SEWARD, Neb. – Instrumental in helping the Concordia University women’s track and field program to a GPAC indoor title, head coach Matt Beisel and assistant coach Ed McLaughlin have been recognized appropriately by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). On Thursday (Feb. 21), the organization named Beisel the NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Coach of the Year and McLaughlin the NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year.
Beisel was also named the Jim McMahon-Hauff Mid America Sports/GPAC Women’s Coach of the Year on Thursday. The women’s team is currently ranked No. 3 in the NAIA by the USTFCCCA. Concordia’s women’s team will take 17 athletes to next week’s NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. The group includes the national leader, Addie Shaw, in the weight throw. Shaw and company have combined to produce 19 ‘A’ and six ‘B’ standard national qualifying marks this season. Conference event championships were achieved by the women’s 4x400 meter relay, Allie Brooks (pole vault) and Taylor Grove (3,000 meters).
McLaughlin oversees another top notch throws group headlined by Shaw and two-time shot put national champion Samantha Liermann. A 22-year coaching veteran, McLaughlin has cleaned up awards from the USTFCCCA in recent seasons. Since the beginning of 2016, McLaughlin has raked in a total of 11 USTFCCCA coaching awards (four national and seven regional). The 2019 Concordia female throwers currently rank No. 1 in the NAIA in both the shot put and weight throw with five qualified in the weight throw and four in the shot put. Throwers contributed 33 team points to the GPAC title at last week’s conference meet.
McLaughlin USTFCCCA awards
- 2019 NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2017 NAIA National Women’s Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2017 NAIA Midwest Region Men’s and Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2016 NAIA National Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2016 NAIA National Men’s Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2016 NAIA Midwest Region Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2016 NAIA Midwest Region Men’s and Women’s Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year
The 2019 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships will unfold Feb. 28 – March 2 inside the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, S.D.