STANDISH, Maine – The 2023 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Indoor Track & Field major award winners have been announced and the Saint Joseph's College men's indoor program has earned a pair of accolades.
Freshman Abdirizak Abukar (Lewiston, Maine) has been named as the GNAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Rookie of the Year and the SJC coaching staff, led by Head Coach Tom Dann, has been selected as the GNAC Men's Coaching Staff of the Year.
Abukar is named as the GNAC Rookie of the Year after garnering four conference Rookie of the Week accolades during his first collegiate campaign. The freshman standout won three events at the GNAC Championship on February 12th (60-Meter, 200-Meter, 400-Meter) with team record-setting times in the 60-Meter (7.21) and 200-Meter (22.52) that Sunday in Boston.
Abukar also put his name in the SJC record books by running a leg in three different relay events with program top times in the 4x200 Meter Relay (1:36.24), 4x400 Meter Relay (3:29.53), and Sprint Medley Relay (3:52.59).
During the 2022-23 indoor season, Abukar won five individual events with a pair of runner-up finishes and three third-place performances.
Coach Dann along with his assistant coaches – Michael Roscoe, Michael Burleson, and Kris Mason '21 – claim GNAC top coaching staff accolades after leading the Monks to the program's first-ever GNAC Championship with a 2023 GNAC Men's Indoor Track & Field crown at Boston University on February 12th. St. Joe's finished 40 points ahead of runner-up Regis College with 168 team points as the Monks won six total events and placed second in six others while cruising to victory.
GNAC RELEASE:
WINTHROP, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference unveiled its 2023 Indoor Track & Field major award winners on Friday, headlined by Regis College sweeping all four individual honors, as voted upon by the league's five head coaches.
For the Pride, grad student Ashleigh Kelley (pictured) was named Women's Track Athlete of the Year; junior Anastazia Copeland took home GNAC Women's Field Athlete of the Year; first-year Grace Micklon earned Women's Rookie of the Year; while the Pride's leadership headed by Ben Colello was selected as the GNAC Women's Coaching Staff of the Year.
On the men's side, Colby-Sawyer College junior Chase Adams was crowned GNAC Men's Track Athlete of the Year, while Lasell University junior thrower Connor Parker was voted the GNAC Men's Field Athlete of the Year.
GNAC champion Saint Joseph's College of Maine took home the other two major awards, with Monks standout first-year Abdirizak Abukar capturing Men's Rookie of the Year honors, and the SJC coaches led by Tom Dann earned GNAC Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
For the complete list of major award winners, as well as our 2023 GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team selections, please see below.
Kelley won four events at the 2023 GNAC Championship, claiming victory in the Mile, 800, 3000, and DMR, anchoring the distance medley relay quartet to the win, which sealed the team victory at Boston University's Track & Tennis center. At New England's, she scored 32.25 points after competing in the mile and the 3000.
Copeland was the GNAC Champion in the weight throw and was a New England qualifier, while Micklon had a third-place high jump finish at GNACs for a new Pride program record.
On the men's side, Adams qualified for the New England Regionals in the 60-meter hurdles after breaking the 60H school record at the GNAC Championships. He also was in the 4x400 that broke the Chargers program school record at New England's.
Parker took first place in the weight throw at the GNAC Championships for the Lasers, as well as a 10th-place shotput effort.
Abukar ran and jumped onto the GNAC scene this indoor season, capturing four GNAC weekly rookie accolades. Then at the GNAC Championship, the Lewiston, Maine native won the 60m, 200m, 400m, and anchored the winning 4x400 relay. He also qualified for New Englands in the 200 and 400.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Ashleigh Kelley, Regis
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Anastazia Copeland, Regis
WOMEN'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Grace Micklon, Regis
WOMEN'S COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR - Regis College (Ben Colello)
WOMEN'S TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD - Lasell University
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Chase Adams, Colby-Sawyer
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Connor Parker, Lasell
MEN'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Abdirizak Abukar, Saint Joseph's of Maine
MEN'S COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR - Saint Joseph's of Maine (Tom Dann)
MEN'S TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD - Regis College
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity, and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
– #TheGNAC –
