Oilers Earn Major Awards & Place 24 on All-Conference Team
Findlay, Ohio- The Great Midwest Athletic Conference released their postseason awards, today, May 26. The University of Findlay men's and women's track and field teams picked up twenty-four awards, ten first team all-conference awards, and three major awards. Jared Krout was tabbed the G-MAC Men's Coach of the Year, Austin Combs was named Field Athlete of the Year, and Shakur Payton was voted Freshman of the Year.
Krout was selected as the top coach in the conference for the second time this year as he was voted the 2022 Men's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year and the 2022 Women's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year this past March. This year, Krout led the men's team to their first ever Great Midwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Title in program history, winning in dominating fashion. Krout coached three athletes who won four different events at the Championship.
Graduate senior and one of the most decorated athletes in program history, Austin Combs was named Field Athlete of the Year after a dominating spring season. Combs took home the honor of Field Athlete of the Meet during the Championship with a win in the hammer throw and runner-up in the discus.
Freshman Shakur 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. Payton finished in the top six in every event he competed in this spring.
For the men, senior Austin Combs (Hammer Throw, Discus), senior Martin Etsey (Triple Jump), and sophomore Noah Fisher (10K, 5K) earned first team all-conference honors for the Oilers as well.
In addition, Savannah Amato (Pole Vault), Hannah Thompson (10K, 5K), Simone Green (Long Jump, Triple Jump), Nicole Fishpaw (4x100 Relay), Jordan Taylor (4x100 Relay), Taylor Ivory (4x100 Relay. 4x400 Relay), and Michaela Butler (4x100 Relay, 100 Dash)all earned first team all-conference honors.