Jonas and Grimes Earn Regional Award

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? On Monday, June 9, the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its regional coach, assistant coach and athlete of the year awards. In the Midwest Region, senior Dusty Jonas was the coaches’ pick for Field Athlete of the Year on the men’s side and Multi-Event and Pole Vault Coach Kris Grimes was selected as Co-Assistant Coach of the Year on the women’s side along with Chris Brown of Oral Roberts.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Following his first national championship at the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships, Jonas has been nearly unstoppable force outdoors. The La Vernia, Texas, native has dominated the competition whether facing collegiate or professional jumpers. In the invitational division of the Drake Relays, Jonas matched the Nebraska outdoor record with a jump of 7-6 1/2 (2.30), leaving 10 of the best jumpers in the country in his wake. Following the meet Jonas stated that 7-8 was within his reach.

 

Less then one month later he fulfilled his goal as he cleared the top mark in the world in 2008 with a jump of 7-8 3/4. The jump broke the Big 12 Conference record and earned Jonas his first Big 12 title. He followed with a victory at the Midwest Region meet as, Jonas stayed clean through the entire competition, earning victory with a jump of 7-7 (2.31). Of the 10 best jumps in the world this year, Jonas owns three.

 

For the second straight year Grimes was selected as one of the top assistants in the region. In 2007 he was selected as the top women’s jumps/combined events coach. Over his three seasons at Nebraska he has coached a total of 14 All-Americans who have earned 21 individual honors. Before the 2008 season is complete, more names may be added to the list with Natalie Willer (pole vault), Erin Hannon (high jump), Kim Shubert (high jump), Chantae McMillan (heptathlon) and Megan Wheatley (heptathlon) all competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

 

At the 2008 Big 12 Conference Championships, Grimes had seven athletes score and two earn Big 12 champions. Shubert won her first Big 12 title in the high jump and Wheatley posted the top score in the heptathlon. The seven athletes scored a total of 49.25 points, which would have been good enough for eighth place in the team standing, more than whole squad from Iowa State, Missouri, OklahomaState and Colorado.

 

Each of the nine regions (Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, South, Southeast, South Central, Midwest, Mountain, West) are presented with a track athlete, field athlete, coach and assistant coach of the year award on both the men’s and women’s side. Across the Midwest, South Central and Mountain Regions, the Big 12 Conference pulled in 13 awards.