Texas Athletes Honored with USTFCCCA Regional Awards
AUSTIN, Texas – Three Texas track and field athletes received prestigious regional awards from the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for their outstanding performances during the outdoor season.
Jim Garnham, the assistant coach specializing in vertical jumps and multis, was recognized as the USTFCCCA South Central Regional Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. His coaching prowess guided Leo Neugebauer to consecutive decathlon titles and new collegiate records. Neugebauer’s exceptional achievements under Garnham’s guidance also earned him the USTFCCCA South Central Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year accolade, marking his second time receiving this honor in his career.
Leo Neugebauer dominated the NCAA decathlon rankings from the outset, culminating in a collegiate record score of 8,961 points at the Texas Relays, marking the 7th best performance in world history. Following his record-setting achievement, the All-American also secured a spot in the open discus event at the NCAA outdoor championships, where he earned Honorable Mention All-America honors just one day after completing the decathlon.
In addition, Ackelia Smith was honored as the Women’s South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year. Smith achieved a historic feat for the Longhorns by sweeping the horizontal jumps at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first in school history to do so. She defended her outdoor long jump title with a leap of 6.79m in the third round, concluding her junior season on a high note.
