Track Collects Four USTFCCCA Regional Awards

ATHENS, Ga. --- A pair of Georgia track and field coaches and one student-athlete collected a total of four U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Region indoor awards, according to an announcement Thursday.

Caryl Smith Gilbert was named the region's Women's Head Coach of the Year and the Men's Head Coach of the Year while associate head coach James Thomas garnered Men's Assistant Coach of the Year honors.  Senior Kyle Garland was also named the Men's Field Athlete of the Year following his record-breaking finale at the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend.

Garland's honor is the first of its kind for the Bulldogs since Georgia great Denzel Comenentia won the accolade in back to back seasons (2018-19).

Smith Gilbert, who is in her second year leading the program, guided the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.  It was their highest finish in school history after scoring a program-record 40 points.  UGA posted a school record of three NCAA individual titles and five-of-six six individuals and the 4×400 relay scored.  The Bulldogs notched two world-leading times in the 200 meters (20.12) and the 400m (44.75) and had a collegiate record in the heptathlon (6,639 points).

On the women's side, Smith Gilbert directed the Lady Bulldogs to a fifth-place finish at NCAAs after five women combined to score 31 points.  She coached a pair of true freshmen sprinters – Kaila Jackson and Autumn Wilson – to total 20 points (Jackson leading a 2-4 finish in the 60m; Wilson leading a 3-8 in the 200m).  The Bulldogs also got a third-place finish in the high jump from sophomore Elena Kulichenko and fourth-place effort from junior transfer Mikeisha Welcome in the triple jump.

Thomas worked with Kyle Garland as he tallied a collegiate record score of 6,639 points in winning the heptathlon at Nationals.  He also coached another NCAA qualifier, Johannes Erm, who was second in the heptathlon at the SEC Indoor Championships.

Garland, who hails from Philadelphia, Pa., destroyed the collegiate record – and fell just six points shy of the world record – in the heptathlon to win the combined event at the NCAA Championships.  He finished with 6,639 points, 140 points more than Ashton Eaton scored to win the 2010 NCAA title for the previous collegiate record.  During the regular season, Garland showed flashes of brilliance in the heptathlon when he moved up to No. 2 in collegiate history with his 6,415 score at the Texas Tech Open & Multis.

Up Next: The Bulldogs start their outdoor season at the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta on March 17-18.  Georgia will play host to one home meet later in the outdoor season: Spec Towns & Torrin Lawrence Invitational – April 6-8.

Where To Find Bulldog News: Results and recaps from the NCAA Indoor Championships will be found at georgiadogs.com.  News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.

University of Georgia Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Johannes Erm

Kyle Garland

Kaila Jackson

Elena Kulichenko

Mikeisha Welcome

Autumn Wilson

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