The Barton Community College track and field program picked up a trio of post-season awards distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the indoor season.
Headlining the selections were National Field Athletes of the Year as the Cougars swept the awards in Nia Robinson earning the women's and Shakwon Coke garnered the men's award while Assistant Coach James Isaac was named the Central Region's Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
Robinson was a two-time national runner-up at the NJCAA Indoor Championships in setting three seasonal best jumps in scoring 20 points. Robinson's runner-up placings came in the long jump (6.19m, 20-03.75) and a personal best triple jump (12.60m, 41-04.25) along with a 5th place in the high jump (1.70m, 5-07.00). Both of Robinson's long and triple jump marks ranked 7th best in program history.
Coke became the first-ever three-time NJCAA champion winning the long jump on the first day of the Indoor Championships before adding a national runner-up triple jump medal in scoring 18 points. Coke began the meet with a personal best 7.83m (25-08.25) long jump, bettering his program 4th best mark while tying for the No. 7 all-time mark in NJCAA history and the farthest since 2002. Coke, ranking 5th on the Cougars' triple jump all-time list at 16.19m, came up short with his season best 15.53m (50-11.50) effort in slipping to the national runner-up spot getting beat on the final jump of the competition. Coke was also named the Central Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year prior to the national meet.
Barton's men placed national runner-up for the fourth time in the last five seasons while the Cougar women finished fifth overall.
The Cougars compiled thirty-one USTFCCCA All-America awards by virtue of finishing among the top-8 in their events, including as a member of a relay team, at the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Barton begins the outdoor season of the schedule on Friday in the two-day Louisiana Classics hosted by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
All-America Honors (Women)
The Barton women accumulated nineteen All-America performances between eleven Cougars at the Indoor Nationals led by Lashanna Graham, Kayan Green, and Robinson's trio of top eight placings as two others achieved multiple event honors.
Jayda Dillon: 4x400m Relay (4th) – 5pts
Lashanna Graham: 600m (3rd), 4x400m Relay (4th), 4x800m Relay (7th) – 9pts
Kayan Green: 600m (7th), 1000m (6th), 4x800m Relay (7th) – 7pts
Ashantae Harvey: 400m (3rd), 4x400m Relay (4th) – 11pts
Efe Latham: Weight Throw (5th) – 4pts
Deborah Lowe: Pentathlon (7th), 4x800m Relay (7th) – 4pts
Naiya Morgan: 4x400m Relay (4th) – 5pts
Kelsie Murrell-Ross: Shot Put (1st) – 10pts
Danae Nembhard: 4x800m Relay (7th) – 2pts
Nia Robinson: Long Jump (1st), High Jump (5th), Triple Jump (2nd) – 22pts
Jada Sewell: Shot Put (6th) – 3pts
All-America Honors (Men)
On the men's side, the Cougars totaled twelve All-America award performances led by multiple event earners Coke, Elijah Mosley, and Anthony Woods.
Telron Bradford Jr.: 4x400m Relay (4th) – 5pts
Shakwon Coke: Long Jump (1st), Triple Jump (2nd) – 18pts
Jye Gillard: 4x400m Relay (4th) – 5pts
Giovanni Gutierrez: Shot Put (2nd) – 8pts
Brandon Lloyd: Shot Put (3rd) – 6pts
Elijah Mosley: 400m (2nd), 4x400m Relay (4th) – 13pts
Almond Small: 4x400m Relay (4th) – 5pts
Daylin Williams: 60m Hurdles (1st) – 10pts
Anthony Woods: Long Jump (6th), Triple Jump (5th) – 7pts