2024 USTFCCCA Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award

ORLANDO, Fla. – For more than 20 years, Kevin LaSure has been a name synonymous with hard work and success in the sports of cross country and track & field.

For years of dedication to his craft and those around him, Academy of Art Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Kevin LaSure was honored with the Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award as presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association at the USTFCCCA Convention on Tuesday.

Named for a USTFCCCA Hall of Famer and the Association's first executive director who owned a 161-11 career dual meet record highlighted by four conference championships and six state crowns, the Jimmy Carnes Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the USTFCCCA and to the sports of cross country and track & field.

"It has been an honor," LaSure said. "I'm happy to bring so many people into the fold and get involved in helping the sport improve and get better."

After concluding his career as a track & field student-athlete with multiple All-New England honors and Sportsmanship Awards, LaSure spent eight seasons on the track & field/cross country staff at the University of New Haven. As a head coach, LaSure mentored 52 NCAA National qualifiers, 45 NCAA All-Americans, and five Individual National Champions including Shannon Gagne. Additionally, the Chargers set more than 50 school records in the sprints, jumps, hurdles, mid-distance, and relays during LaSure's tenure.

LaSure joined Academy of Art in 2015 and has furthered the track & field and cross country programs as national contenders. Coaching greats such as 10-time National Champion, 20-time All-American, and ART U Athletics Hall of Famer Mobolade Ajomale, nine-time All-American and 2024 400m Hurdles National Champion Shareez Hamm, and numerous others, LaSure's current stint with the Urban Knights has featured over 20 Individual National Champions, 220 NCAA All-Americans, and nearly 150 Pacific West Conference Champions. Combining to finish among the top 10 teams a total of six times at Indoor and Outdoor Nationals, Academy of Art has also collectively produced 135 school records in his time.

Over the course of his Academy of Art career, LaSure, the PacWest Men's Track & Field Coach of the Year in 2018, has been named USTFCCCA West Region Coach of the Year on 11 occasions including the 2016 Indoor, 2019 Indoor, 2020-21 Indoor, 2022 Indoor, 2023 Indoor, 2023 Outdoor, and 2024 Indoor seasons on the men's side and 2017 Indoor, 2020-21 Indoor, and 2022 Outdoor campaigns on the women's side.

LaSure also spent time supporting the USTFCCCA during his time on staff with UNH and ART U. Starting as the Northeast-10 Conference representative to the Association's NCAA DII Track & Field Executive Committee in 2011, he quickly rose through the ranks to President of that Executive Committee in 2018. Six years later, LaSure is the Executive Council Chair of the Association's NCAA DII Track & Field Executive Committee and an NCAA DII At-Large Representative on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors.

Watch the award presentation via RunnerSpace at the 2024 USTFCCCA Convention!