NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season on Monday. Lee University collected four of the eight awards handed out. Stephen Clark and Aria Hawkins were named the Men's and Women's South Region Track Athletes of the Year while Lee University Head Coach Caleb Morgan was selected the Men's and Women's South Region Coach of the Year.
Clark won the 3000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, using a 59.7 final 400 meters to get the job done. Earlier in the season, Clark also won the steeplechase title at the GSC Championships and finished runner-up in the 1500-meter run at the same meet.
Hawkins won the 1500-meter run and finished fourth in the 5000-meter run at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, contributing 15 points to Lee's 20-point total. Earlier in the season, Hawkins starred at the GSC Championships, winning the 1500, 5000 and 10,000-meter events on her way to being named the GSC Women's Most Outstanding Overall Performer and the Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer. Hawkins has also been named the 2026 GSC Women's Track Athlete of the Year for the outdoor season.
Morgan led the Flames and Lady Flames to the team title at the GSC Outdoor Championships with 214 and 257.5 points, respectively. The Flames also finished 20
th and the Lady Flames were 13
th with a program-record 20 points at the 2026 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, led by Clark winning the men's steeplechase and Hawkins winning the 1500-meter championship.
Each of the eight regions – Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West – honored both gender's top track athletes and field athletes as well as the top men's and women's head coaches and assistant coaches.
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches following the conclusion of the 2026 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Emporia, Kansas. Performances from both the NCAA Championships and the regular season were considered. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
The Lee squads combined for a total of 32 USTFCCCA All-South Region award winners by either being one of the top-five individuals in each event from each region or by being a member of the region's top-three relay teams. The Flames had 17 athletes earn All-Region awards, including seven top performers in the South Region. The Lady Flames added 15 athletes to the list with six more top performers.
2026 Regional Awards – South Region
Men's Track Athlete of the Year:
Stephen Clark – Lee (Tenn.)
Women's Track Athlete of the Year:
Aria Hawkins – Lee (Tenn.)
Men's Field Athlete of the Year:
Jake McMillan – Mississippi College
Women's Field Athlete of the Year:
Mikaela Miles – Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
Men's Assistant Coach of the Year:
Gary Ellington – Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
Women's Assistant Coach of the Year:
Laura Loht – Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
Men's Coach of the Year:
Caleb Morgan – Lee (Tenn.)
Women's Coach of the Year:
Caleb Morgan – Lee (Tenn.)
2026 USTFCCCA All-Region Performers – South Region
*Top Performer
