Wednesday, June 11, 2008

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - JU women's outdoor track & field head coach Ron Grigg was named the South Region "Coach of the Year" as announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Monday.

This year, the Dolphins claimed their third consecutive outdoor Atlantic Sun Conference Outdoor Championship, earning Grigg his third straight A-Sun "Coach of the Year" honors after the Dolphins 50-point victory. The Dolphins have also won three consecutive A-Sun Indoor Championships, with Grigg again claiming all three "Coach of the Year" Awards. At the 2008 A-Sun Outdoor Championships, the Dolphins scored in every event that they participated except one and had 15 out of 16 athletes score points.

"I am humbled by this award as it is an honor just to be nominated amongst a group of my peers for whom I have the greatest respect," said Grigg. "Coaches awards are really earned by the athletes and the JU women's track team earned this honor with their performances throughout the year, which is a testament to the way they have trained and set goals. I am accepting this award on behalf of JU and all of the staff in the athletic department who work hard to allow us to compete at the highest level."

Also under Grigg's tutelage, juniors Natasha Harvey and Shaquania Lundy will both be competing in the Olympic Trials on July 22 in Eugene, Ore. Harvey and Lundy placed first and second in the long jump at the NCAA East Regionals on May 30, earning them a bid to Wednesday's NCAA Championships and leading the Dolphins to an eighth-place finish overall.