Booth, Anderson Named National Assistant Coaches of the Year in D-I

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the National Assistant Coaches of the Year for the 2011 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field season. Florida assistant Dick Booth earned the men’s award as his jumpers would score 30 of the Gators’ national-championship point tally. Texas A&M’s Vince Anderson won the women’s award for the second time in three years as his Aggie sprinters notched NCAA indoor titles in the 400 and 4×400.

National Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Dick Booth, Florida

In his second season as Florida’s jumps coach, Dick Booth directed his athletes to score 30 of the Gators’ 52 total team points en route to the team’s second consecutive NCAA Indoor Championship.

Booth mentored pupil Will Claye, a junior transfer from Oklahoma, to the NCAA individual championship in the men’s triple jump with an NCAA meet-record leap of 56-10 (17.32m). His triple jumpers, including USTFCCCA South Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year Christian Taylor and sophomore Omar Craddock, finished 1-2-5 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the men’s triple jump. Claye, who was seeded eighth coming into the long jump competition, finished second in that event with the second-best mark in program history in that event at 26-4½ (8.04m). That feat came two weeks after the Gators posted a 1-2-3 sweep of the men’s triple jump at the 2011 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships, with his group recording the top-three marks in the nation at that meet.

Recent Winners:
2011: Dick Booth, Florida
2010: David Dumble, Arizona State
2009: Brian O’Neal, Florida
2008: Jason Vigilante, Texas

National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Vince Anderson, Texas A&M

Anderson’s sprint and hurdle group scored the full slate of Texas A&M’s 32 points needed to finish fifth place in the team standings at the NCAA Championships.

Jessica Beard became Texas A&M’s first female individual NCAA Indoor champion when she won the 400 meters with a time of 50.79 that ranks second collegiately and third on the American all-time lists as well as being the world leading mark for 2011.

In claiming the 4×400 relay Anderson’s sprint crew won A&M’s second title in the event. The first NCAA championship came two years ago when the Aggies also hosted the NCAA Indoor. The winning time of 3:29.72 ranks eighth collegiately and makes Texas A&M the fifth fastest school ever.

At the Big 12 Championships, Anderson’s group tallied 84 of the 101 points Texas A&M scored runner-up in the Big 12 Championships. Aggie sprinters won the 200, 400 and 4×400 relay while placing second in the 60, 200, and 60 hurdles. Two A&M sprinters shared high-point honors, scoring 20½ points each.

Recent Winners:
2011: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M
2010: Robert Johnson, Oregon
2009: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M
2008: David Dumble, Arizona State