JONESBORO, Ark. (3/8/22) – Fresh off its third consecutive sweep of the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, Arkansas State racked up in conference postseason awards, the league office announced Tuesday.
A-State Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Jim Patchell earned his 14th and 15th Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors, sweeping the men's and women's laurels. By leading the Red Wolves to the indoor sweep, he became the program's all-time winningest coach, capturing his 19th and 20th conference crowns to pass Jay Flanagan.
Carter Shell took Men's Field Performer of the Year honors after becoming A-State's first athlete to win the horizontal jumps double, claiming both the long and triple jumps. Shell is the first A-State jumper to take gold in both events indoor/outdoor combined since Roelf Pienaar did so in 2016 outdoors.
Shell logged personal-best marks in both events, including an indoor-best 7.79 (25-6.75) to defend his indoor crown in the long jump and 15.30m (50-2.5) in the triple jump. He is the program's first to earn the postseason honor since Pienaar in 2016.
Thrower Willem Coertzen capped off a strong debut indoor season with his best performance at the championship meet, earning silver in the men's shot put. The South African rookie hurled the implement 17.00m (55-9.25), which ranks eighth in A-State indoor history.
In the 2022 Indoor All-Sun Belt Conference honors, 29 Red Wolves earned spots on the three-team list – 17 men, 12 women. The first, second and third teams are determined based on an athlete's highest podium finish at the championships. Both Shell and Bennett Pascoe earned first-team honors, while 14 combined athletes achieved a spot on the second team. Thirteen athletes earned third-team distinction for bronze-medal finishes.
NEXT UP
A-State begins its 2022 outdoor season on the Bayou, traveling south to Lafayette, La., for the Louisiana Classics, held March 18-19 at the Ragin' Cajuns Soccer/Track Facility.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the A-State track and field program, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @Arkansas_State_Track on Instagram, while also liking the team's Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.
2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE INDOOR TRACK & FIELD POSTSEASON HONORS
Men's Track Performer of the Year: Kirami Yego, South Alabama
Men's Field Performer of the Year: Carter Shell, Arkansas State
Men's Freshman of the Year: Willem Coertzen, Arkansas State
Men's Newcomer of the Year: Brian West, Texas State
Men's Coach of the Year: Jim Patchell, Arkansas State
Women's Track Performer of the Year: Melissa Jefferson, Coastal Carolina
Women's Field Performer of the Year: Alyssa Wilson, Texas State
Women's Freshman of the Year: Iyana Gray, UTA
Women's Newcomer of the Year: Sophie Daigle, Louisiana
Women's Coach of the Year: Jim Patchell, Arkansas State
A-STATE ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE HONOREES
FIRST TEAM
Men (2)
Bennett Pascoe
Carter Shell
SECOND TEAM
Men (7)
Willem Coertzen
Bradley Jelmert
Frank Massey
Aimar Palma Simo
Jacob Pyeatt
Courtney Thomas
Seth Waters
Women (7)
Rainee Bowers
Namibia Clavier
Sophie Leathers
Marina McDonough
Cheyenne Melvin
Camryn Newton-Smith
Sophia Oury
THIRD TEAM
Men (8)
Kobey Hill
Handre Jonker
Darrian Lockett
Steffan Mallory
Brady Pascoe
Alejandro Vargas
Omari Walker
Coleman Wilson
Women (5)
Lauren Beauchamp
Chastery Fuamatu
Evangelynn Harris
Elizabeth Martin
Sarah Trammel
