Tiger Track & Field Collects All-Region Honors

March 19, 2021

NEW ORLEANS, LA – All-Region honors for the 2021 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field season were announced on Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

A total of 1152 honors were bestowed on 92 different institutions with 579 honors on the men's side and an additional 573 for women's teams.

The Wittenberg University men's and women's track & field tallied eight All-Region honorees. On the men's side, the 4x400 meter relay team of Austyn Albanese, Ezekiel Bennett, Ian McCandlish and Deven Ramsey, posting a time of 3:22.48 at the Division III Elite Indoor Championships. This group of Tigers posted a 3:20.73 just a week before at the final home meet of the season, qualifying for the Elite Indoor Championships.

On the women's side, the Tigers collected seven awards, amongst four competitors at the Elite Indoor Championships. Alexis Johnson led the Wittenberg Great Lakes All-Region recipients, locking down awards in the 60m dash, along with the triple and long jump competitions from the DIII Elite Championships. Johnson earned a second-place finish in the triple jump with a leap of 11.39m. Earning another spot on the podium, Johnson secured a fourth-place finish in the 60-m dash, clocking a time of 7.89. Johnson earned her third all-region designation in the long jump competition. Alexis Gray makes her return to the all-region list, posting a time of 2:14.91 from the Elite Indoor Championships. Stevie Plikerd claimed all-region honors in both long and triple jump competitions while at the Elite Indoor Championships. Plikerd posted a leap of 5.35m in the long jump event, earning a second-place finish. She followed up with a 10.60m mark in the triple jump portion of the Elite Indoor Championships. Hannah Schartz made her way on the podium with a second-place finish in the high jump contest, clearing the bar at 1.62m, earning her first Great Lakes All-Region designation.

No institution had more combined All-Region honors than the Coast Guard Academy with 60. The Bears had five more than Ithaca (55) and six more than Southern Maine (54). Wartburg (45), Loras (43) and Lynchburg (40) were the only other institutions with more than 40.

Emily Lavarnway of SUNY Geneseo led all athletes with six All-Region honors. Lavarnway starred in the pentathlon, as well as each of those five events individually – 60H, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 meters. She was one of 22 athletes to earn more than four nods.

To earn All-Region honors, an athlete must be one of the top-5 individuals in their respective region on the final TFRRS Descending Order List. In addition, each member of a region's top-3 relay team was also selected for distinction.

Only athletes from USTFCCCA member institutions are eligible for the award.