Hunt, Lancaster Selected as National Athletes of Year; Coaches Hughes and Kalnas Honored

Hunt, Lancaster Selected as National Athletes of Year; Coaches Hughes and Kalnas Honored

Just like they did during the recently completed 2019 men's and women's track and field season, Roadrunner athletes and coaches swept to victory when it came to receiving national honors. RCGC's Adam Hunt and Elisia Lancaster, head coach Ryan Hughes and Assistant Coach Joe Kalnas were the big winners in the selection of the 2019 awards announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). See below.

NATIONAL ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Men's Field – Adam Hunt, Rowan-Gloucester
Hunt, a sophomore from Collingswood, scored 26 points at the national meet behind an individual win in the discus and runner-up finishes in both the hammer and shot put. During the regular season Hunt was the top-ranked athlete nationally in the discus, hammer and the shot put. He unofficially broke the NJCAA DIII record in the hammer at the Danny Curran Invitational with a heave of 53.30m (174-11).

Women's Field – Elisia Lancaster, Rowan-Gloucester
Lancaster, a sophomore from Glassboro, scored 30 points at the national meet behind individual titles in the discus, hammer and shot put. It was in both the hammer and the shot put where Lancaster broke meet records with her throws of 52.10m (170-11) and 13.24m (43-5¼), respectively. During the regular season, she won six event titles and competed at the prestigious Penn Relays against athletes from every other collegiate division. This is the 2nd year in a row Elisia has won the title of National Athlete of the Year.

NATIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR
Men's Coach – Ryan Hughes, Rowan-Gloucester
Hughes, in his 15th year as head coach, led the Roadrunners to the team title with 131 points. Athletes from Rowan-Gloucester scored in 14 different events in Utica, New York, with a lion's share coming in the field events. During the regular season, Roadrunner athletes were ranked No. 1 nationally in five events. This is the second year in a row that Coach Hughes has earned the honor of National Coach of the Year.

Men's Assistant – Joseph Kalnas, Rowan-Gloucester
Kalnas, in his 13th year assisting the Roadrunners, watched his throwers put together a masterful performance at the national meet. Rowan-Gloucester athletes scored 69 points between the four throwing events, including an unprecedented 1-2-3 sweep in the shot put, a 2-3-4 finish in the hammer and individual titles in the discus and javelin as well. During the regular season, those athletes coached by Kalnas dotted the national top-5's and received the only invitation handed out to an NJCAA DIII thrower to the prestigious Penn Relays. Kalnas also won Women's Assistant honors. Rowan-Gloucester athletes scored 61 points in the National Championship meet between the four throwing events, which included sweeps of the top-2 places in the hammer and shot put. This is Coach Kalnas' second time winning this prestigious award.

Women's Assistant – Joseph Kalnas, Rowan-Gloucester

Kalnas, in his 13th year assisting the Roadrunners, watched his throwers dominate the national meet. Rowan-Gloucester athletes scored 61 points between the four throwing events, which included sweeps of the top-2 places in the hammer and shot put. Elisia Lancaster broke meet records in both the hammer and shot put en route to individual titles in those events as well as winning Discus. During the regular season, the Roadrunners were ranked in the top-5 nationally in each of the four throws, including national leaders in the discus, hammer and shot put.