NEWMAC Announces Outdoor Track & Field Award Winners SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 2, 2002 - Head coach Paul Souza and freshman Tessa Donahue of conference-champion Wheaton College were named the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coach and Rookie of the Year, respectively. The award winners were voted on by the conference's head track & field coaches. Sousa guided the Lyons to their fourth straight NEWMAC title on Saturday, April 27 in Cambridge, Mass. The defending NCAA Division III national champions captured 12 individual events to win the conference title. Donahue helped Wheaton's 4 X 400-meter relay and 4 X 100-relay teams win NEWMAC championships. She provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship as an individual in the 400 meters, long jump and triple jump, and as part of the 4 X 400-meter relay team at the conference meet. Smith College's Sara Lewicke was name the NEWMAC's Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Lewicke established a conference championship meet record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:51.30) at the 2002 NEWMAC Championship. On the men's side, Halston Taylor, the head coach of MIT's conference championship team, was tabbed NEWMAC Coach of the Year. Taylor led the Engineers to their third NEWMAC crown in four seasons. Springfield College junior Jason Jackson was the NEWMAC Athlete of the Year after his record-setting performance at the 2002 NEWMAC Men's Championship. Jackson established meet records in the 100 meters (10.96) and 200 meters (21.81), and was part of the Pride's record-setting 4 X 100-meter relay team (42.79). Wheaton College freshman Dan Olson was the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year. Olson captured the conference title in the high with a jump of 7-1. The day before the conference championship meet, Olson won the high jump at the Penn Relays. New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference 2002 Outdoor Track & Field Awards Men's Award Winners Athlete of the Year: Jason Jackson, Springfield Rookie of the Year: Dan Olson, Wheaton Coach of the Year: Halston Taylor, MIT Women's Award Winners Athlete of the Year: Sara Lewicki, Smith Rookie of the Year: Tessa Donahue, Wheaton Coach of the Year: Paul Sousa, Wheaton |