2018-19 All-Conference Team (PDF)
INDIANAPOLIS – Student-athletes from all 14 member institutions were honored as selections by virtue of their finish at the awards podium for the 2018-19 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field All-Conference Team.
Placement on the list has become increasingly difficult as the league has expanded in recent history. The conference jumped from eight to 13 members in 2017-18 while the addition of Tiffin has upped the ante that much more in both men’s and women’s events across the board.
Honorees for the first, second and third team, along with individual award winners were also unveiled as the NCAA DII Championships concluded in Pittsburg, Kan., where the conference had four national champs rise and a record 29 All-Americans crowned.
The 2019 Great Midwest Indoor Championships were conducted at the University of Findlay this year. Tiffin swept both men’s and women’s team championship titles in the Dragons’ first year participating as a member school.
Similar to what was announced for individual honors at the meet, the yearly awards carried over for select student-athletes as the coaches cast their votes.
The Great Midwest Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and Freshman of the Year was Findlay speedster Xavier Marable, an All-American in the 400-meter dash this winter. From Clayton, Ohio, Marable is knocking on the door of former UF standout George Effah’s indoor 400-meter record.
He currently owns three of the top four marks all-time in conference history in the 400, including the meet record.
Continuing yearly honors on the men’s side for Findlay was senior thrower Eldred Henry, who captured a national championship in the shot put. He broke the overall Division II record in the event at the conference championship meet and also shattered the DII championship record in Kansas.
Walsh junior distance runner Andra Lehotay was a two-time All-American at nationals this year in the mile and the distance medley relay as she secured Great Midwest Women’s Track Athlete of the Year status.
The Great Midwest Women’s Freshman of the Year award went to Hillsdale sprinter Kajsa Johansson and the Great Midwest Women’s Field Athlete of the Year went to Tiffin’s Miaisha Blair, the league’s triple jump record holder.
Johansson was a mere 0.01 seconds away from matching the conference record in the 60-meter dash at the Great Midwest indoor meet.
Earning Great Midwest Coach of the Year honors as voted upon by his peers for both genders was Tiffin’s Jeremy Croy. His staff guided the Dragons to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships on the men’s side and the conference championship sweep.
The outdoor season is underway for a handful of teams already and the conference will look to take aim at more standards in the record books on their way to nationals held in Javelina, Texas, in late May.