With the 2015 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship coming to a close last Sunday, the Conference’s postseason honors have been determined, as selected by the league’s head coaches.
For the first time since 2011, the same coach won both the men’s and women’s Coach of the Year honors, as Texas’ Mario Sategna swept the awards. Sategna, in his second year at the helm for the Longhorns, led UT to a season sweep of Big 12 Championship team titles. It is the first time that feat has been accomplished since 2006. Sategna has had his team ranked in the top 10 all year, with the UT women currently ranked No. 5 and the men slotted at No. 6.
Baylor sophomore Trayvon Bromell is the Big 12 Men’s Outstanding Performer of the Year. He is the first Bear to earn the honor during the outdoor season since Darold Williamson in 2004. The 2014 Big 12 Freshman of the Year entered the Big 12 Championship as one of many headliners in the men’s sprints, but set himself apart when it mattered most.
The St. Petersburg, Fla., native flew to victory in the men’s 100m final in a wind-aided time of 9.91. Bromell was back on the track an hour later to claim the men’s 200m Big 12 title in 20.64, just edging Senoj-Jay Givans of Texas (20.75). The sophomore also anchored the Baylor 4x100 relay crew to a second-place finish in 39.42.
Texas Tech junior Hannah Carson became the first Red Raider in Big 12 history to be named Outstanding Female Performer of the Year during the outdoor season. Carson, twice named the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Week in 2015, played a crucial role in the Texas Tech women just edging out Kansas and Baylor for third place at the Big 12 Championship.
The Chandler, Ariz., native took home two individual titles from the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship. She started out by blowing away the field in the discus throw with a launch of 53.46m (175-05) on her first attempt. The rest of the field was never able to come within two meters of that mark, as Carson put up the top two throws in the event.
Carson also took home the women’s javelin throw title, edging out Oklahoma’s Elizabeth Herrs. On her third attempt, the TTU junior came up just a meter short of the Big 12 meet record with a launch of 56.36m, a mark that would not be surpassed on the day.
The men’s and women’s Freshman of the Year honors both went to rookies from K-State. It is just the fifth time in Big 12 history that both Freshman of the Year honorees have hailed from the same school.
A’Keyla Mitchell put together a strong all-around performance at the Big 12 Championship, garnering team points for the Wildcats in four events. The freshman took third in the 200m dash (23.09) and sixth in the 100m dash (11.47). She also ran the second leg of the women’s 4x400 relay, as the Wildcats took third in 3:35.15.
Christoff Bryan took third in the men’s high jump, as the top three finishers all cleared 2.24 (7-04.25). With none of the competitors able to clear the next height of 2.27, the final placings came down to number of attempts as JaCorian Duffield and Bradley Adkins took the top spots ahead of Bryan.
Postseason honors are determined by the league’s track & field head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
The 2015 outdoor season continues with NCAA Regional competition May 28-30. The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are scheduled for June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.
2015 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Outstanding Performer of the Year
Men: Trayvon Bromell, Baylor
Women: Hannah Carson, Texas Tech
2015 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Outstanding Freshman of the Year
Men: Christoff Bryan, Kansas State
Women: A’Keyla Mitchell, Kansas State
2015 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year
Men: Mario Sategna, Texas
Women: Mario Sategna, Texas