2019 USTFCCCA Indoor Regional Award Winners

NEW ORLEANS – Approaching the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Championships, redshirt senior Mobolade Ajomale and director of track & field/cross country Kevin LaSure were each honored as West Region Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and West Region Men's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Monday.

"This a well-deserved honor for Bolade," said LaSure. "He has produced his most consistent season of his career thus far. And that is a testament to the work he has put in throughout the year and his maturity in the sport."

A 14-time All-American and eight-time NCAA Division II national champion from Richmond Hill, Canada, Ajomale put the country on notice with dominant performances in the 60m and 200m as well as the 400m and 4x400m relay this season. At the Pitt State Invitational on Jan. 26, the Olympian became the only DII sprinter to go sub-6.70 with his 6.67 Nationals automatic qualifier. Ajomale added not only another automatic qualification to Nationals in the 200m, but his 20.80 mark at the Boston University Last Chance Meet on Feb. 24 was second in DII history behind only his own 20.67 record. The results set up the senior for title defense opportunities at Nationals in both the 60m and 200m.

In his lone 400m race of the year at the GVSU Big Meet on Feb. 8, Ajomale delivered a lifetime-best 46.78 which served as the fourth-fastest time in Division II. He also contributed to the Urban Knights' 4x400m relay whose 3:10.07 at the BU Last Chance Meet was sixth-fastest in DII history, second by a DII team this season, and a program record by more than two seconds.

"I have been blessed to coach some of the best student-athletes in the history of NCAA Division II Track & Field (and Bolade's right at the top of that list) and, when it's all said and done, it's not the championships or the accolades you remember most, it's the journey it took to get there," said LaSure. "Right now, I'm just enjoying the journey and grateful to be a part of his story. My wish for every student-athlete that I coach is that they leave a better person on and off the track than they were when they arrive. Hopefully that holds true for Bolade. If so, then my job and time with him was a success."

Entering these final days before Indoor Nationals, the Academy of Art men's team ranks first in the West Region and 12th overall in NCAA Division II here in LaSure's fourth season with the program and his first as director of track & field/cross country. The team had four Nationals auto-qualifying marks and 12 provisional qualifying marks including the aforementioned DII historically significant times in the 200m and 4x400m.

This is the third West Region Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year award for Ajomale (2017, 2016) as well as the third West Region Indoor Coach of the Year in LaSure's career (2017, 2016).

Many of the honored athletes and coaches will be in competition at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships coming up this weekend, March 8-9, in Pittsburg, Kansas at the Robert W. Plaster Center. Portions of the meet will be streamed online live at NCAA.org and more information can be found at the USTFCCCA's National Championships Central page.