and literally raised the bar all season long and notably at the Al Owens Classic in Allendale, Michigan. Amato took first place in the event, setting a new conference and school record in the process. She cleared a height of 4.27m (14'00"). Continuing the dominating performances in the pole vault was Morgan England. England never finished outside of the top three this season.
Paige Emnett and Trista Fintel were both tabbed with the honor. Emnett was named all-region in both the shot put and hammer throw. Emnett, who was also tabbed first-team all conference, had a breakout performance at the NCAA DII National Championship. She was originally seeded twelfth in the event, finished third in the shot put with a throw of 15.55m earning her all-American status. Fintel also was tabbed first team all-conference and earned a trip to the National Championship. She finished in eighth at the event with a throw of 14.74m.
Earning multiple all-region honors this season is Simone Green who picks up the honor in both the long jump and triple jump. Green's dominating year was highlighted by becoming the first female in program history to eclipse the 12-meter mark in the triple jump, reaching a distance of 12.02m (39'05.25") at the Findlay Alumni Classic. That effort eclipsed the previous mark of 11.98m by Kacie Lackey, a record which had stood since 1994. Her jump also set a new G-MAC record, as well, breaking her own mark of 11.83m set earlier this season.
Kylie Ray earned the honor in the 400m hurdles. She took a trip to the NCAA DII National Championship in the event. She was ranked eighteenth in her first national championship meet and finished thirteenth in the nation with a time of 1:01.14.
Hannah Thompson, who rewrote Findlay's record book in distance running, finds her name on the list for both the 5K and 10K. Thompson was tabbed first team all-conference after being the top finisher at the Great Midwest Championship in both the 5K and 10K. She would move onto the NCAA DII National Championship in both the 5K and 10K. She earned all-American honors after finishing sixth in the 10K. She currently holds the outdoor program record in both the 5K and 10K.
Austin Combs adds another honor to his resume in the hammer throw. He continued to dominate in his final season in the orange and black, finishing on top at the Great Midwest Championship to add yet another first team all-conference accolade and named G-MAC Field Athlete of the Year. He would finish runner-up in the hammer throw at the NCAA Division II National Championship. With his second place finish, Combs earned all-American honors. This is his fourth all-American honor in the event.
Also earning multiple honors, Elliot Cummings picks up the accolade in both the long jump and triple jump. Joining Cummings, Martin Etsey also earned the honors in the triple jump. Etsey took first in the triple jump at the Great Midwest Championship, while Cummings took runner-up in both the triple jump and long jump.
Noah Fisher earns the honor after dominating the year in the 10K. Fisher took the Great Midwest Championship top spot in the event before being named first team all-conference. He punched his ticket to the NCAA DII National Championship and finished fifteenth in the nation in the event.
Gabe Makin earned the honors in the pole vault. His year was highlighted by a trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship. He was ranked fifteenth entering the competition and finished tenth clearing 5.10m. His record moves to the third spot in program history.
Shakur Payton finds himself with the honor in the high jump. Payton was voted Freshman of the Year after a standout performance this spring. He was runner-up at the Great Midwest Championship in the high jump and finished in the top six in every event he competed in this spring.