University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Have Three USTFCCCA Regional T&F Award Winners
March 19, 2026 | Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. — Three members of the Georgia track and field program have earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Indoor South Region honors, according to an announcement from the USTFCCCA Thursday.
*Caryl Smith Gilbert was named the South Region Women's Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. While she has earned three of these while coaching UGA, Smith Gilbert collected another eight combined regional awards at Southern California and Central Florida.
*Karim Abdel Wahab was named the South Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.
*Redshirt freshman Adaejah Hodge collected her first South Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year award.
Smith Gilbert, who is in her fifth year guiding UGA, led the Lady Bulldogs to the 2026 NCAA indoor team title last weekend, marking the program's second of its kind and the first indoor title of her career. She had the NCAA 200-meter dash and 400m champions as well as seven other First-Team All-Americans, including the runner-up in the 4x400m relay. Smith Gilbert also had the national leader in Hodge in the 200m going into NCAAs before Hodge improved to 22.22 to win her championship.
Abdel Wahab, who is in his third year at Georgia, coached his 400m and 4x400m relay group to 24 points of Georgia's 53 at NCAAs. He led Dejanea Oakley to gold (400m - 50.47, No. 15 all-time collegiate performer), 4x400m relay to silver (No. 4 all-time collegiate performer) and had Oakley clock the No. 4 all-time 300m (35.94).
Hodge, who grew up in Douglasville, Ga., set facility/school/British Virgin Islands records to win the NCAA 200m title (No. 4 all-time collegiate performer). She was also the runner-up in the NCAA 60m after clocking a personal record in the prelims. Hodge was the SEC 200m champion with a facility record and finished the indoor season 6-0 in 200m races.
Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' indoor and outdoor seasons will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track & field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
*Caryl Smith Gilbert was named the South Region Women's Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. While she has earned three of these while coaching UGA, Smith Gilbert collected another eight combined regional awards at Southern California and Central Florida.
*Karim Abdel Wahab was named the South Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.
*Redshirt freshman Adaejah Hodge collected her first South Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year award.
Smith Gilbert, who is in her fifth year guiding UGA, led the Lady Bulldogs to the 2026 NCAA indoor team title last weekend, marking the program's second of its kind and the first indoor title of her career. She had the NCAA 200-meter dash and 400m champions as well as seven other First-Team All-Americans, including the runner-up in the 4x400m relay. Smith Gilbert also had the national leader in Hodge in the 200m going into NCAAs before Hodge improved to 22.22 to win her championship.
Abdel Wahab, who is in his third year at Georgia, coached his 400m and 4x400m relay group to 24 points of Georgia's 53 at NCAAs. He led Dejanea Oakley to gold (400m - 50.47, No. 15 all-time collegiate performer), 4x400m relay to silver (No. 4 all-time collegiate performer) and had Oakley clock the No. 4 all-time 300m (35.94).
Hodge, who grew up in Douglasville, Ga., set facility/school/British Virgin Islands records to win the NCAA 200m title (No. 4 all-time collegiate performer). She was also the runner-up in the NCAA 60m after clocking a personal record in the prelims. Hodge was the SEC 200m champion with a facility record and finished the indoor season 6-0 in 200m races.
Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' indoor and outdoor seasons will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track & field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
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Sprints
/ Track & FieldGeorgia Track & Field: Dejanea Oakley - Indoor NCAAs Post Meet Press Conference
Sunday, March 15
Georgia Track & Field: Adaejah Hodge - Indoor NCAAs Post Meet Press Conference
Sunday, March 15
Georgia Track & Field: Coach Caryl Smith Gilbert - Indoor NCAAs Post Meet Press Conference
Sunday, March 15
Georgia Track & Field: Adaejah Hodge - Indoor NCAAs Pre Meet Press Conference
Friday, March 13