Barton's Robinson and Dixon earn Regional track and field honors; Cougars accumulate nation's third best 41 All-America awards #GoBarton

The Barton Community College track and field program picked up a pair of post-season regional awards and All-America honors distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the outdoor season.

Headlining the post-season honors were Central Region Female Field Athlete of the Year Nia Robinson, along with Emmanuel Dixon voted the Central Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.

Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches prior to the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

Robinson went into the national meet having posted the top marks in both the long jump (6.40m, 21-00.00) and triple jump (12.87m, 42-02.75), as well as, was second ranked in the high jump. The sophomore from Lucea, Jamaica, won all three events at the 2022 Region VI Championships as her 30 points earned the High Point Athlete of the Meet award.

Already owning the program long jump record of 6.56m (21-06.25) set last season, Robinson recently marked the program's 5th best triple jump (12.87m, 42-02.75) and 3rd best high jump (1.80m, 5-10.75) at the Region VI Championships.

Although this year's national meet didn't turn out as expected, Robinson still brought home a third place medal in the long jump and a national runner-up silver in the high jump.

The 2022 outdoor award chalks up stellar career of USTFCCC outdoor Awards as the University of South Florida signee earned two National Athlete of the Week in becoming one of five Barton women and the second two-time winner in women's program history.

In his first season as assistant coach, Dixon primarily instructed the sprint and hurdles, six of his Cougars in the top-3 spots of the Central Region in individual events, plus two top-2 relay spots. Two of his athletes, Ashantae Harvey and Lashanna Graham, lead the 400m and 400m hurdles, respectively, and were members on the nation's leading 4×400m squad as well. Dixon was earlier named the Men's Assistant Coach of the Region VI Outdoor Championships and joins fellow assistant coach James Isaac's indoor honor giving the Cougars a sweep of the region women's coaching staff distinction from the track and field season.

In other coaching awards given out by USTFCCCA, Barton's wide stretch of former athletes and coaches dotted the end of the season honors. Headlining the list was former Cougar standout Tabarie Henry, now at New Mexico Junior College, being named the National Women's Assistant Coach of the Year to add to his West Region Assistant Coach of the Year award. Former Barton coach Keith Blackwill, now into his 16th year leading the New Mexico JC program, was named the West Region's Women's Head Coach of the Year. Former Barton thrower Glenwood Edwards Jr. was named the Central Region's Men's Assistant Coach of the Year in his 5th season at Region VI member Cowley College while former track standout Shellene Williams-Davis earned the Midwest Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year in her 10th season as Associate Head Coach at Iowa Western Community College.

Barton's men placed 3rd at the National Championships, finishing among the top three for the fifth straight year at the national meet as the women were two points shy of hardware in a 4th place showing marking the fifth straight season of placing in the top five.

The Cougars compiled a meet third best 41 All-America awards by virtue of finishing among the top-8 in an event, including as a member of a relay team, at the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

All-America Awards (Women)
The Barton women accumulated 90 points at Nationals twenty-four All-America performances between twelve Cougars led by the trio of awards earned by Lashanna Graham and Ashantae Harvey and Kelsie Murrell-Ross' national title.

Jayda Dillon: 100m (5th), 200m (8th), 4x100m Relay (4th) – 10pts
Lashanna Graham: 400m (7th), 400m Hurdles (2nd), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 16pts
Kayan Green: 800m (7th), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 8pts
Ashantae Harvey: 400m (2nd), 4x100m Relay (4th), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 19pts
Brittania Ingram: Triple Jump (7th) – 2pts
Deborah Lowe: Heptathlon (5th), 400m Hurdles (6th) – 7pts
Naiya Morgan: 4x100m Relay (4th), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 11pts
Kelsie Murrell-Ross: Shot Put (1st), Discus (3rd) – 16pts
Danae Nembhard: 100m Hurdles (3rd), 4x100m Relay (4th) – 11pts
Nia Robinson: Long Jump (3rd), High Jump (2nd) – 14pts
Ariana Rodriguez: Hammer Throw (7th) – 2pts
Jada Sewell: Hammer Throw (2nd) – 8pts

All-America Awards (Men)
On the men's side, Barton compiled 68 points at Nationals behind seventeen All-America award performances between ten Cougars led by the trio of awards earned by Telron Bradford Jr. and Almond Small, to go along with, the national titles won by Giovanni Gutierrez, Elijah Mosley, and Anthony Woods.

Telron Bradford Jr.: 400m (7th), 4x100m Relay (6th), 4x400m Relay (2nd) – 13pts
Shakwon Coke: Long Jump (2nd) – 8pts
Andrew Ferguson: 4x100m Relay (6th) – 3pts
Giovanni Gutierrez: Shot Put (1st), Hammer Throw (7th) – 12pts
Brandon Lloyd: Discus Throw (2nd) – 8pts
Elijah Mosley: 400m (1st), 4x100m Relay (6th) – 13pts
Marcus Purcell: 4x100m Relay (6th) – 3pts
Almond Small: 200m (5th), 4x100m Relay (6th), 4x100m Relay (6th) – 10pts
Cedric Williams: 4x100m Relay (6th) – 3pts
Anthony Woods: Long Jump (1st), Triple Jump (6th) – 13pts

Complete list of 2022 USTFCCCA Outdoor Awards