SEWARD, Neb. – Just a few days after celebrating individual national titles for two athletes, Ed McLaughlin has been named the NAIA National Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Wednesday (May 29)’s announcement marks the sixth career national assistant coach of the year award earned by McLaughlin. In 2019, McLaughlin has swept national women’s assistant indoor/outdoor honors. The USTFCCCA began recognizing coaches and athletes of the year in 2016.
In addition to six national coaching honors, McLaughlin has collected eight career USTFCCCA regional coach of the year awards. The 22-year coaching veteran has helped the Concordia track and field programs win two team NAIA national titles while being recognized as one of the nation’s top throws coaches. At last week’s NAIA outdoor championship meet, Samantha Liermann (shot put) and Addie Shaw (discus) became the program’s 15th and 16th throws national champions since 2014 under McLaughlin’s guidance. The 2019 group of throwers were instrumental in a Bulldog women’s sweep of GPAC indoor/outdoor team championships.
Liermann and Shaw have combined for five career individual national titles. In last week’s action in Gulf Shores, Ala., throwers were responsible for 35 of 44 team points for a Concordia women’s squad that placed fifth nationally. Broken down point totals per event, 18 came in the discus, 11 in the shot put and six in the hammer. Women’s throws All-Americans included Liermann (shot put; discus) and Shaw (discus; hammer) in addition to Johanna Ragland (hammer; shot put) and Carley Weisser (discus). Liermann and Shaw were also GPAC champions.
McLaughlin USTFCCCA awards
- 2019 NAIA National Women’s Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2019 NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Indoor and Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2019 NAIA National 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
Throwing national champions under McLaughlin
2014 Outdoor – Liz King (Javelin)
2015 Indoor – Zach Lurz (Shot Put)
2015 Indoor – Josh Slechta (Weight Throw)
2015 Outdoor – Cody Boellstorff (Hammer Throw)
2016 Indoor – Cody Boellstorff (Weight Throw)
2016 Indoor – Zach Lurz (Shot Put)
2016 Outdoor – Liz King (Hammer Throw)
2016 Outdoor – Zach Lurz (Shot Put)
2017 Indoor – Cody Boellstorff (Weight Throw)
2017 Indoor – Zach Lurz (Shot Put)
2017 Outdoor – Cody Boellstorff (Hammer Throw)
2017 Outdoor – Samantha Liermann (Shot Put)
2018 Indoor – Samantha Liermann (Shot Put)
2018 Outdoor – Adrianna Shaw (Discus)
2019 Outdoor – Samantha Liermann (Shot Put)
2019 Outdoor – Adrianna Shaw (Discus)