SPOKANE, Wash. - Whitworth University had two winners when the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association recognized its 2009 Division III Outdoor Regional Award winners this week. Emmanuel Bofa is the West Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year, while Gary Baskett is the West Region Assistant Coach of the Year. The USTFCCCA selects the top track athlete, field athlete, assistant coach and head coach for each of its eight regions in Division III outdoor track and field. With an automatic qualifying mark of 1:49.93, Bofa (Jr., Puyallup, Wash.) is the third-ranked competitor in the 800 meters entering the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week. His time is a new school record and he has run under 1:50 twice this spring. Bofa is the defending national champion in the event. He also ran a provisional national qualifying time in the 400 meters (48.41) this season. At the Northwest Conference Championships he finished second in the 1500 meters, third in the 800 meters, and anchored the 4x400 meter relay team to a second place finish, helping the Pirates finish second as a team. As Whitworth’s throws coach, fourth-year assistant Baskett has had a tremendous impact on Whitworth's team success. Under Baskett, Whitworth has 11 automatic or provisional national qualifying marks spread across all four throwing events. Baskett's student-athletes scored 73 points at the 2009 Northwest Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, finishing 1-2-3 in the shot put, 3-4-5-7-8 in the javelin, 1-3 in the discus, and 3-4-5 in the hammer. Five of his student-athletes are in Marietta, Ohio this week for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. Three Pirates will compete in the shot put and two others will throw the javelin. The NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week are Thursday through Saturday (May 21-23) at Marietta College. |
