By Jim Henry

Pittsburg State’s Blakelee Winn has been named the Central Region field athlete of the year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Winn, a senior from Pea Ridge, Ark., won the long jump and finished second in the heptathlon at last month’s NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in Emporia, Kan. That accounted for 18 of Pittsburg State’s 63.2 points as the Gorillas finished second in the team standings.

Earlier at the MIAA Championships, Winn won the long jump, finished third in the 100-meter hurdles and ran on the 4x100 relay team that placed third.

Two more athletes from the MIAA received regional awards.

Melanie Roland of Northwest Missouri is the women’s track athlete of the year after winning the 400 meters at the national meet.
Cedric Pearson of Missouri Southern is the men’s field athlete of the year after winning the shot put and taking fifth in the discus at the national meet.

Rinaldo Moore of Minnesota State is the men’s track athlete of the week. He became just the fourth athlete all-time to sweep the 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles at the national meet.

Bryan Schiding of Missouri Southerns received both the men’s and women’s region coach of the year awards. He guided the Lions to their highest finish at the national meet in school history – third place for the men and a tie for third for the women.