HOBBS, N.M. - Southwestern Community College Assistant Track & Field Coach Mark Evans was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Women's Assistant Coach of the Year during an awards ceremony at the NJCAA Outdoor National Championships on May 20.

Regional Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2023 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on May 17 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Each of the four regions – Atlantic, Central, Midwest and West – honored both genders' 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 prior to the NJCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

It marks the first time in program history a Spartan athlete or coach has received a regional award from the USTFCCCA.

Evans, who primarily coached field event athletes this past season for the Spartans, was shocked to learn he won the award. The USTFCCCA's Midwest Region includes schools from Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi.

"When it came time to submit nominations this year, it was a no-brainer for me to nominate Mark," said Scott Vicker, director of cross country/track & field at SWCC. "The success he had with the athletes he coached this year was incredible. Plus, from my standpoint, I wouldn't be able to do what I do without Mark's help."

This outdoor season, Evans coached four women's national qualifiers. Sophomore Molly Venteicher qualified in three events - shot put, hammer throw, and javelin - while sophomore Brianna Osterson qualified in the javelin. It marked the most women's events qualified to nationals in a single year in program history. The Spartan women had never qualified more than one event to nationals in a season previously.

Venteicher broke school records in the shot put and hammer throw, while Osterson broke the school record in the javelin. In the USTFCCCA's #EventSquad rankings, Evans' athletes ranked fourth nationally in the javelin, fifth in the discus, and 12th in the shot put.

"Some of the other nominees coached more national qualifiers, but when you look at the size of our roster compared to theirs, Mark really stood out with his four national qualifiers," Vicker said. "I was hopeful he would win, but nervous at the same time. Coach Evans is one of the most popular people when we go to meets. He is always making new friends with coaches from other schools and learning new ways to help his own athletes. I'm glad the other head coaches recognized what he has done for our program in his eight years as an assistant coach, but specifically what he did this year. In my mind, no one deserves this award more than Mark."

Evans has coached four All-Americans in his time at Southwestern Community College, including Venteicher this past winter in the indoor weight throw.